Was Mother right about scratching?

Quoted message said:

the practice of scratching where it itches seems universal among birds and mammals.

Scratching is not a bad plan if you have a splinter or a parasite that might be dislodged thereby.

TWINBLUE

Axel Harvey <[email hidden]> wrote or quoted:

Quoted message said:

Although we were taught not to scratch minor scrapes and insect bites, the practice of scratching
where it itches seems universal among birds and mammals. One suspects that if scratching were not
beneficial it would not be so widespread. Iirc, scratching brings histamines to the target site,
so the reflex to scratch might be considered a semi-conscious part of the immune system. Where can
I find some authoritative discussion of this phenomenon?

Scratching can be counter-productive when it disturbs the target site - but can be helpful in
activating inflammation responses and the immune system on other occasions.

If you have eczema or chicken pox - don't scratch, though.

Trusting the instinct to scratch may not always be good - bear in mind that sometimes the scratch
instinct may be cued by an infectious agent - in an attempt to spread itself.
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[email hidden] (Axel Harvey) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Although we were taught not to scratch minor scrapes and insect bites, the practice of scratching
where it itches seems universal among birds and mammals. One suspects that if scratching were not
beneficial it would not be so widespread. Iirc, scratching brings histamines to the target site,
so the reflex to scratch might be considered a semi-conscious part of the immune system. Where can
I find some authoritative discussion of this phenomenon?

dogs and cat often scratch and bite at irritated areas and it seems to get rid of the fleas and
other insects that maybe bothering them.

Tim Tyler said:

Axel Harvey <[email hidden]> had written:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Although we were taught not to scratch minor scrapes and insect bites, the practice of
scratching where it itches seems universal among birds and mammals. One suspects that if
scratching were not beneficial it would not be so widespread. Iirc, scratching brings histamines
to the target site, so the reflex to scratch might be considered a semi-conscious part of the
immune system. Where can I find some authoritative discussion of this phenomenon?

Quoted message said:

Scratching can be counter-productive when it disturbs the target site - but can be helpful in
activating inflammation responses and the immune system on other occasions.

If you have eczema or chicken pox - don't scratch, though.

Trusting the instinct to scratch may not always be good - bear in mind that sometimes the scratch
instinct may be cued by an infectious agent - in an attempt to spread itself.

Thanks to all who have responded. The fact remains that chickadees scratch and grizzly bears
scratch, so it is probably a successful behaviour on the whole. Are there warm-blooded species
that don't?