title: Some historical and epistemological remarks on itch and pruritus.
abstract: Although very common, itch is very hard to describe. It can be considered as one of the most distressing physical sensations we experience. Going back historically, old Latin and Greek writers cited it in ancient papers. So, etymology is of central importance to investigation in the field of itch, regarding the formation of a word with antique origins and different meanings. Scientists, poets, and painters for centuries tried to describe and represent itch. The study of their work reveals the development of the itch's significance. Today, a clinically relevant distinction defines pruritus and itch as two different sensations. Moreover, some terms like hyperknesis, alloknesis, atmoknesis, protopathic itch, and epicritic itch are described to approaching the complexity of this sensation and are utilized in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatological Sciences, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terranova
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guarneri
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guarneri
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Terranova
authors.forename: Torello
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lotti
mesh_terms: D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009626:Terminology as Topic