We've all had bug bites, or dry scalp, or a sunburn that causes itch. But what if you felt itchy all the time — and there was no relief? Atlantic journalist Annie Lowrey suffers from primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a degenerative liver disease in which the body mistakenly attacks cells lining the bile ducts, causing them to inflame. The result is a severe itch that doesn't respond to antihistamines or steroids. She talks with Terry Gross about finding a diagnosis, treatment, and what scientists know about itch. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
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This is FRESH AIR.
I'm Terry Gross.
Stress and anxiety can lead to itch, so I would imagine a lot of Americans have done a lot of scratching over the past few months.
There's the kind of itch that you scratch and poof, no more itch.
But sometimes the more you scratch, the more you itch.
And then there's the kind of itch that is so alive, explosive, persistent and all encompassing that nothing seems to help and it hijacks your brain.
That's the kind of itch that my guest Annie Lowry writes about in her Atlantic magazine article titled why People Itch and How to Stop It.
It's about what researchers are learning about itch and how that's opening the door to new treatments.
Lowery suffers from itch so intense she's dug holes in her skin and scalp and once asked a surgeon to amputate her limbs.
Her issue is related to a rare and degenerative liver disease.
Part of her article is about her own itch and the extremes it's led her to.
Lowery is a staff writer at the Atlantic, focusing on the economy and politics.
She's a former staff writer at the New York Times and New York Magazine.
Annie Lowery, welcome to FRESH air.
Is today an itchy day for you?
It is.