Living with Itch

This book and its inventive format will make it possible for people who suffer from itch to understand it in great depth. And its practical advice will help everyone-from anyone who has ever been bitten by a mosquito to anyone who has ever experienced the unrelenting itch of the many skin diseases in which it causes so much suffering. -- Jeffrey D. Bernhard, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Editor Emeritus, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Anyone who has suffered from itch, especially those with a condition where itch is a constant companion, will benefit by reading this groundbreaking book. As a patient myself, understanding it and learning ways to manage it can make a huge difference in living well day to day. -- Susan Thornton, cutaneous lymphoma patient; CEO, Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation My son's round-the-clock itch runs so deep, he scratches and scratches to find some relief. This book is for anyone with an allergy or eczema or other condition that causes itch, or anyone who wants to truly understand what so many endure when the itch is unrelenting. -- Eric Kageyama If you live with chronic itch, you might think no one understands what you're going through. This innovative book is proof that some very smart people do. -- Kaspar Mossman, eczema patient

Patient and parent narratives illustrate how people cope with itch and how, with medical and social support, itch can be managed.We have all experienced itch, whether from insect bites or dry skin, but millions of people worldwide have chronic or even intractable itch. Just like chronic pain, chronic itch interferes with a person's ability to function-and even affects quality of life. Living with Itch offers relief, drawing on the authors' vast knowledge of itch, the suffering it causes, and available treatments. Itch researchers and clinicians Drs. Gil Yosipovitch and Shawn G. Kwatra explain the cascade of physiological events that causes us to experience itch. They describe the many skin diseases, from atopic dermatitis (eczema) to psoriasis, and conditions like chronic kidney disease, lymphoma, HIV, and neuropathies that cause itch. Living with Itch provides information on preventing itch as well as topical and systemic ways to treat it. Patient and parent narratives illustrate how people cope with itch and how, with medical and social support, itch can be managed.