The Itch (2008)

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/06/30/the-itch?currentPage=all

by benbreen • 12 years ago

33 8 12 years ago

girvo• 12 years ago

Aquagenic pruritus is recurrent, intense, diffuse itching upon getting out of a bath or shower, and although no one knows the mechanism, it’s a symptom of polycythemia vera, a rare condition in which the body produces too many red blood cells.

Oh wow, so that's what that is. I get that. I always assumed that was typical; it's a pretty horrid sensation, it's like my eczema crossed with pins and needles, and it happens when I get in or out of a shower or bath, especially quite hot ones (but even just warm can do it).

alexbecker• 12 years ago

Oh man, I remember reading this right after it was published.

How such a mundane thing as an itch can completely wreck your life and your body -- I still count it as one of the scariest things I've ever read.

zaksoup• 12 years ago

There was another New Yorker story about a man (or multiple people) with some disorder that caused them to be massive assholes to everybody as well as try to harm themselves despite not wanting to. I remember one guy carried around a little business card that explained it and it described another person who would "accidentally" say "eat shit and die" as a greeting. It was around the same time period. Anybody here remember it and can link it? I've been looking for years.

anilgulecha• 12 years ago

I think the disease is Tourette's Syndrome. That could help with the search for the article.

talles• 12 years ago

South Park did an episode on that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Petit_Tourette

Cartman fakes to have tourette so he can be asshole to everyone

thomk• 12 years ago

I had to stop reading this article because it was making me itch all over.

mattei• 12 years ago

Likewise. Fascinating and amazing.

blablabla123• 12 years ago

You need to read it till the end, there is a surprising turn in the story...

The Itch (2008)

Related Stories