system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What is actually happening inside your body when you itch, and why does it happen?
gpt
There are thousands of nerves all over the surface of your skin which are meant to feel pain. If something that should be painful happens, those nerves tell the brain to localize a pain response to that area. Loose dead skin cells sometimes touch those nerves and activate them. Since it's only one nerve being activated, you don't get a "pain" response, but more a "wow, that's annoying" response. Itching removes the dead skin cell and fixes the problem.