Itch scratching itch a vicious circle or is there a way out | HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht

Chronic itching is one of the the most underestimated medical problems in the Netherlands. It occurs in one in four people at some point in their lives. Scratching gives immediate relief, but irritates the skin and exacerbates the itch, causing you to scratch even more. This project investigates new ways to relieve itching and break the itch-scratch-itch cycle.

The aim of this project is to generate more insight into factors that play a role in the itch-scratch-itch cycle and into possibilities to break this cycle and thus improve the treatment options for chronic itching.

This project will contribute to the understanding of the influences on and treatment of chronic itch by means of breaking the itch-scratch-itch cycle.

01 September 2018 - 01 September 2024

Research is being conducted into the effect of virtual reality (VR) on the sensation of itching and whether VR can be used to allow a patient to scratch an itchy spot 'virtually'. Finally, research is being done into the effectiveness of a 'smart ring' that vibrates when a patient wants to scratch.
Because measuring itch is essential in assessing the effects of interventions/environments on itch, research is also being done into the content validity of measurement instruments for chronic itch from a patient perspective (Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROM)).

Emmy van de Burgt
- Researcher
- Research group: Innovation in Healthcare Processes in Pharmacology
Rob Heerdink
- Professor
- Research group: Innovation in Healthcare Processes in Pharmacology
Helianthe Kort
- Professor
- Research group: Technology for Healthcare Innovations
Esther Tjin
- Researcher
- Research group: Innovation in Healthcare Processes in Pharmacology