How to Manage the Real Seven Year Itch

For most people the Seven year itch is an intriguing term- denoting an almost immoral urge to stray out in search of clandestine extra marital affairs. The seven year itch as the pseudonym for infidelity got its share of fame after the release of the 1955 blockbuster film starring Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell. The film was directed by Billy Wilder and the original play on which the film was based was written by George Axelrod.

The plot of the film revolves around the amorous fantasies of a publisher who is about to publish a new book that emphasizes that many men have extra-marital affairs after about seven years of marriage - called the "7-Year Itch". The film is also famous on another count. Its uncensored version contains one of the most famous images in cinema history - Marilyn's dress blowing up over a subway grating. The phrase seven year itch now is often extended to refer to an urge to escape from any situation, not necessarily of seven years' duration either!

George Axelrod, who wrote the play on which the film was based, is not the author of the phrase either.

The real seven-year itch is not even connected in any way with the wedding lock and lovers. And it was not a condition that began after seven years, but one that lasted for seven years, for want of an effective treatment till the early 20^th century. It is well known as Scabies and is caused by an itch mite.

The real seven year itch has been known for centuries. Aristotle probably came across the mite that causes the seven year itch or scabies as it is well known today, who used the term 'akari' to describe a wood mite. But he did not make the association of the mite with the itch. Though the disease was described throughout the centuries, it was thought to be of humoral origin and due to 'bad' blood or constitution. It was Giovan Cosimo Bonomo in 1687 that first identified the parasitic origin of scabies and assigned it to the Sarcoptes scabei mite, though many controversies surround the discovery. French called scabies 'gale', the English "the itch', and the Germans 'kratze'.