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I know these problems only too well, being a rather thinly built
person that has little extra "padding" in the "area" who usually
rides a good bit.
I've had no trouble continuing training while fighting these sores
as long as you take extra precautions. Sterilize the chamois with
97% isopropyl, then massage in Bacitracin/Neomycin or your favorite
antibiotic cream in the area of the sore. Don't skimp, use a lot,
even though it's expensive and feels gooey. There's little chance
of getting infection in this environment. When you get home, wipe
off the excess and REsterilize the chamois BEFORE you wash it. Chamois
is a porous animal hide which can harbor bacteria very easily. Chances
are you don't wash them with water hot enough to sterilize them
(or the dye would bleed) so the little buggers can proliferate to
their hearts desire, and your behinds chagrin.
If the sore is oozing, I use a drawing salve like Boil-Ease.
This will tend to dry up the sore which aids healing. It also has
Lidocaine in it so it will numb the area for a while. If the sore
really hurts I either skip a day or use a strong anesthetic like
straight Novocaine or Lidocaine (like Anbesol) directly on it.
Nowadays I don't have much problem with these nasties. I use
a Pearl Izumi saddle that has a colloid in it like the Spenco pad,
but it's less bulky and not as squishy. It looks a little funny
but I don't care, as long as I'm happy.
That's the problem with racers, they feel as though if they
don't use a Turbo or Prestige or (insert your favorite trendy saddle
that's currently hot in Europe here) that they'll get laughed off
the course. That's bull. Use what makes you feel comfortable, your
performance van only improve and then you'll be the one laughing.
Good luck, I've been there
CdH
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| Sorry if I am splitting hairs, but you can't sterilize with alcohol,
only disenfect. There are too many little buggers out there which
thrive on a diet of alcohol. Even boiling will not kill off spore
type pathogens. (That is why the autoclaves in hospitals
use chemicals + heat + pressure)
I must also vote for Bacatracin/Neomycin ointment. It is one of the
best topical antibiotics on the market. Get the cheaper generic as
there is no difference in quality (as long as it is the combination B/N
or "triple antibiotic" Bacatracin/Neomycin/Polysporin.)
If you are out on the road on a trip and need to disenfect the chammi
w/o alochol available, use the sun to bleach the material. Tie it
to the outside of the panniers (careful not to get it caught in
the wheels) so the sun directly strikes the leather. Not a perfect
solution, but better than letting it breed bacteria in the
warm/moist/dark bag all day.
Steven Wilson
(Medic, US Army Reserves & trying to get into bike riding again.)
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Ok, ok, disinfect, not sterilize. Sterility is practically impossible
in the real aerobic environment.
The sun does do a nice job of disinfecting chamois, the only problem
with your method is the road grit that will inevitably get all over
the pad while you're riding.
CdH
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| Well, here's the final word on "the infection."
Sat Jul 12 through Tues Jul the cyst is occassionally as big
as a large marble, it's just to the side of my saddle inside my leg so
it doesn't hurt unless I sit down wrong or push back on the saddle
to get more leg extension on hills (I read Eddie B's book). Sometimes
there were shooting pains, etc., so I finally says to myself, "it's
a long season, ed, you had better do something about it."
Wednesday, July 16, Doc says, stay off the bike till the
surgeon can see you and use heat treatments. Like Hot water bottle,
HOT face cloth, Heating Pad. The heating pad was the easiest way
especially since I sit here a fair number of hours. (The instructions
suggest that you not sit on it -- certainly not sleep on it.)
The heat is to help the bodies natural defences fight infection.
Then they made the surgeon's appt for Jul 25.
Wed is club race day, so I said, "What's one more race?" Thurs
and Fri were spent like a good doobee, sitting on my pad. Friday
I ran Pack Monadnock -- I don't run often but had to do something
for the quads -- a couple of times.
By Sunday, the "infection" is much smaller. I rode a hilly 50 out
around Marlborough. That did it, 20 on Mon, 43 Tues, 20 Wed, 36 Thurs
-- all the time I had been telling myself I'd lay off on Thurs so the
doc would get the best picture. Of course, during working hours,
I was still sitting on my pad.
So, 2:30 Fri Jul 25 comes around. I go to the Surgeon's office,
the infection is smaller than a pea -- a dried pea at that. The
doc looked at it, I explained the circumstances. He said, "I could
send you home, I could remove it, which do you like?" I said, "Bye,
thanks."
If it recurs, I will have to do something about it, but it may just
go away.
I mean I wanted to ride the 4 Notches and a Pass on Saturday. (The
Kancamagus, Bear, Crawford, Franconia [the hard way, up 18], and Kinsman.)
ed
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| Sorry, there should have been a :-) after the remark. No offense
intended.
I see you point about road grit. I am not a "Rider" (note, chorus
of Angels singing.) so that never occured to me. I can reasonably
assume the ol' sun is pretty low in the sky (or missing) when you
stop for the night, so off times is out.
Well, you could always become a doctor and learn to I&D (incise
and drain) it yourself. It only takes 8 or 10 years. ;-) ;-)
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