Touring - medical advice needed asap!! :)

I am about to go on my first 4 day tour next monday. i use the same bike I am touring with to commute to work each day. Problem: for whatever reason I all of a sudden am experiencing a minor saddle sore! WTF? I always use bike shorts, with nothing underneath. this is the same dam bike I have been riding forever, and normally this does not happen! What is the trick to keeping this in check? I do NOT want to have to deal with a saddle sore during a 4 day bike ride!!!!

Mike

Bag Balm or similar lube.

Good luck
Joe

I've heard some people say they use zinc oxide to relieve the irritation/pain of saddle sores.

have you recently increased your time in the saddle to prepare (or train) for your tour? I found that when I added saddle time I got some sores. The only thing that helped me was time off of the bike....lots of it, like weeks. This coincided with getting a new job where I didn't have much time to ride anymore so it wasn't intentional, if not for the new job, i would have kept riding. I've changed saddles twice since I got them, I think that helped a little because it moved some pressure points a little. I have bag balm also, but I've never used it before a ride, always after. Do you use it before/during a ride?

I'm currently using a WTB Speed V I got on sale at performance for $20. It seems to be okay, but I havn't really put many miles on it. Probably some day I'll finally listen to 99% of the saddle recommendations here and get a brooks.

As members I don't think we should be providing medical advice on-line.

That said, I carry Monostat Derm (Miconzole Nitrate 2%) often used for topical treatment of yeast infections. The first step is always cleaniness, then keep the area dry and add medication as required.

I'd see your doctor.

As members I don't think we should be providing medical advice on-line.

That said, I carry Monostat Derm (Miconzole Nitrate 2%) often used for topical treatment of yeast infections. The first step is always cleaniness, then keep the area dry and add medication as required.

I'd see your doctor.

Good call, Stokell! I'm a Nursing Student, and that's the advice I'd give. Other than that, keep it clean, use bag balm or other(unless it is an open sore, bag balm and other balms can carry bacteria into a wound, and believe me you do NOT want a staph infection there!) See your doctor and if an open wound, sorry, stay off the bike til you are healed! I stress again: SEE YOUR DOCTOR!

not advice, but i have started using some stuff called bee balme ... it is petroleum jelly based and has a few natural additives. the bee extracts are a natural anti-bacterial and worked wonders for the wicked saddle rash i had on my last tour ... it largely cleared it up overnight ...

after all it was formulated for babies butts, and i guess they are a bit softer and get a bit wetter than mine [as a genreal rule! LOL]

bee balme (http://www.tuibalmes.co.nz/retail/beebalm.htm)

http://www.tuibalmes.co.nz/retail/images/beebalm.jpg

Two issues here: 1) the medical problem, and 2) how to avoid in the future. Good advice on seeing a doctor, for issue #1.

For issue #2: Mike, I think you told us you swapped drop bars for the original flat handlebars. This has probably changed your contact points on the saddle, and that in turn is probably causing the sores. Any time you change or move the saddle, the stem reach, etc. it can take a while to work out the bugs (so to speak...) Even accidentally twisting the saddle 1/4" has caused me problems.

So four things:
-- As soon as you make a change, pay attention so you can adjust other things back to normal. Maybe your saddle needs to be moved forward/back, lowered/raised, etc.
-- No underwear as cotton seams cause problems (you're doing that)
-- Lotions and creams, used properly.
-- Good hygiene during the ride, every night.

Good luck for next weekend!

-- Mark

Some thoughts:
1) fresh air and sunshine
2) bees gots germs
3) skin flora can be nasty. So can staph, strep other bowel flora
4) Monistat, generic clotrimazole, etc are for superficial fungal (ie Candida) infections
5) serious cellulitis, perirectal abscess, etc will not respond to DIY therapy-

powder in the morning, desitin at night until healed--then just the powder in the morning part.