[Gocamino] Medical advice for pilgrims

[Blaroli@aol.com]

Hello you all,
Last year a book was written by three doctors giving advice to pilgrims. One 
of them was the physician in charge of the Olympic Village in Barcelona in 
1992; another is the overseer of  Sports and Physical Education medicine; she 
also looks after the health fitness of the army; the third one is a professor of 
preventive medicine and psychiatry (!) at the prestigious USC  (Universidad of 
Santiago de Compostela). All three are members of the Royal  Academy  of 
Medicine and of umpteen other similar professional groups.
The book begins with  pre-pilgrimage advice in general; it follows with 
specific advice for walkers (shoes, socks, backpack,  walking stick, pre-walking 
warming up and post walking  care (!!!!). It continues with similar advice for 
cyclists and riders.
Then it has a very interesting part addressed to those who may accompany 
someone who may suffer a health problem. This section contains the Decalogue (ten 
commandments) ofd the would-be helpers.
Then it goes into specific advice on what to do, and how to treat, one by 
one:
Sun-caused injuries:
sunburns; lip herpes, conjunctivitis ("red eye"), overheating, "insolation" 
(something brought about by sun radiation directly on the head which causes 
headaches, fever, shivers, nausea, throwing up and muscular weakness), 
heatstroke, fainting spells and visual hallucinations (mirages?).
Cold-caused injuries:
Hypothermia, frostbite, "trench foot" and chilblains.
Then it goes on to deal with:
Injuries to toenails
Blisters
Athlete's foot
Cramps
Agujetas (muscle pains that show up 24 to 48 hours after starting to walk. 
increase for the next 36 hours and diminish during the following 4 to 5 days)
Contusions
Skin erosions
Wounds
Hemorrhages
Nose bleeds
Muscle twists
Luxacions (sort of arthritis of fingers, shoulders, knees and elbows)
Fractures
Injuries to the spine
Insect bites
Snake bites
Bites by other animals
Plant-cause dermatitis,
Fainting and convulsions
Fever
Intoxication (not from drinking wine) and food poisoning
Nausea and throwing up
Diarrhea
Indigestion

Then the book refers to the care to be taken by special pilgrims such as 
those who suffer from paraplegia, hemiplegia (?), diabetes, and hypertension and 
those  with hip or knee prosthesis and those with circulation problems in the 
legs or feet.

Then the book addresses the needs and care of children on the pilgrimage  and 
of obese and older pilgrims.  (By the way, the book mentions that a 99-year 
(yup, ninety-nine) old 
French woman made the pilgrimage by bicycle without any problems.

The book advices as to how to prevent and what to do, and what not to do in 
case of any of the above and is accompanied  by a plethora of helpful "how-to" 
drawings.

The book is only available in Spanish, but it is written in a very simple and 
easy to read manner.

The name of the book is "Camino de Santiago, Consejos Medicos para el 
Peregrino" by Drs. Gallego, Galdamez and Fernandez.  The ISBN number is 
84-8019-784-6.

If anyone here is particularly interested in one the above subjects I can 
post what the book says.

Personally, I have just gone on the Camino without any physical preparation 
whatever, and other than leg pains after the first day I have never suffered 
from anything but a blister or two that went away after prompt treatment.  I 
have been told by doctors that the fact that I am relatively thin, do not eat any 
meat, and like to walk explain the absence of  physical problems and 
ailments.  More than anything,  I think that what has kept me from illnesses and 
difficulties is that I enjoy the Camino so very, very  much; the enjoyment is so 
total that there's simply no room for anything else. 

Warm regards,

Rosina