What do pilgrims suffer from? Asphalt, poisoning, corns, burns

When pale red spots appear on the body, somewhat reminiscent of nettle burns, it is almost certainly asphalt, which is a kind of irritating allergy. Most often it occurs on the legs, less often on the hands, and it is caused by the vapors rising above the road during high temperatures – reports the portal superlinia.pl. However, this is not the only reason. An irritating rash can also appear when… we don’t rinse our clothes too thoroughly, especially our underwear. In hot weather, when the body sweats, it begins to react with the remnants of detergents and even the gel that we have washed off. Therefore, before going out, you should wash all things in a delicate powder. Some experts even recommend a mild dishwashing liquid. Let’s also give up scented shower gels. Regular gray soap rinses much better. There is no point in underestimating the advice. Asphalt is the most insignificant ailment that can threaten us if we do not take care of proper hygiene. Feet exposed to the remnants of shower gel throughout the day, and in addition not thoroughly rubbed, may be attacked by mycosis. They’ll get tiny blisters that look like abrasions at first, and then begin to peel off the skin. Unlike asphalt, talcum powder, washing with gray soap and drinking lime is not enough for mycosis

A long hike with a backpack can be felt in the muscles of the arms, back and legs. That is why it is worth remembering “First Pilgrim’s Council: Everything you haven’t taken – you don’t have to wear!” – appeals the tourist portal Wiatrak.nl. Indeed, even participants in expeditions to the Spanish Santiago de Compostela, which stretch hundreds of kilometers across Europe, do not take loads greater than 7-8 kilograms on their backs. Otherwise, they would risk overloading their muscles or tearing their tendons. The pressure on the shoulders can be minimized by the wide shoulder straps of the backpack. Thinner ones stick into the body more strongly. At the end of the day, after refreshing yourself, it is worth spending a dozen or so minutes for a massage. Smear the skin with the cream, gently rubbing it in circular movements. The massage will not only relax tense, aching muscles of the arms and back, but also the legs, preventing the formation of sore muscles. It’s best to start with the toes, gradually working your way towards the calves. «Then massage the ankle area for three minutes. Then, turn the wheels with your feet, first turning the ankle and then the ball of the foot. Massage the ankle area again, gently, for at least five minutes »- advises the portal Masaznazdrowo.pl. Also, do not forget about the heels and the places between the toes. During the day, when there is no time for a massage, a few minutes of lying with your legs up or wiping them with lukewarm water or cooling gel will bring relief.

Every year, Sanepid advises pilgrims to follow the basic rules of hygiene before meals. Otherwise, they risk food poisoning. It turns out that not only those who set off on further trips, e.g. to India or the Middle East, may suffer from troublesome vomiting or diarrhea. First of all, avoid eating ice cream, dairy products and meats, and cold cuts that have not been hermetically sealed. It is also dangerous to wash down fresh fruit with plenty of water, as usually the combination worsens the functioning of the intestines. Therefore, it is best to take permanently packed products with you on a pilgrimage, in small containers that will be enough for one meal. The leftovers should not be taken with you, because at high temperatures, exceeding 18 degrees Celsius, they deteriorate quickly and become dangerous for the body. Diarrhea and mild food poisoning will be combated by a dose of medicinal charcoal, rehydration fluids or drugs containing loperamide or diosmectite. However, if the symptoms persist, and they are accompanied by fever and severe abdominal pain, then it is worth visiting a pilgrimage doctor.

You don’t always walk on asphalt, sometimes on a dirt or gravel road. «There are stones on it, and you are tired at the end of the day and you dig into them instead of avoiding them. You bounce your nails fast. You already know that they will descend … And your heels hurt mercilessly. It is a relief to dip your feet in cold water. Glad at least you don’t have prints on them. Until »- recalls the participant of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Gazeta Wyborcza. The prints will definitely show up. Even if you prepare yourself the right shoes – sports shoes half or a size larger, walk-on and fitted to the foot. Or comfortable sandals, with wide straps, a hard sole, breathable. After walking several dozen kilometers, blisters filled with fluid will begin to appear on the skin. Then they should be pierced with a thin needle, washed with alcohol and covered with a plaster. Sometimes, in addition to corns, abrasions appear on the feet and groin. These are best treated with ointment in the evening. These ailments cannot be avoided. However, you can make them appear late and not be very painful. A few weeks before the march, it is worth getting your legs used to walking. Give up a sedentary lifestyle and take short daily walks. A week before the pilgrimage, start lubricating your feet with oily creams that will strengthen and protect delicate skin. Cut the nails, but not too short. Otherwise, “a several-hour march will cause swelling and abrasions,” warns the podiatrist Agnieszka Głuszczak, quoted in the “Pilgrim’s Guide” of the Archdiocese of Łódź. During the trip, rub talcum powder on your feet every morning, and be sure to put on socks before putting on sports shoes. Just make sure they won’t slide and won’t have excessively raised seams that can rub your skin.

If you feel dizzy, cold sweat, your image starts to blur, and you notice vomiting, it is a sign that you may have been a sunstroke victim. “If any of these symptoms appear, you must run away from the sun immediately”, advises lifeguard Robert Wawruch in an interview with Rmf24.pl. Those who do not heed his advice run the risk of losing consciousness. Already at the first symptoms, you should sit in the shade for a while and moisten your head and neck with water. It will also help to drink a few sips of a cool drink and lie down with your legs slightly off the ground. Sometimes it is simply impossible to assume such a position during the march. Then it is enough to stand with the legs crossed as high as possible and bend slightly, tensing the calf and buttocks muscles. Thanks to this, we will start to pump blood to the brain faster and avoid loss of consciousness.

– A nearly 60-year-old woman who came to Israel for a few days suddenly began to behave strangely. She wanted to spend hours in the church, and when she left the church, she treated strangers with water, convinced that she had turned it into wine – recall Anna Poleszczyk and Łukasz Święcicki from the Second Psychiatric Clinic in Warsaw. The case of the woman was not isolated. Researchers estimate that doctors have observed about a hundred similar cases each year since 1980. People who come to Israel – whether they are pilgrims or “ordinary” tourists, sometimes fall victim to the Jerusalem syndrome, which makes them believe that they are characters from the Holy Scriptures or live in the time of Jesus. They change into togas or drape fabrics to imitate period costumes. They convert passers-by or want to join a convent. Sometimes they become overly clean by washing themselves several times a day. “The Jerusalem authors believe that the underlying cause of this syndrome may be a discrepancy between the idealized vision of the holy city of people brought up in religious families and the actual image of modern Jerusalem, a metropolis that is the focus of religious conflicts” – Polish researchers note, adding that the syndrome probably also affects sometimes making pilgrims to other religious centers, but so far no one has described or researched this phenomenon in detail. Perhaps because it ultimately affects a fairly small percentage of people. Moreover, as soon as they leave Israel and return home, the syndrome wears off, even without medical intervention.