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When one thinks of the injuries sustained by baseball players, skin irritation is not necessarily the malady that jumps to mind. But for Josh Beckett, ace pitcher of the Boston Red Sox, it is exactly those sorts of concerns that have proven most debilitating over the years: Beckett has suffered from blisters on the fingers of his pitching hand that have landed him on the disabled list an astonishing six times since 2000.

That is a painful problem. It is an expensive problem. And it is a problem that can curtail seasons; it can derail careers; it can mean the difference between playing and not playing, winning and losing.

In Search of Topical Pain Relief

And it's not limited to Beckett, pitchers, or even baseball players. Athletes of all stripes risk injury due to blisters, abrasions, eczema, cuts...all dermatological concerns that demand topical pain relief. And, it doesn't end there: Those who participate in outdoor sports'tennis, sailing, skiing, and so on'frequently suffer from sunburn. Those who sweat a lot in workouts or competition such as basketball players, gymnasts, and runners have to deal with chafing. It especially helps runners to prevent blisters, abrasions, and also expedites in healing. These are recurring problems that demand chronic pain management. Yet, many athletes downplay these concerns, oftentimes because such injuries are not considered severe. Hey, it's not a broken bone or a torn hamstring, so how bad can it be? It can be bad enough to cause an athlete to lose a step, or to favor a certain leg, arm or muscle group. It can also be bad enough to lead to more severe injuries. Just ask Josh Beckett.

As such, athletes aiming to remain in top form should seek to treat their dermatological concerns via natural health remedies. Indeed, natural pain relief is the optimum method for keeping an athlete's skin healthy and hydrated. In fact, the importance of hydration itself cannot be overstated. Of course, the simplest and most effective method for staying hydrated is to simply drink water. And for athletes, who lose a great deal of fluids through sweating, water should be consumed frequently. In fact, it's said that even 2 percent dehydration decreases an athlete's performance by as much as 10 percent. Adequate hydration is crucial in keeping one's skin healthy.

For athletes already suffering from blisters, abrasions or the like, simple powders and ointments such as Johnson's Baby Powder or Gold Bond Medicated Ant-Itch Cream can be purchased inexpensively, and can provide tremendous relief. Even petroleum jelly can be applied to cuts or chafed areas to provide immediate topical pain relief.

For athletes suffering from dermatological issues, chronic pain management can truly be that basic. Again, let's take the example of Josh Beckett: The Red Sox hurler addressed his blisters issue with'surgery? Laser treatment? Nope. He used Band-Aids.

Which doesn't mean that Band-Aids or baby powder are the only methods for treatment, or even the most effective ones (it should be noted that Beckett's Band-Aid solution prevented him from throwing his curveball during bullpen sessions, and his on-field performance suffered as a result).

Advanced Natural Pain Relief

For athletes looking for more advanced natural pain relief, XTreme Skin Ointment (http://www.xtremeskin.com) offers a wide range of healing capabilities: It creates a breathable, protective barrier for the skin; it locks out germs and bacteria, and locks in moisture; and it accelerates the skin's healing process. Natural health remedies like XTreme Skin Ointment can (and should) be used as a preventative measure, but they can also be applied to damaged areas.

It must be stated that no athlete is immune to dermatological issues: Bowlers will often suffer from blisters and cuts; rock climbers, from cracked skin and burns; horseback riders, from chafing; swimmers, from dry skin; weightlifters, from calluses. And, too many athletes will try and play through these problems when they should be seeking out chronic pain management techniques and natural pain relief.

An athlete's skin is as related to his or performance as his or her muscles, yet too few recognize this. It is crucial that athletes seek out topical pain relief, and it is recommended that they do so through natural health remedies. To ignore them, or to treat them ineffectively, can spell damage, disaster and heartbreak. Just ask Josh Beckett.