Symptoms of altitude disease and how to avoid them
Symptoms of altitude disease and how to avoid them
being young, fit and healthy does not mean that they do not suffer from symptoms of altitude. In this way recognize, treat and prevent them effectively
Gracie is a student at John's Hopkins University, which offers one of the best medical training programs in the world. It is slim, fit and active. She does not smoke, rarely drinks and always pays attention to what she eats.
She should have been the last person in our group, got the symptoms of altitude disease, and yet she was there, with big eyes and pale face at breakfast after a troubled night full of nausea at the foot of the Cotopaxi volcano (3,500 m).
experienced climbers know that altitude disease makes no difference. Young, fit and healthy people can suffer as easily as old, soft and doughy, which is why each of the symptoms should be aware of before trying to climb or a hike in height. Here is an introduction that will help you prepare.
Atlas & Boots Peter at the summit of the Aconcagua on 6,961 m (22,837 ft)
you recognize the altitude disease
altitude disease occurs if your body does not get enough oxygen from the air. It happens most frequently when people go from low height to 2,400 m or higher (about 8,000 feet).
The symptoms usually occur between six and 24 hours after the climb and are often worse at night. Here is what you should pay attention to.
Common symptoms of altitude disease
- throbbing headache
- appetite loss
- feeling of weakness, fatigue or dizziness
- nausea and vomiting
- stomach pain
- difficult sleep
- shortness of breath
- increased pulse
severe symptoms of altitude disease
The altitude disease can affect your lungs and brain, which is very serious. In this case, the following symptoms can occur:
- be confused
- feel weak or sleepy
- clumsiness or difficulties when walking
- irrational behavior
- breathing shortage in the idle state
- bubbling noise in the breast when breathing
- A persistent cough (you can cough up a pink or white foamy liquid)
- blue or gray lips or fingernails
- double -see
- cramps
treat altitude disease
go deeper: If you notice severe symptoms, you must immediately go to a lower height (at least 450 m / 1,500 ft) and search for emergency aid.
Always take someone with you and never let someone descend with severe symptoms.
If you have slight symptoms, the best treatment is descending. If you want, you can stay at your current height and get used to your body by following the following steps.
be warned that it can take between 12 hours and several days for your symptoms to subside.
get more oxygen: If you are on a particularly demanding climb, your guide or group may have access to oxygen or a specially developed pressure chamber for the treatment of altitude disease. This should help to relieve their symptoms.
REST: Going or restricting activities. Stop every exercise and go to it. Tell your tour guide or group honestly how you feel. If you continue to rise, your symptoms can become serious, in this case you cannot simply "wait".
Drink a lot of water: stay hydrated by drinking a lot of fluid, but keep away from alcohol. And of course not smoking.
Treat your headache: You can take over -the -counter medication such as ibuprofen (Advil, Nurofen) or paracetamol to treat your headache. Some climbers also use medication for the treatment of nausea, but this can obscure the severity of their condition so that it is usually wiser to refrain from it.
Consider tablets against altitude disease: Some climbers choose to take acetazolamide (Diamox) to accelerate how quickly their body gets used to. However, it is worth noting that the drug is not approved in some countries, including Great Britain. Your doctor can advise you to take the medication a few days before reaching your height to test your reaction to it.
These steps should help relieve the symptoms, but as the saying says, preventive is better than healing, so follow the following steps before your trip.
Atlas & Boots Peter on the summit of the Elbrus at 5,642 m (18,510 ft)
Avoid altitude disease
Avoid flying into high -aligned cities: If you can, avoid flying directly into high -aligned cities like Cusco, La Paz or Lhasa. If this is not possible, make sure that you follow the following steps.
acclimatize: If you climb higher than 2,400 m (8,000 feet), spend at least one night at a medium height before climbing higher. For example, before you start a Machu Picchu hike, first spend two nights in Cusco.
Sleep low: sleep at a lower height than during the day. "Climb High, Sleep Low" is the common practice for those who spend time at great heights.Slowly rise: As soon as you are over 3,000 m (10,000 feet), increase the height in which you sleep, not more than 500 m per night. You can climb higher during the day, but should return to a camp the night before that is not more than 500 m above sea level. You also don't overwhelm yourself too much. Try your pace and go slower than necessary on the first day.
Change your diet: Avoid serious meals before reaching the height, but eat a high -calorie diet with many carbohydrates such as bread, muesli and pasta. (Yay, height!) Drink a lot of water and avoid smoking and alcohol.
Use sunscreen and sunglasses: To protect your general well -being in height, make sure that you use additional sun protection and pack sunglasses or safety glasses to protect yourself from snow blindness.
consider tablets against altitude disease: As mentioned in the previous section, you might want to take medication for altitude disease such as Diamox before starting your trip. Note that Diamox is not available in all countries and can have side effects. So consult a doctor for advice.
Overall, the most important advice is to take a lot of time for acclimatization. A group of girls on our Machu Picchu hike flew to Cusco the night before the hike and suffered quite predictably.
do not ignore this basic advice. It doesn't matter whether you are fit, healthy and active. The altitude disease makes no difference, so prepare yourself in good time to enjoy the upcoming journey to the fullest.
good luck!
