Altitude Sickness Prevention

Altitude Sickness Prevention is mandatory to make your high-altitude journey adventurous and safe. Altitude sickness refers to changes in the body that occur quickly after moving to a higher region. It arises when your body fails to adjust to the less oxygen available at high altitudes above 2,500 meters.

As one climbs high, the air pressure and oxygen levels go low, so our body needs time to adjust. Some conditions include headaches, nausea, dizziness, high levels of fatigue, and even short breath. If not managed well, these can cause life-threatening situations. These include high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) and cerebral edema (HACE). The chances of altitude sickness increase while trekking in regions like Everest and Annapurna in Nepal.

As a prevention measure, one must include a slow, gradual buildup in physical activity, adequate water, highly energetic food intake, and refraining from alcohol intake. Drugs such as acetazolamide (Diamox) can help in acclimatization, and early signs must be looked out for; if they get worse, one must come down.

Tips for Altitude Sickness Prevention

Drink plenty of water.

The best and easiest way to prevent altitude sickness is to drink water. Most people at high altitudes lose more fluids due to high respiration rates and low humidity. Tekkers must drink water half an hour before and after eating, even if they don’t feel thirsty. This promotes the circulation of oxygen.

However, you should not drink too much water because it can result in hyponatremia, a low sodium level in the body. It is always advisable to drink plain water and occasionally sports or other electrolyte drinks.

Acclimatize

Proper acclimatization is essential if you don’t want to suffer from altitude sickness. As you climb to high altitudes, your body needs time to adjust. The oxygen level decreases, and a rapid ascent raises the risk of AMS. The best practice is to climb incrementally above 8,000 feet (2,450 meters).

Travelers should allow time for acclimatization and stay 2–3 nights at 8,000–9,000 feet (2,450–2,750 meters). This will enable the body to adjust and increase red blood cells, which transport oxygen in tissues.

Climb high, sleep low.

This widespread strategy is crucial for safe exposure at high altitudes. At high altitudes, you might feel breathless and have disturbed sleep. Your body will alternate between deep and shallow breaths, sometimes stopping for a few seconds due to the lack of oxygen. This can cause strange dreams of suffocation and disrupt sleep.

To counter this, climbers follow the “climb high, sleep low” rule. This rule means ascending to an uncomfortable altitude during the day and sleeping at a lower, more comfortable altitude at night. It also helps the body adapt better to high altitudes and minimizes the chances of AMS.

Eat enough calories

Well-balanced meals can reduce altitude sickness. Your body burns more calories at high altitudes. Movement becomes more hectic, and adapting to the conditions is demanding, so eating carbs, proteins, and good fats boosts energy for a day’s activities and adaptations.

Carbohydrates are essential because they are immediate energy sources and aid in transporting oxygen. Also, calorie intake must be enough to adapt to higher altitudes with less oxygen. If you fail to take enough calories, you will be tired, and your body will not be strong enough to handle changes in altitude.

Listen to your body.

As much as it is fun to get to the top of a mountain and see the views after a long hike, listening to your body is essential. When climbing, one should be very serious, with signs of discomfort in one’s body, including headaches, dizziness, nausea, or fatigue. 

These may be signs of AMS or, in the worst cases, HACE – high altitude cerebral edema. As much as you do not want to stop, you must pay attention to your body and go down if the symptoms worsen. A person can even lose their life within a few hours, so you need to act fast.

Do not push for a quick ascent.

Rushing to higher altitudes without enough time to acclimate raises the risk of altitude sickness. While you may want to reach the top quickly, this may cause issues with body tolerance and acute mountain sickness (AMS). 

It is best to take small, progressive steps. This helps the body adjust to high altitude. A slower pace will help you stay healthy and enjoy the journey.

Maintain a good Physique.

High-altitude trekking or climbing is very demanding. So, it is best to be in good health. This improves endurance, stamina, and strength for the climb. It is essential to remember that, even if healthy, one may get altitude sickness. It depends on how the body reacts to low oxygen levels. Before the trip, do cardio, hiking, and strength training. This will boost your performance. It is a must to have an excellent physique to overcome challenging treks such as the Kanchenjunga Trek and Everest Base Camp Trek.

Symptoms and Medications for Altitude Sickness

Several symptoms characterize altitude sickness. The specific symptoms depend on a person’s level of AMS. The symptoms usually develop at the early stages of reaching high altitude. More hazardous varieties, including HAPE or HACE, occur two to five days after exposure.

Common Symptoms of AMS:

Some common symptoms of altitude sickness are:

• Headache: One of the most common symptoms, ranging from mild to severe.
• Nausea and Vomiting: Getting a nauseous feeling or vomiting.
• Loss of Appetite: A subtle sign where one feels less hungry compared to earlier moments.
• Fatigue: Tiredness that can be experienced at any time or even when lying down or relaxing.
• Malaise: The experience of being unwell.
• Trouble Sleeping: Poor quality of sleep where one finds it hard to either sleep or to remain asleep.
• Dizziness or Lightheadedness: A sensation similar to dizziness but accompanied by a spinning sensation.
• Vision Changes: A vision change is rare. It usually means more complex altitude sickness due to retinal hemorrhages.

Identifying these symptoms at the initial stages and seeking professional help will go a long way in preventing this sickness from turning into some of its severe types.

Medications

The following are some of the medicines that are used to treat altitude sickness:

• Acetazolamide (Diamox): It’s a preventive drug. It helps the body adapt to changes faster. It is usually taken one or two days before the climb and then for several days in the higher-up regions.
• Dexamethasone: Its anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling properties help reduce inflammation. It usually starts with a high dose and then lowers based on the patient’s response to treatment.
• Nifedipine: A medication sometimes utilized to treat HAPE to decrease blood pressure in the lungs and reduce fluid buildup.

Consult a healthcare provider before using these medications. Remember that they are not a substitute for proper acclimatization and a gradual climb.

Three significant forms of Altitude sickness

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)

Acute mountain sickness is a condition that affects people whenever they reach higher ground at an altitude of 8,000 feet or 2,400 meters and above. It is commonly found among mountain climbers, hikers, or others moving to a high altitude. AMS results from low pressure and low oxygen concentration in the air at higher altitudes.

The higher the altitude, the quicker the occurrence of AMS. To prevent this, one has to go up gradually. Staying at about 9,850 feet (3,000 meters) for a few days and gaining only 990 to 1,640 feet (300 to 500 meters) a day helps the body adjust to high altitudes and minimizes the risk of AMS.

High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)

High-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) is a severe altitude illness. It causes the brain to swell due to low oxygen levels at high altitudes. This swelling happens because there is less oxygen at high altitudes than our bodies are used to. This is dangerous since the skull restricts the space available for the brain.

HACE mainly affects mountain climbers and hikers, but it can also affect anyone who occasionally does high-altitude activities, especially if they climb steep altitudes without time to acclimatize. Symptoms include nausea, dizziness, weakness, and confusion. Patients may struggle to move their limbs and lose coordination. They may not recognize familiar objects, people, or even themselves.

If left untreated, the patient can be put into a coma or die within a few hours. So, it’s best to go to a lower altitude. Then, the patient will be given medications, oxygen, and corticosteroids like dexamethasone.

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE)

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a deadly altitude sickness that, if not treated, has been reported to cause a mortality of up to 50 percent. This happens due to hypoxia and insufficient oxygen at altitudes. HAPE presents features such as fatigue, dyspnoea, and a dry cough. As the condition progresses, symptoms may worsen. These include difficulty breathing, rales (abnormal lung sounds), and cyanosis (bluish skin from low oxygen).

To treat HAPE, descend to 1,000m or until symptoms resolve. If the descent is technically tricky or delayed, oxygen therapy can help alleviate symptoms and stabilize the patient. If descent is impossible, use portable hyperbaric chambers. You can also use medications like nifedipine, which lowers lung blood pressure and helps prevent fluid buildup.

Conclusion

Altitude sickness is a life-threatening condition that can affect anyone who ascends without proper preparation. Some prevention measures are slow climbing, water intake, and listening to the body. 

Knowing the signs of altitude sickness and acting on them can help. This means going down and using oxygen supplies. It can avoid dangerous consequences like HAPE or HACE. If you plan to do high-altitude activities, prepare well. We are suggesting you be careful in every trekking region of Nepal.

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