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Altitude Sickness and Prevention

While trekking in the Himalayas or the upper hilly regions of Nepal, your main enemy is altitude sickness. No matter how good of a trekker/climber you are, how experienced you are, and how young and athletic you are, altitude sickness can get anybody. If you do not follow the proper trekking pace and the standard acclimatization routine, you will fall victim to it.

In the lower regions (3000 to 4000 meters above sea level), altitude sickness can be less of a threat as the effects it has on the human body are not that grave. But as soon as you hit the 5000-meter mark, it becomes a real threat; it can make you quit the trek and force you to be rescued via helicopter.

For unexplained reasons, males are more likely than females to get altitude sickness. It is crucial to keep in mind that being youthful and physically healthy does not lower your risk and that the fact that you have never had altitude sickness before does not indicate that you won’t have it again on future climbs. Taking your time climbing is the only surefire way to avoid it. Here are a few strategies to help you steer clear of altitude sickness.

Prevention

It takes your body a couple of days of gradually increasing to allow it to acclimate to the new condition. Do not drive or fly straight up to very high elevations. Rather, climb higher every day, take a break to relax, and carry on the next day. If you must drive or fly, choose a lower altitude and stay there for a whole day before increasing it further.

When walking, schedule your ascent uphill with breaks at lower altitudes before arriving at the endpoint. Aim for a maximum of 1,000 feet of elevation gain each day, and schedule a rest day for every 3,000 feet above sea level.

Altitude sickness symptoms can be exacerbated by alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs such as sleeping pills. When traveling to a higher altitude, refrain from using tobacco products, alcohol, or sleeping aids. In order to allow your body time to adapt, allow a minimum of 48 hours before consuming alcohol if you wish to.

It is common for altitude sickness to worsen as you sleep at night. If you want to climb more than 1,000 feet in a single day, it’s an ideal plan to perform a steeper ascent in the day and then descend to a lower altitude for sleep.

Meds

Medication isn’t typically administered in advance unless traveling or flying to an elevated area is absolutely necessary. There is some evidence that altitude sickness can be avoided by taking acetazolamide, now famously known as Diamox, a couple of days before and throughout a trip.

One drug that is frequently used for the treatment of glaucoma is acetazolamide. However, due to its mechanism of action, it can also aid in preventing altitude sickness. To obtain it, you will require a prescription from your physician.

It’s also critical to understand that acetazolamide does not prevent altitude sickness. The drug won’t stop your symptoms once you start getting them. Regaining a lower altitude is the only way to cure this effectively.

Symptoms

There is a spectrum of symptoms from minor to life-threatening. Be sure you are aware of these symptoms before venturing to a higher altitude. This can assist you in identifying altitude sickness symptoms before they worsen.

  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Loss of appetite
  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling unwell
  • Vomiting
  • Nausea
  • Tired body all the time
  • Elevated heart rate
  • Some level of insomnia

You must descend to the lower level and avoid ascending if you get minor altitude sickness. Once you descend to a lower altitude, these symptoms fade away by themselves, and you may resume your journey after a few days of recuperation.

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