What is altitude sickness?
Altitude sicknessAltitude sickness information: Altitude sickness occurs when you cannot get enough oxygen from the air at high altitudes. This causes symptoms such as a headache, loss of appetite, and trouble sleeping. It happens most often when people who are not used to high altitudes go quickly from lower altitudes to 3000 m or higher. Mild altitude sickness is common. Experts do not know who will get it and who will not. Neither your fitness level nor being male or female plays a role in whether you get altitude sickness. Altitude sickness can be dangerous. It is smart to take special care if you go high-altitude hiking or trekking or have plans for a vacation or trek in high-altitude countries like Nepal.
What causes altitude sickness?
Air is “thinner” at high altitudes. When you go too high too fast, your body cannot get as much oxygen as it needs. So you need to breathe faster. This causes the headache and other symptoms of altitude sickness. As your body gets used to the altitude, the symptoms go away.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of altitude sickness include:
• A headache, which is usually throbbing. It gets worse during the night and when you wake up.
• Not feeling like eating.
• Feeling sick to your stomach. You may vomit.
• Feeling weak and tired. In severe cases, you do not have the energy to eat, dress yourself, or do anything.
• Waking up during the night and not sleeping well.
• Feeling dizzy.
Your symptoms may be mild to severe. They may not start until a day after you have been at a high altitude. Many people say altitude sickness feels like having a hangover.
Altitude sicknessgokyo lake trek can affect your lungs and brain. When this happens, symptoms include being confused, not being able to walk straight (ataxia), feeling faint, and having blue or gray lips or fingernails. When you breathe, you may hear a sound like a paper bag being crumpled. These symptoms mean the condition is severe. It may be deadly.
If you are going on a high-altitude trek, learn about altitude sickness, its symptoms, and how to treat it. Look out for other people in your group.
Altitude sickness prevention
Go up slowly, take it easy, and give your body time to get used to the altitude. The body has an a
mazing ability to acclimatise to altitude, but it needs time. For instance, it takes about a week to adapt to an altitude of 5000m.
Treatment
• Immediate descent is absolutely essential
• Dexamethasone and acetazolamide should both be given
• Pressure bags and oxygen gas.
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