What Is Altitude Sickness?

Altitude sickness typically occurs when staying and moving at altitudes 2,500+ meters above sea level. Altitude sickness occures most commonly in travelers of regions such as Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Chile, but is also common in those who trek to Kilimanjaro or the Himalayan region.

Anywhere between 25% to 80% of those traveling to high altitudes experiences altitude sickness. Additionally, it is currently assumed that there is a genetic predisposition to whether or not you experience it. So, if a family member has experienced altitude sickness, it is wise not to plan your next family vacation above 2,500 meters above sea level. Changes are you might have to cut your vacation short, due to multiple members suffering from altitude sickness at the same time.

If you have stayed at high altitudes before with no problem, that doesn’t mean you are off the hook for all subsequent times, either. You may still fall victim to altitude sickness, so regardless of past experiences, it is still essential to stay vigilant. Additionally, if you have experienced altitude sickness, the likelihood of it occurring again is even higher.

The Signs of Altitude Sickness

The initial symptoms of altitude sickness include:

• headaches
• malaise
• vomiting

If the above symptoms are ignored, and you continue to increase the altitude, they can progress to shortness of breath, vision impairments, and confusion.

If you do not start to decrease your altitude, you are then at risk of developing pulmonary or cerebral edema. Pulmonary edema leads to shortness of breath as the lungs slowly fill with water. Cerebral edema occurs when water accumulates in the brain, which can lead to serious disorders and damage to the brain. Both of these conditions can very quickly become life-threatening.

Can You Prevent Altitude Sickness?

While there are many aspects of training for a hike, there is no preparation that can be done to protect the body from altitude sickness. Whether or not you are healthy, well-trained, young, or old does not impact whether or not you are affected by it.

While you cannot prepare for and prevent altitude sickness ahead of time, you can work on acclimatization during the excursion. Essentially, this involves giving the body time to get used to the new oxygen level by traveling at a slow pace and remaining at certain altitudes while the body acclimates. As a general rule, once you reach an altitude of 3,000 meters, advance only 300 meters or less each day. Also, take an extra day of rest for each subsequent 1,000 meters.

Why Altitude Sickness Is Often Underestimated

Altitude sickness is not a topic commonly discussed, and this is primarily because many people experience its symptoms but don’t ascribe it to altitude sickness.

This is partly because the symptoms of altitude sickness are very common. For example, one of the first symptoms is a headache, which is often attributed to a cause other than altitude. Many of the first symptoms of altitude sickness can also be explained by other causes, leading many people to ignore the warning signs.

Peer Pressure: It Can Be Dangerous

Many places where altitude sickness occurs are also where it is common to travel in groups, such as Mount Kilimanjaro, Peru, or Bolivia. When you’re in this group setting, it is the tour guide’s job to lead the whole group to the same destination.

Traveling in a group is undeniably more fun. However, the urge to keep up with the pace of the rest of the group as well as the fear of letting the group down can lead yoz to exceed your own limits. Many people may even take a painkiller in an attempt to keep their headache at bay, this however masks their ability to judge whether their symptoms are becoming worse or not. This can lead to a dangerous situation where you continue your ascend even though you should be doing the opposite.

What To Do If You Experience Altitude Sickness

If you experience the symptoms of altitude sickness, it is crucial to descend quickly. Do not fall into peer pressure and strive to push past the signs, as this will only worsen the condition and potentially threaten your life.

The best habit is to go down about 500 meters and recover. If needed, you can take a painkiller to combat the pain, in addition certain medications can also help with nausea. If you have reached a point where you feel you have acclimatized, you can go up again at a moderate pace to give your body time to get used to the lower oxygen content.

However, it is important to be wary when taking medication to reduce your symptoms. It is essential to descend as soon as symptoms are detected, and only once you have gone down 500 meters should you take medicine. Additionally, you should not try to climb again with the medication still in your system, as this turns off your internal warning that you are pushing your body farther than it can handle.

Final Remarks

Altitude sickness is a potentially life-threatening situation that requires immediate attention. However, the first symptoms, such as headache, malaise, and vomiting, are often explained away as from another cause, creating some problems. The best course of action is to decline in altitude when these symptoms first appear to allow the body to acclimatize to the lower oxygen percentage in the air.

Everyone traveling together should be aware of altitude sickness to monitor themselves for symptoms and be aware of what to do should someone else start experiencing the symptoms. This is one case where slow and steady truly does win the race, or in this case, make it to the end of the trek.

References

1. Altitude sickness - Better Health Channel. (2022). Retrieved 3 June 2022, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/altitude-sickness
2. FIORE, D., HALL, S., & SHOJA, P. (2010). Altitude Illness: Risk Factors, Prevention, Presentation, and Treatment. American Family Physician, 82(9), 1103-1110. Retrieved from https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2010/1101/p1103.html
3. Health risks – HealthyTravel.ch. (2022). Retrieved 3 June 2022, from https://www.healthytravel.ch/health-risks/