High Adventure Hazard: Altitude Sickness
Every year there are thousands of hikers who go around the world with the sole purpose of finding adventure in the heights. Adventure is certainly to be found, but it comes along with the dangers posed by such altitudes.
One of those dangers is altitude sickness, which if ignored or left untreated can be fatal. Hikers, especially those who are hiking at higher altitudes for the first time, don’t seem to realize that this threat can lead to certain death.
Because there are thousands of people who have successfully completed many different walks without much trouble, they think it’s easy and don’t realize the seriousness of the matter. Altitude sickness is not the same for all people!
THE GOLDEN RULES
There are three simple rules established by Dr. David R. Shlim that hikers should follow:
1. If you don’t feel well, you have altitude sickness until proven otherwise.
2. Do not ascend further if you have symptoms of altitude sickness.
3. If it is getting worse, get down immediately.
Another important rule of thumb is: learn the early symptoms of altitude sickness and know when you have them. Stay alert! There may be a person in the group with symptoms of altitude sickness.
Altitude sickness can affect you when you are higher than 8,000 feet (2,500 m) above sea level. There are three types of altitude sickness:
1. Acute mountain sickness (AMS)
2. High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)
3. High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE)
Often one suffers from DOES and HAPEs at the same time, which further complicates matters. HAPE and HACE have symptoms similar to AMS, but contracting them means one has reached a critical condition.
Acute mountain sickness (AMS)
If you suffer from mild AMS, it will feel like a hangover. You wouldn’t have had any alcoholic beverages though, so that’s out of the question. Treat these headaches as AMS until proven otherwise. Remember the mantra – Prevention is better than cure.
AMS can feel like a hangover, but you SHOULD NOT underestimate it. If left untreated, AMS can turn into HACE or HAPE within a few hours, which in turn can lead to death within hours. AMS should be taken as a warning sign that if you are careless and ignore it, you could suffer from HAPE or HACE or worse – both!
MAM SYMPTOMS
– Headache
– Nausea
– Tired
– Dizziness
– Lack of sleep
– Vomiting
AMS TREATMENTS
The best treatment for AMS is prevention. Walk at a slow pace and don’t be in a rush to climb higher. But, in case you suffer from AMS, here is what you should do:
If you have mild AMS:
– Rest and DO NOT go up any more!
If you have severe AMS:
– LOWER! LOWER! LOWER!
– Take acetazolamide (Diamox) as prescribed
– Dexamethasone as prescribed
– Use oxygen or pressure bags if available
HIGH ALTITUDE CEREBRAL EDEMA (HACE)
DOES is where AMS has turned harsh. It is very unusual for HACE to occur without a person suffering from AMS first.
In HACE, a person’s brain is full of fluids that obviously shouldn’t be there! The fluids simply increase the pressure on the brain and squeeze it, creating complications in a well-functioning brain. The person suffering from HACE may act out of character that is not normal for them, such as being lazy, showing excessive emotions, or even being violent!
HAS SYMPTOMS
– Severe headaches (even painkillers do not provide any relief)
– acting out of character
– Confusion
– clumsiness
– Trip on
– Drowsiness and unconsciousness moments before death
HIGH ALTITUDE PULMONARY EDEMA (HAPE)
HAPE is when a person’s lungs are filled with excess fluid, making it difficult to breathe. Even when resting at high altitude, it is NOT normal to experience shortness of breath. This should be taken as a sign of HAPE, if a person is out of breath even when resting.
HAPE normally begins after spending 24 – 48 hours at new altitudes. And this one often comes without receiving AMS first.
HAPE SYMPTOMS
– Cough
– Fatigue
– Fever
– can’t lie down
– Difficulty breathing even at rest
– Excessive dyspnea compared to physical activity
HAPE and HAPE TREATMENTS
The best treatment for HACE and HAPE is prevention, walking at a slow pace and not being in a rush to climb higher. But, in case you suffer from HAPE or HAPE or worse, both, here is what you should do:
– LOWER! LOWER! LOWER!
– Carry or at least help the victim to reach a lower height
– Take acetazolamide (Diamox) and dexamethasone as prescribed
– Use oxygen or pressure bags if available
– Additional medical follow-up
FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF ALTITUDE SICKNESS
If you’re not careful, your chances of getting altitude sickness increase. Here are some of the factors that are likely to increase your risk of altitude sickness:
– Individual vulnerability
– Climb faster and higher than the desired altitude
– Excessive physical effort
– Drink less water and fluids (cause of dehydration)
– Drink alcohol, smoke or take sleeping pills
MEASURES TO PREVENT ALTITUDE SICKNESS
The saying “Prevention is better than cure” is more valid here than anything else. The following measures are simple and highly effective for the prevention of AMS:
– Do not ascend quickly to great heights
– Walk at a slower pace and rest for a long period to acclimatize every 2-3 days.
– Drink more water and fluids (avoid dehydration)
– Avoid alcohol, sleeping pills and tobacco.
– Do not carry a heavy backpack
– Take care of each other
– Stay alert for AMS symptoms
– Never leave or send a patient alone at a lower altitude
THINGS THAT ARE COMMON AT HIGH ALTITUDES
There are certain things that one may show some concern about, but they are normal for higher altitudes:
– Hands and feet a little swollen.
– Frequent need to urinate
– Lack/poor quality of sleep
– Breathing a little faster and heavier.
– Heartbeat a little faster
– Regular dreams in sleep.
ACCLIMATE
It’s not that we can’t hike or even live at high altitudes, thousands of hikers and locals who have adapted to those altitudes have proven this. But, the thing is, for us to be able to walk at high altitudes, our bodies need to get used to the environment there, which can be completely different from where it came from.
In order to adapt to high altitudes, our body needs to make some adjustments in its functioning and these adjustments can be made by breathing a little faster, urinating more frequently, beating a little faster and the body producing more red blood cells.
Thus, there are acclimatization days, at different points of all the trails at higher altitudes during the trekking.
Acclimatization is different for each individual. Some acclimatize in just a day and others may need two or more days, so give your body the time it takes to adjust to new altitudes before heading to an even higher altitude than you are now.
Even the strongest and fittest of the group can suffer from altitude sickness, as there is less oxygen and less pressure at the higher altitudes.
Surely there is a great adventure to be found while trekking. But certainly one should not take the dangers that come with it lightly.
For a safe and adventurous walk!
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