Are you going on a skiing or hiking trip to a mountain valley? Whether you are up to China or Nepal, if you are susceptible to altitude sickness, consider taking a few precautions to make your vacation more amusing.
Altitude sickness occurs when your body is not able to adapt to a low-oxygen, low-pressure environment, typically around 8,000 feet above the sea level. As a result, people may tend to feel symptoms related to neurological and respiratory disorders, which can span from mild to life-threatening in terms of severity.
When the body is under the stress of a low-pressure and low-oxygen environment as at high altitudes, we need to adapt to it.
However, adapting to such conditions become difficult for some people who become at risk of swelling in one or more organs. While not all people experiencing inflammation or swelling in the organs are at risk, inflammation induced in the lungs or the brain can prove fatal.
Watch for these symptoms:
It is vital to remember that most altitude sickness cases are mild.
Symptoms may be:
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Shortness of breath
Typically, you will experience the signs within the first few hours of reaching a high-altitude environment.
While the majority of individuals can easily bear these moderate symptoms and can still satisfactorily do their activities and functions, most symptoms can last for anything between a few minutes to a few days.
In a few cases, some individuals are not able to acclimate high-altitude environments. As a result, specific symptoms tend to get more and more critical and lead to complications with your lungs and brain.
In case you feel disoriented or confused, it may mean that the altitude is adversely affecting your brain functions.
If you are experiencing breathing difficulties, it means that you are suffering from a condition known as pulmonary edema, where is associated with the buildup of excess fluid in your lungs.
Various studies and medical experts reveal that the elderly suffer from more critical symptoms and side effects, not so much due to their age but since they have more suffer from chronic medical problems more often and can find it challenging to adapt to the stress situation caused by low-pressure and low-oxygen environments.
What to do if you experience these symptoms:
In case you experience mild symptoms that tend to last for a few hours after reaching a high-altitude environment, you could be able to regulate the issues related to hydration and rest.
In case your symptoms tend to worsen or fail to subside, you should consider descending from the high-altitude region. Also, in case the symptoms are critical, such as confusion, it is advised that you get to a low-lying area shortly and consult a physician if required. If required, you may be given oxygen.
Also, some individuals may suffer from altitude sickness for a brief period when flying since you ascend rather quickly during a plane take off. However, such a feeling of altitude sickness may quickly dissipate since the plane’s cabin is pressurized.
Consider the following tips for avoiding altitude sickness episodes:
The best way for treating altitude sickness is to plan well ahead before traveling to a mountain region.
Specialists recommend five ways in which you can avoid your risks:
1. Skip the beers and lattes
Say no to caffeine drinks, such as tea and coffee, as well as alcohol a day ahead of leaving for the high-altitude region. Also, consider avoiding all types of caffeinated drinks during your vacations as well.
Most individuals travel for enjoyment and, therefore, caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages tend to impact the ability of our body to compensate for high altitudes. Also, such drinks do not help you hydrate, and thus there’s another reason you must avoid them altogether during your visits to mountain regions.
2. Drink more water
As such, one of the effective ways you can aid your body in adjusting to high-altitude environments is to drink as much water as possible.
High-altitude environments have low humidity that tends to keep the air dry. And therefore, you should consider drinking at least two times more water than before.
3. Acclimate before moving to high altitudes
Adapting to a high-altitude environment may take a couple of days. And therefore, in case you are in no hurry, you might want to devote a couple of nights at an intermediary altitude.
Traveling to Nepal? Plan a couple of nights’ stay at an acclimatization point recommended by the government of Nepal.
4. Take it slow
Numerous studies suggest a gradual ascent after reaching a high-altitude location. It will provide your body enough time to acclimatize to a lower level of pressure and oxygen.
You must consider getting a slow exposure to a high-altitude environment instead of a quick ascent.
5. Talk to your physician
In case you are planning a travel to a high-altitude region, talk to your physician before planning your journey.
In particular, it is vital if high-altitude environments have caused certain health complications such as lung diseases or heart problems for you in the past, discuss your options well in time with your health care physician.
It is also sensible to find out the location and contact details of local medical centers in case of a health emergency. It is the most efficient backup plan if your symptoms ever worsen.
Also, ensure you check in to only those hotels in high-altitude regions that carry oxygen supply to assist you in emergencies.
The bottom line
Traveling to the mountains is a great experience. It brings fun, excitement, enjoyment, and provides you memories for a lifetime. Since the less oxygen and pressure environment at mountains and other high-altitude regions can cause health complications in some people, the elderly in particular, it is crucial that you take care of the tips and instructions given in this article to avoid the risks and ensure a great travel experience.
