High Altitude Sickness

High Altitude Sickness

Trekking is many people’s passion and everyone who does it wants to enjoy it no matter which place and how high. Most of them enjoy it but some suffer and trekking becomes a trouble for many rather than enjoyment. One of the most common problem people face during trekking is Acute Mountain Sickness or high attitude sickness. Especially while people are trekking around the Himalayas they face problems related to climbing high altitude areas. You are likely to get altitude sickness when you are trekking more than 3000m but symptoms may be seen even at much lower altitudes on how active you are and how your body responds to the lack of oxygen and one more important thing is where you come from.

We advise our clients to remember the following suggestion when you are on trekking in the high altitude areas above 3000 meters. The following are the basic symptoms of the altitude sickness and to avoid such sickness we recommend few important points.

1. Mild Symptoms:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Sleeplessness.
  • Difficulty in urination.
  • Headache.
  • Breathing problem.
  • Nausea
  • Weakness especially in joints.
  • Thirstiness and mild fever.

2. Serious Symptoms:

  • Hands and face swell and become unnaturally red.
  • Difficulty in standing properly.
  • Gurgling sound in the chest
  • Loss of energy
  • Vomiting.

What is the cure for Altitude sickness/Acute mountain sickness?
The best precaution against altitude sickness is acclimatization. You have to go up gradually with enough rest and try to climb not more than 500-600 meters height a day in terms of going up. Drinking plenty of water also helps as the thin air in the high altitude dehydrates your body. We recommend you to drink atleast 4 liters of water every day during the trek. The locals use garlic and ginger as remedy for altitude sickness you can try having garlic soup as well. Going little higher than the day camp/teahouse and returning back also helps to adjust with the altitude. Diamox is the best medicine if you are not sure. Before trekking you can use Diamox as recommended by the physician.

If you have serious symptoms of altitude going down at least 500-900m is the best remedy. You have to do it even if is dark or evening time. In such case we will arrange for a horse or porter whichever is available and bring you down.