Symptoms, Treatment & Medication, Prevention

Sometimes called “mountain sickness,” altitude sickness is a group of symptoms that can strike if you walk or climb to a higher elevation, or altitude, too quickly.

Why It Happens

The pressure of the air that surrounds you is called barometric pressure. When you go to higher altitudes, this pressure drops and there is less oxygen available.

If you live in a place that’s located at a moderately high altitude, you get used to the air pressure. But if you travel to a place at a higher altitude than you’re used to, your body will need time to adjust to the change in pressure.

Any time you go above 8,000 feet, you can be at risk for altitude sickness.

Types

There are three kinds of altitude sickness:

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the mildest form and it’s very common. The symptoms can feel like a hangover – dizziness, headache, muscle aches, nausea.

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a buildup of fluid in the lungs that can be very dangerous and even life threatening.

High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) is the most severe form of altitude sickness and happens when there’s fluid in the brain. It’s life threatening and you need to seek medical attention right away.

Symptoms

You might have:

Symptoms usually come on within 12 to 24 hours of reaching a higher elevation and then get better within a day or two as your body adjusts to the change in altitude.

If you have a more moderate case of altitude sickness, your symptoms might feel more intense and not improve with over-the-counter medications. Instead of feeling better as time goes on, you’ll start to feel worse. You’ll have more shortness of breath and fatigue. You may also have:

• Loss of coordination and trouble walking
• A severe headache that doesn’t get better with medication
• A tightening in your chest

If you develop a severe form of altitude sickness like HAPE or HACE, you might have:

• Confusion
• Shortness of breath even at rest
• Inability to walk
• A cough that produces a white or pink frothy substance
• Coma

Who Gets It?

Anyone can develop altitude sickness, no matter how fit, young, or healthy they are — even Olympic athletes can get it. In fact, being physically active at a high elevation makes you more likely to get it.

Your chance of getting altitude sickness depends on a few other things: how quickly you move to a higher elevation, how high you go up, the altitude where you sleep, and other factors.

Your risk also depends on where you live and the altitude there, your age (young people are more likely to get it), and whether you’ve had altitude sickness before.

Having certain illnesses like diabetes or lung disease doesn’t automatically make you more likely to develop altitude sickness. But your genes could play a role in your body’s ability to handle higher elevations.

Treatment

If you get a headache and at least one other symptom associated with altitude sickness within a day or two of changing your elevation, you might have altitude sickness. If your symptoms are more severe, you’ll need medical attention.

Your doctor might listen to your chest with a stethoscope or take an X-ray of your chest or an MRI or CT scan of your brain to look for fluid.

Knowing the symptoms of altitude sickness will help you seek treatment early, while the condition is still mild. The most important treatment for any level of altitude sickness is to go down to a lower elevation as soon as possible while remaining safe.

If you have severe altitude sickness, you’ll need to be taken down to a lower elevation right away — and it must be lower than 4,000 feet. You’ll have to see a doctor as soon as possible and you may need to go to the hospital.

If you have HACE, you might need a steroid called dexamethasone. If you have HAPE, you will need supplemental oxygen and may need medications, as well as moving to a lower altitude.

Prevention

The best way you can lower your chance of getting altitude sickness is through acclimatization. That means you let your body slowly get used to the changes in air pressure as you travel to higher elevations.

You’ll want to climb to higher altitudes gradually. Going slowly helps your lungs get more air through deeper breaths and allows more of your red blood cells to carry oxygen to different parts of your body.

Some of the basic guidelines for acclimatization are:

• Start your journey below 10,000 feet. If you have to fly or drive somewhere that’s higher up, stop at one destination that’s lower for at least a full day before going any higher.
• If you walk, hike, or climb over 10,000 feet, only go up an additional 1,000 feet per day. For every 3,000 feet you climb, rest at least a day at that height.
• “Climb high and sleep low”: If you have to climb over 1,000 feet in a day, make sure you come back down to a lower altitude to sleep.
• Drink 3-4 quarts of water every day and make sure about 70% of your calories are coming from carbs.
• Don’t use tobacco, alcohol, or other medications, such as sleeping pills.
• Know how to identify the first signs of altitude sickness. Immediately move to a lower elevation if you start to develop these symptoms.

Symptoms, Treatment & Medication, Prevention

Sometimes called “mountain sickness,” altitude sickness is a group of symptoms that can strike if you walk or climb to a higher elevation, or altitude, too quickly.

Why It Happens

The pressure of the air that surrounds you is called barometric pressure. When you go to higher altitudes, this pressure drops and there is less oxygen available.

If you live in a place that’s located at a moderately high altitude, you get used to the air pressure. But if you travel to a place at a higher altitude than you’re used to, your body will need time to adjust to the change in pressure.

Any time you go above 8,000 feet, you can be at risk for altitude sickness.

Types

There are three kinds of altitude sickness:

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the mildest form and it’s very common. The symptoms can feel like a hangover – dizziness, headache, muscle aches, nausea.

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a buildup of fluid in the lungs that can be very dangerous and even life threatening.

High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) is the most severe form of altitude sickness and happens when there’s fluid in the brain. It’s life threatening and you need to seek medical attention right away.

Symptoms

You might have:

Symptoms usually come on within 12 to 24 hours of reaching a higher elevation and then get better within a day or two as your body adjusts to the change in altitude.

If you have a more moderate case of altitude sickness, your symptoms might feel more intense and not improve with over-the-counter medications. Instead of feeling better as time goes on, you’ll start to feel worse. You’ll have more shortness of breath and fatigue. You may also have:

• Loss of coordination and trouble walking
• A severe headache that doesn’t get better with medication
• A tightening in your chest

If you develop a severe form of altitude sickness like HAPE or HACE, you might have:

• Confusion
• Shortness of breath even at rest
• Inability to walk
• A cough that produces a white or pink frothy substance
• Coma

Who Gets It?

Anyone can develop altitude sickness, no matter how fit, young, or healthy they are — even Olympic athletes can get it. In fact, being physically active at a high elevation makes you more likely to get it.

Your chance of getting altitude sickness depends on a few other things: how quickly you move to a higher elevation, how high you go up, the altitude where you sleep, and other factors.

Your risk also depends on where you live and the altitude there, your age (young people are more likely to get it), and whether you’ve had altitude sickness before.

Having certain illnesses like diabetes or lung disease doesn’t automatically make you more likely to develop altitude sickness. But your genes could play a role in your body’s ability to handle higher elevations.

Treatment

If you get a headache and at least one other symptom associated with altitude sickness within a day or two of changing your elevation, you might have altitude sickness. If your symptoms are more severe, you’ll need medical attention.

Your doctor might listen to your chest with a stethoscope or take an X-ray of your chest or an MRI or CT scan of your brain to look for fluid.

Knowing the symptoms of altitude sickness will help you seek treatment early, while the condition is still mild. The most important treatment for any level of altitude sickness is to go down to a lower elevation as soon as possible while remaining safe.

If you have severe altitude sickness, you’ll need to be taken down to a lower elevation right away — and it must be lower than 4,000 feet. You’ll have to see a doctor as soon as possible and you may need to go to the hospital.

If you have HACE, you might need a steroid called dexamethasone. If you have HAPE, you will need supplemental oxygen and may need medications, as well as moving to a lower altitude.

Prevention

The best way you can lower your chance of getting altitude sickness is through acclimatization. That means you let your body slowly get used to the changes in air pressure as you travel to higher elevations.

You’ll want to climb to higher altitudes gradually. Going slowly helps your lungs get more air through deeper breaths and allows more of your red blood cells to carry oxygen to different parts of your body.

Some of the basic guidelines for acclimatization are:

• Start your journey below 10,000 feet. If you have to fly or drive somewhere that’s higher up, stop at one destination that’s lower for at least a full day before going any higher.
• If you walk, hike, or climb over 10,000 feet, only go up an additional 1,000 feet per day. For every 3,000 feet you climb, rest at least a day at that height.
• “Climb high and sleep low”: If you have to climb over 1,000 feet in a day, make sure you come back down to a lower altitude to sleep.
• Drink 3-4 quarts of water every day and make sure about 70% of your calories are coming from carbs.
• Don’t use tobacco, alcohol, or other medications, such as sleeping pills.
• Know how to identify the first signs of altitude sickness. Immediately move to a lower elevation if you start to develop these symptoms.

Symptoms, Treatment & Medication, Prevention

Sometimes called “mountain sickness,” altitude sickness is a group of symptoms that can strike if you walk or climb to a higher elevation, or altitude, too quickly.

Why It Happens

The pressure of the air that surrounds you is called barometric pressure. When you go to higher altitudes, this pressure drops and there is less oxygen available.

If you live in a place that’s located at a moderately high altitude, you get used to the air pressure. But if you travel to a place at a higher altitude than you’re used to, your body will need time to adjust to the change in pressure.

Any time you go above 8,000 feet, you can be at risk for altitude sickness.

Types

There are three kinds of altitude sickness:

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the mildest form and it’s very common. The symptoms can feel like a hangover – dizziness, headache, muscle aches, nausea.

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a buildup of fluid in the lungs that can be very dangerous and even life threatening.

High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) is the most severe form of altitude sickness and happens when there’s fluid in the brain. It’s life threatening and you need to seek medical attention right away.

Symptoms

You might have:

Symptoms usually come on within 12 to 24 hours of reaching a higher elevation and then get better within a day or two as your body adjusts to the change in altitude.

If you have a more moderate case of altitude sickness, your symptoms might feel more intense and not improve with over-the-counter medications. Instead of feeling better as time goes on, you’ll start to feel worse. You’ll have more shortness of breath and fatigue. You may also have:

• Loss of coordination and trouble walking
• A severe headache that doesn’t get better with medication
• A tightening in your chest

If you develop a severe form of altitude sickness like HAPE or HACE, you might have:

• Confusion
• Shortness of breath even at rest
• Inability to walk
• A cough that produces a white or pink frothy substance
• Coma

Who Gets It?

Anyone can develop altitude sickness, no matter how fit, young, or healthy they are — even Olympic athletes can get it. In fact, being physically active at a high elevation makes you more likely to get it.

Your chance of getting altitude sickness depends on a few other things: how quickly you move to a higher elevation, how high you go up, the altitude where you sleep, and other factors.

Your risk also depends on where you live and the altitude there, your age (young people are more likely to get it), and whether you’ve had altitude sickness before.

Having certain illnesses like diabetes or lung disease doesn’t automatically make you more likely to develop altitude sickness. But your genes could play a role in your body’s ability to handle higher elevations.

Treatment

If you get a headache and at least one other symptom associated with altitude sickness within a day or two of changing your elevation, you might have altitude sickness. If your symptoms are more severe, you’ll need medical attention.

Your doctor might listen to your chest with a stethoscope or take an X-ray of your chest or an MRI or CT scan of your brain to look for fluid.

Knowing the symptoms of altitude sickness will help you seek treatment early, while the condition is still mild. The most important treatment for any level of altitude sickness is to go down to a lower elevation as soon as possible while remaining safe.

If you have severe altitude sickness, you’ll need to be taken down to a lower elevation right away — and it must be lower than 4,000 feet. You’ll have to see a doctor as soon as possible and you may need to go to the hospital.

If you have HACE, you might need a steroid called dexamethasone. If you have HAPE, you will need supplemental oxygen and may need medications, as well as moving to a lower altitude.

Prevention

The best way you can lower your chance of getting altitude sickness is through acclimatization. That means you let your body slowly get used to the changes in air pressure as you travel to higher elevations.

You’ll want to climb to higher altitudes gradually. Going slowly helps your lungs get more air through deeper breaths and allows more of your red blood cells to carry oxygen to different parts of your body.

Some of the basic guidelines for acclimatization are:

• Start your journey below 10,000 feet. If you have to fly or drive somewhere that’s higher up, stop at one destination that’s lower for at least a full day before going any higher.
• If you walk, hike, or climb over 10,000 feet, only go up an additional 1,000 feet per day. For every 3,000 feet you climb, rest at least a day at that height.
• “Climb high and sleep low”: If you have to climb over 1,000 feet in a day, make sure you come back down to a lower altitude to sleep.
• Drink 3-4 quarts of water every day and make sure about 70% of your calories are coming from carbs.
• Don’t use tobacco, alcohol, or other medications, such as sleeping pills.
• Know how to identify the first signs of altitude sickness. Immediately move to a lower elevation if you start to develop these symptoms.

Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention

Overview

What is altitude sickness?

If you’ve ever hiked up a mountain and felt yourself getting nauseous or lightheaded, you may have experienced altitude sickness, also called mountain sickness. This condition happens when you travel to a high altitude (elevation) too quickly.

It doesn’t happen only to hikers. Just visiting a high-altitude location can cause problems for some. Symptoms happen when your body tries to adjust to the lower air pressure and lower oxygen levels at high altitudes.

Who is at risk for altitude sickness?

Anyone can get altitude sickness. Your age, sex and general health don’t seem to affect your risk. You may be at higher risk if you:

• Have a lung or heart condition: Your healthcare provider may recommend avoiding high altitudes if possible.
• Are pregnant: Talk to you provider before traveling to a high-altitude location.
• Live at low elevation: Since your body isn’t used to higher altitudes, you have a greater risk for symptoms. If you’re planning a trip to a high-altitude location, be aware of the symptoms of altitude sickness and how to treat it.
• Previously had altitude sickness: Talk to your provider about prevention and treatment before your next trip.

What is considered a “high elevation” in terms of getting altitude sickness?

Climbing to these elevations can bring on symptoms of altitude sickness:

• High altitude: 8,000 to 12,000 feet above sea level.
• Very high altitude: 12,000 to 18,000 feet.
• Extremely high altitude: 18,000+ feet.

For context, New York City is at an elevation of 33 feet above sea level. Denver (known as the “Mile High City”) sits at 5,000 feet, and many Rocky Mountain ski slopes are at 11,000 feet or higher. The Grand Canyon is 6,600 feet above sea level. The summit of Mount Everest is over 29,000 feet.

How common is altitude sickness?

Altitude sickness may occur in up to half of people who climb to elevations above 8,000 feet.

What are the different forms of altitude sickness?

Most people who get altitude sickness get AMS, acute mountain sickness. Higher than 10,000 feet, 75% of people will get mild symptoms . There are three categories of AMS:

• Mild AMS: Symptoms, such as mild headache and fatigue, don’t interfere with your normal activity. Symptoms improve after a few days as your body acclimates. You can likely stay at your current elevation as your body adjusts.
• Moderate AMS: Symptoms start to interfere with your activities. You may experience severe headache, nausea and difficulty with coordination. You’ll need to descend to start to feel better.
• Severe AMS: You may feel short of breath, even at rest. It can be difficult to walk. You need to descend immediately to a lower altitude and seek medical care.

Two severe forms of altitude illness occur less frequently but are more serious. Both can be life-threatening. You need to descend immediately and receive medical treatment for:

• HAPE (High-altitude pulmonary edema): HAPE produces excess fluid on the lungs, causing breathlessness, even when resting. You feel very fatigued and weak and may feel like you’re suffocating.
• HACE (High-altitude cerebral edema): HACE involves excess fluid on the brain, causing brain swelling. You may experience confusion, lack of coordination and possibly violent behavior.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes altitude sickness?

Altitude sickness results from a rapid change in air pressure and air oxygen levels at higher elevations. You may have symptoms if you travel to a high elevation without giving your body time to adjust to less oxygen. Even if you’re physically fit, you can still experience altitude sickness.

In addition, high altitude and lower air pressure can lead to fluid leaking from blood vessels. Researchers don’t understand exactly why this happens. This leakage causes fluid to build up in your lungs and brain. Ignoring moderate or severe symptoms can lead to a life-threatening situation.

What are the symptoms of altitude sickness?

You’ll likely feel nauseous and lightheaded. You may vomit and have a headache. Different levels of altitude sickness have different symptoms:

Symptoms of mild, short-term altitude sickness usually begin 12 to 24 hours after arriving at high altitude. They lessen in a day or two as your body adjusts. These symptoms include:

• Dizziness.
• Fatigue and loss of energy.
• Shortness of breath.
• Loss of appetite.
• Sleep problems.

Symptoms of moderate altitude sickness are more intense and worsen instead of improve over time:

• Worsening fatigue, weakness and shortness of breath.
• Coordination problems and difficulty walking.
• Severe headache, nausea and vomiting.
• Chest tightness or congestion.
• Difficulty doing regular activities, though you may still be able to walk independently.

Severe altitude sickness is an emergency. The symptoms are similar to moderate AMS, but more severe and intense. If you start experiencing these symptoms, you must be taken to a lower altitude immediately for medical care:

• Shortness of breath, even when resting.
• Inability to walk.
• Confusion.
• Fluid buildup in the lungs or brain.

HAPE, when fluid builds up in the lungs, prevents oxygen from moving around your body. You need medical treatment for HAPE. Symptoms include:

• Cyanosis, when your skin, nails or whites of your eyes start to turn blue.
• Confusion and irrational behavior.
• Shortness of breath even when resting.
• Tightness in the chest.
• Extreme fatigue and weakness.
• Feeling like you’re suffocating at night.
• Persistent cough, bringing up white, watery fluid.

HACE happens when the brain tissue starts to swell from the leaking fluid. You need medical treatment for HACE. Symptoms include:

• Headache
• Loss of coordination.
• Weakness.
• Disorientation, memory loss, hallucinations.
• Psychotic behavior.
• Coma.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is altitude sickness diagnosed?

If you get a headache and at least one other symptom with 24 to 48 hours of moving to a higher elevation, it’s most likely altitude sickness. If you’re climbing, a more experienced climber may recognize symptoms of altitude sickness and guide you to get help.

If you have severe altitude sickness, a healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms, activities and location. The provider may perform a physical exam, including listening to your chest.

Will I need tests to diagnose altitude sickness?

You may need a chest X-ray to see if there is any fluid in your chest. In severe cases, your healthcare provider may order a brain MRI or CT scan to check for fluid in the brain.

Management and Treatment

How is altitude sickness treated?

The main treatment for altitude sickness is to move to a lower elevation as quickly and safely as possible. At the very least, do not go higher. If symptoms are mild, staying at your current elevation for a few days might be enough to improve the symptoms.

Other treatments depend on how severe the symptoms are:

• Mild altitude sickness: Over-the-counter medicines can relieve headaches. Other symptoms will improve once your body adjusts or you move to a lower altitude.
• Moderate altitude sickness: Symptoms should improve within 24 hours once you are 1,000 to 2,000 feet lower than you were. Within three days, you should feel completely better.
• Severe altitude sickness, HACE and HAPE: If you have severe symptoms, you must be taken immediately to an elevation that’s no higher than 4,000 feet. Get to a healthcare provider as soon as possible. You may need hospitalization.

What treatments are available for severe altitude sickness?

Treatments depend on your symptoms:

• For fluid in the brain (HACE), you may need dexamethasone, a steroid that helps reduce swelling in the brain. Dexamethasone is sometimes prescribed as a preventive medication.
• For fluid in the lungs (HAPE), you may need oxygen, medication, a lung inhaler or, in severe cases, a respirator.
• If you need more oxygen, a provider might prescribe acetazolamide, which increases your breathing rate, so you take in more oxygen. The medicine helps your body adjust faster to the higher elevation and reduces symptoms of altitude sickness.

Prevention

How can altitude sickness be prevented?

The best way to prevent altitude sickness is to go slow — called acclimatization. This process allows your body time to adjust to the change in oxygen levels. Take your time when traveling up. For instance, spend a day at a point midway up before continuing to ascend.

You can also talk to your healthcare provider about taking acetazolamide before your trip. Taking it 24 hours before traveling to a high altitude and continuing for five days can help prevent altitude sickness. Dexamethasone can also be used preventively, but it can have serious side effects. Talk to your provider before your trip.

Outlook / Prognosis

What’s the outlook for someone with altitude sickness?

Most people who get altitude sickness get the mild form. Once you return to a lower elevation (or stay at your current elevation without climbing higher), symptoms improve.

Are there long-term effects of altitude sickness?

If you take care and move to a lower elevation when you feel symptoms, altitude sickness has no long-term negative effects. You’ll recover within a few days. Once you feel better, you can continue to travel to higher elevations, as long as you do so slowly and carefully.

Can altitude sickness be fatal?

In rare cases, altitude sickness can be life-threatening. If you develop HAPE or HACE, you are at risk for complications such as coma or even death. Get treatment as soon as possible to reduce your risk.

Can altitude sickness be cured?

Altitude sickness is temporary. Once you return to a lower altitude, you’ll feel better. When you begin your ascent again (or on your next climb), make sure to travel slowly to let your body acclimate.

Living With

If I’m planning a hike to a very high elevation, how can I hike safely without getting altitude sickness?

These steps can help your body acclimate:

• Walk up: Start below 10,000 feet and walk to a high altitude instead of driving or flying. If you drive or fly to an elevation higher than 10,000 feet, stay at your first stop for at least 24 hours before going higher.
• Go slow: Once above 10,000 feet, don’t increase your altitude more than 1,000 feet a day.
• Rest: Build a rest day into your schedule for every 3,000 feet you climb.
• “Climb high and sleep low”: If you climb more than 1,000 feet in a day, come down to sleep at a lower altitude.
• Know your body: Recognize the signs and symptoms of altitude sickness. Move to a lower altitude (or avoid climbing higher) if you notice any symptoms.
• Stay hydrated: Drink 3-4 quarts of water per day.
• Avoid alcohol: Alcohol can dehydrate your body. It also has stronger effects at higher elevations, which can impair judgment.
• Eat carbs: Eat a diet that’s more than 70% carbohydrates.
• Know the “don’ts”: Avoid tobacco and depressant drugs, such as sleeping pills and tranquilizers.

What should I ask my doctor?

If you’re planning to travel to high altitudes, ask your healthcare provider:

• Should I take a preventive medication to avoid altitude sickness?
• Do I have any risk factors that would prevent me from visiting high elevations?
• What other steps can I take to prevent altitude sickness?
• What steps should I take if I start to feel symptoms during my climb?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Altitude sickness symptoms can range from uncomfortable to life-threatening. But with some planning and precautions, you can avoid this condition. The best way to prevent it is to move at a slower pace and let your body adjust. If you notice symptoms at high elevation, don’t push yourself to go farther. Get back down to a lower elevation and let your body adjust before moving up, slowly and carefully.

How to get rid of altitude sickness or avoid it altogether

Altitude sickness, or mountain sickness, as it’s sometimes called, is what happens when you go up in elevation too quickly causing your body to prioritize what needs the air most. Common symptoms include headache, loss of appetite and trouble sleeping. Altitude sickness often occurs when people who are not used to being in the High Country travel quickly from a lower elevation to 8,000 feet or higher. While you might think the time spent on Interstate 70 getting here were long enough, your body might disagree.

You often hear folks say there’s less oxygen to breathe at high elevations, which is mostly true — fact is, there’s less of all of the components that make up the air. The percentage of oxygen, however, in high-altitude air is the same as that in sea-level air — about 21 percent.

However, your body has to work harder at high elevation to get the oxygen it needs, so it causes you to breathe faster. That, in turn, causes the headaches and other symptoms. As your body adapts, the symptoms go away.

Mild altitude sickness is common, and experts can’t say who will get it because a person’s level of physical fitness and gender don’t determine who’s affected and who isn’t.

The best treatment is to go to a lower altitude, but if your symptoms are mild you can generally stay at high altitude and wait for the symptoms to go away. Just take it easy. Limit your activity and drink lots of water, but avoid alcohol and fatty foods.

You can take over-the-counter medications for headache and upset stomach, but don’t try going up in elevation if you are already experiencing symptoms. Recovery from mild symptoms takes anywhere from 12 hours to three or four days.

If you don’t recover, or if your symptoms are severe, see a doctor. They may be able to get you on passive-flow oxygen, which will help to alleviate your symptoms while in the High Country.

As Dr. David Grey with Breckenridge’s High Altitude Mobile Physicians noted, altitude sickness is a nighttime problem.

“If everyone who came to Summit went to Denver to sleep we wouldn’t see altitude problems,” he explained.

While that’s a simple enough solution, it’s not the most fun sounding vacation. When you venture up in altitude too quickly it causes a shock to your system and sends your body into defensive mode. When this happens your body conserves oxygen by sending less to the nonessentials like your gut, muscle and bone.

We all know vacation and gluttony go hand-and-hand so when your oxygen-deprived belly is met with all the wonderful food and drinks our fine county can offer and you head home to slip into a food coma, your body just gets worn out. Passive-flow oxygen, what you get by prescription, can be used throughout the night meaning you’ll wake up in far better shape. Cans of oxygen, oxygen bars and the like just aren’t available at that critical time.

However, altitude sickness can be avoided completely if you just do a little planning. Dr. Grey recommends working on your hydration long before you get to the mountains — at least a week — to make sure you’re coming in the best shape possible. Just don’t over do it: Once your urine is clear, you’re in the clear.

Also, try coming up slowly. Maybe spend a couple days in Denver if you are coming from lower elevations, and once you do get here, give yourself a chance. Don’t overindulge in those first couple days and work on keeping a steady, healthy diet. If you do find yourself struggling to overcome the effects of altitude sickness reach out to a local doctor to see about getting oxygen.

Altitude, Acute Mountain Sickness and Headache

Key Points

• Headache and acute mountain sickness occur commonly over 8,500 feet above sea level.
• Actions to reduce headaches at high altitude include good hydration and gradual ascent with days of rest and sleep at lower altitude whenever possible.
• Take ASA, furosemide or acetazolamide several days before going to high altitude to avoid headache.

For more than 2,000 years, headache has plagued those who tried to ascend to high altitudes. Headache was so common among travelers along an ancient silk route in Central Asia that a Chinese official named the area “Great Headache Mountain” and “Little Headache Mountain.” Modern evidence that headache occurs frequently at high altitude comes from studies of people living in the South American Andes and from soldiers of the Indian Army who moved frequently between sea level and altitudes up to 6,000 meters in the Himalayas.

In addition, headache occurs in almost 50% of the thousands of people who trek, climb, and ski at heights over 3,000 meters (9,900 feet). Even during the Mexico City Olympics held at an altitude of 2,300 meters, migraine headache occurred more frequently than Olympics held at lower altitudes.

Headache may be a prominent symptom in people with chronic exposure to high altitude. In a study of 379 adult men who lived for more than ten years in Peru at an altitude of 4,300 meters (14,200 feet), nearly half (47%) complained of recurrent headaches—either migraine (32%) or tension-type headache (15%). The occurrence of migraine and tension-type headache increased with age in this group of people, where the opposite was observed at sea level. Because the lungs’ efficiency in supplying oxygen to the body declines with age in all individuals, oxygen levels in the blood may decrease even further with advancing age in those who reside at high altitudes. Since migraine occurs more commonly when the blood level of oxygen falls, this might explain why headaches seem to increase with age in those who live at higher altitudes.

We now recognize that nearly one in four people who ascend to 2,600 meters (8,500 feet) above sea level develop symptoms referred to as acute mountain sickness (AMS). Headache is the most prominent symptom of AMS and may be accompanied by other symptoms including:

• Sleep disturbances
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Weakness

The most important variables affecting the incidence of AMS according to studies include an individual’s birthplace, acclimatization in the week before the travel, the rate of change in altitude and days of rest while ascending. Rest days were most potent protective variable.

How can you identify with Acute Mountain Sickness headache?

• AMS headache is usually intense, throbbing and is either generalized or in the forehead.
• It develops within six hours to four days of arrival at high altitude and can last for up to five days.
• The headache often worsens with exertion, coughing, straining or lying flat.
• Facial flushing, eye redness and sensitivity to light may accompany headache.

The headache does not appear to be the result of low blood oxygen (hypoxia) alone because the attack often doesn’t begin for hours to days after thriving at the higher altitude. Furthermore, oxygen therapy does not usually relieve the headache. Fortunately, these headaches generally go away after descent to sea level, although in unusual instances the headache may persist for several days to months.

The underlying cause of the headache remains unknown. Swelling of blood vessels has been considered as a potential cause, but not confirmed with experimental studies. Some experts feel that the brain swells with increased pressure within the headache, but no direct evidence exists for this explanation either.

Treatment of Acute Mountain Sickness

High-altitude headache responds to ibuprofen, and can be prevented, at least in some individuals or to some degree, by aspirin, furosemide, acetazolamide (Diamox®) before reaching high altitudes. For acetazolamide 250mg 2x per day (500mg total each day) is possibly more effective than lesser amounts. Because the headaches resemble migraine, sumatriptan has been tried and found effective in some people.

In addition to these medications, there are several tricks to avoiding or limiting the discomfort of adjusting to high altitude for those who are susceptible:

• Avoid dehydration by drinking five, eight-ounce glasses of water prior to reaching a higher altitude and while at that altitude.
• If possible, travel to a high altitude should be gradual with rest or minimal activity days to allow your body time to adjust to small, gradual decreases in the amount of oxygen in the air and in your blood.
• Sleep at lower elevations than you play. If you are hiking or skiing at altitudes above 8,500 feet, say in accommodations below 7,500 feet whenever possible.
• For people who have trouble sleeping and breathing at night, particularly if AMA has occurred in the past, use acetazolamide (Diamox®) as a preventive treatment before and during the time spent at the higher elevation.

David Dodick, MD, FAHS, FRCP(C), FACP, is Associate Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ

This article is a legacy contribution from the American Headache Society Committee for Headache Education (ACHE) and the Fred Sheftell, MD Education Center.

Updated September, 2008 from Headache, The Newsletter of ACHE. Spring 2000, Volume 11, Issue 1.

Altitude Sickness | Risk, Prevention and Treatment

For most people, it causes mild symptoms that improve with rest and time spent getting used to altitude. However, in some people, it can lead to serious symptoms which can become life-threatening. This is particularly the case if the signs are not recognised and the person does not move down (descend) to a lower altitude.

The most important treatment if you develop symptoms of altitude sickness is to stop your ascent and rest. If your symptoms are severe, do not improve, or they are getting worse, you need to descend to a lower altitude. There are various preventative measures, the most important being slow ascent so that your body can adjust to conditions at the right pace (acclimatise).

What is a high altitude?

• High altitude is an altitude between 1500-3500 metres (5,000-11,500 feet).
• Very high altitude is an altitude between 3500-5500 metres (11,500-18,000 feet).
• Extreme altitude is an altitude above 5500 metres (18,000 feet).

What are the normal responses of the body to altitude?

As you move up (ascend) to higher altitudes, air pressure reduces. Air still contains the same proportion of oxygen (21%) at high altitude. However, because of the lower air pressure, there is actually less oxygen available because the air is thinner (it contains less of all of the gases in a given volume). So, at high altitude, each breath that you take will contain fewer oxygen molecules. This means that you have to breathe faster and deeper to get oxygen into your body.

After a few days, your body starts to adjust (acclimatise) to the higher level of altitude that you are at. You will notice that your breathing rate will start to slow down. Your body also makes more red blood cells to help with oxygen transport around your body.

Because of these changes in your body, there are some ‘normal’ symptoms that you will notice at higher altitudes while your body is acclimatising and adjusting to the reduced availability of oxygen. They include:

• An increased breathing rate or feeling that you are breathing more deeply.
• Shortness of breath on exercise or increased activity (exertion).
• A change in your breathing pattern at night.
• Disturbed sleep.
• Passing more urine than usual.

What is altitude sickness?

Altitude sickness is something that can affect people who climb or travel to an altitude of more than 2500 metres, particularly if they climb or travel up (ascend) too quickly. It is rare at altitudes of less than 2500 metres (8,000 feet) and is more common at altitudes of 3500 metres (11,500 feet) or more. Just to give an idea, you can commonly ski at an altitude of 2500 metres in a ski resort.

Altitude sickness is due to the fact that your body has not got used (acclimatised) to the altitude that you are now at. For most people, it just produces mild symptoms that improve with rest and time spent at altitude. However, in some people, it can lead to more serious symptoms which can become life-threatening. This is particularly a risk if the signs are not recognised and the person does not move down (descend) to a lower altitude.

There are three main ways that altitude sickness can affect you. You may develop one or more of the following problems:

• Acute mountain sickness (AMS).
• High-altitude cerebral oedema (HACO or HACE. Oedema is spelt edema in some countries, so this condition can be shortened to either HACE or HACO).
• High-altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPO or HAPE).

Each of these is explained in more detail below.

How common is altitude sickness?

This varies with the location and with the way people tend to climb (ascend). It is common in places where visitors try to ascend very quickly – for example, climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. It is also more common in places where it is possible to fly to a high altitude to start with, before climbing further. This is the case, for example, with the Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal, where the trek often begins by flying to Lukla at an altitude of 2860 metres (9,000 feet). Up to half of trekkers may develop altitude sickness in this situation. In Colorado, about a quarter of visitors sleeping higher than 2500 metres (8,000 feet) develop altitude sickness. HACE and HAPE are much less common than AMS.

If proper preventative measures are taken (such as not ascending too fast), AMS can be less common.

Who is at risk of altitude sickness?

It is difficult to predict who will be affected by altitude sickness. However, your risk is higher:

• If you climb (ascend) to altitude too quickly. This may particularly be a risk if you start your trip by flying to an altitude of more than 2750 metres, or 9,000 feet:
• As the altitude to which you climb or travel is higher.
• As the altitude at which you sleep is higher.
• If you have come from, and are used to living in, a very low altitude.
• If you have had altitude sickness before. (This makes it more likely you will have it on another occasion. However, even if you did not develop it on one occasion, it does not mean you definitely will not develop it another time.)
• If you have an individual susceptibility to developing altitude sickness – genetics may play a part in your susceptibility.
• If you have a high level of exertion (ie are very physically active) at altitude. The more active you are, the greater the risk.

Note that your level of physical fitness does not seem to play a part in your chances of developing altitude sickness. Being more fit does not make you more likely to develop altitude sickness. However, if you are more fit, you may be tempted to try to ascend too quickly.

Can altitude sickness be prevented?

There are a number of things that may help to prevent altitude sickness. The best way to try to prevent altitude sickness is to climb (ascend) to higher altitudes slowly. This gives time for your body to adjust to conditions (acclimatise). It allows your body to cope with lower oxygen levels. Different people will acclimatise at different rates.

• There are recommended rates of ascent to altitude to help with adjusting to conditions (acclimatisation):
• If possible, spend at least one night at an ‘intermediate’ elevation below 3000 metres.
• Above 3000 metres, increase your sleeping altitude by only 300-500 metres per day.
• Above 3000 metres, take a rest day for every 1000 metres of elevation gained (ie spend a second night at the same altitude).
• If possible, don’t fly or drive directly to high altitude.
• If you do go directly to high altitude by car or plane, do not over-exert yourself or move higher for the first 24 hours.
• Always try to sleep at a lower altitude. Climbers commonly use the phrase, “climb high, sleep low”.
• Take special care if you have previously had acute mountain sickness (AMS).
• When planning an ascent as a group, plan for members acclimatising at different rates. How will you support those remaining behind to recover from AMS?
• If symptoms of AMS develop, delay further ascent.
• If symptoms become worse, move down (descend) as soon as possible.

Acute mountain sickness

What causes AMS?

The exact cause of AMS is not exactly known. It is thought to be a response of the brain to the lower oxygen levels in the blood at higher altitudes. This produces some swelling of the brain.

What are the symptoms of AMS?

For most people, AMS will give mild symptoms. Sometimes these are described as being rather like the symptoms of a hangover. Common symptoms can include headache, loss of appetite, tiredness and feeling sick (nausea). Other possible symptoms are being sick (vomiting), feeling light-headed or dizzy and having difficulty sleeping.

These symptoms tend to come on 6 to 12 hours after arrival at a particular altitude. At which altitude this is will depend on the individual person and situation. Symptoms usually get better after 1 to 3 days, provided that you do not climb (ascend) to a higher altitude. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Mild symptoms can be quite vague. It is best to assume that, if you are at altitude and you feel unwell, you have AMS unless there is another obvious cause.

If you experience any of these symptoms at altitude and wonder whether you have AMS, you can score yourself to find out.

How do I calculate my own score?

The Lake Louise score is a scoring system used to make a diagnosis of AMS. This is something you can do yourself to decide how severe your symptoms are and what they mean. The scoring is as follows:

A total score of 3 to 5 = mild AMS and 6 or more = severe AMS. Remember that any symptoms at altitude are altitude illness until proven otherwise.

What is the treatment for AMS?

The most important treatment if you start to develop symptoms of mild AMS is to stop your ascent and to rest at the same altitude. For most people, symptoms will improve within 24-48 hours with no specific treatment. Adjusting to conditions (acclimatisation) usually occurs after 1 to 3 days at a given altitude. Simple painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol will help the headache. Anti-sickness medication may also be used.

Other medicines are sometimes prescribed. The most common is a medicine called acetazolamide. Acetazolamide can also be given to prevent AMS. It is thought that acetazolamide helps to ‘speed up’ your acclimatisation. You can only buy acetazolamide from a chemist if they have gone through extra training to provide it through a ‘patient group direction’ service (you can ask at your pharmacy). Otherwise you will require a prescription from your GP. The usual dose of acetazolamide for prevention is 125 mg twice a day. A common side-effect with acetazolamide is pins and needles. A steroid medication called dexamethasone may be an alternative. Sometimes oxygen treatment may be used.

However, if your symptoms are severe, they do not improve after 24 hours, or they are getting worse, you need to move down (descend) to a lower altitude. You also need to descend urgently if you develop any symptoms or signs of HACE or HAPE (see below).

Tell me more about medications to prevent acute mountain sickness

Acetazolamide can be used for the prevention as well as treatment of AMS.

There is also evidence that dexamethasone can be used to prevent AMS. However, this is not recommended for routine use in travellers to high altitudes. Other options are being studied – for example, ibuprofen. However, there is not yet any evidence that it is as effective as acetazolamide. Until further studies are done, it is best not to take this to prevent AMS.

There is no reliable evidence for any other medications (including gingko biloba) at present. In some parts of South America travellers to high altitude may be offered coca leaves. These can be used to make tea or the leaves can be chewed. These are known to act as a mild stimulant but there is no evidence they help prevent AMS.

High-altitude cerebral oedema

What causes high-altitude cerebral oedema (HACE)?

HACE usually develops in someone who already has AMS. The swelling of the brain that has led to AMS gets worse and starts to interfere with the function of the brain. So, HACE is really a severe form of AMS.

What are the symptoms of HACE?

Symptoms of HACE include:

• Headache, which may be very severe.
• Feeling sick (nausea).
• Being sick (vomiting).
• Being uncoordinated, unsteady or off-balance.
• Hallucinations (for example, seeing or hearing things that are not actually there).
• Feeling disorientated.
• Feeling confused.

Often these symptoms are not noticed by the person who is developing HACE, or by their companions. As the cerebral oedema gets worse, people become more sleepy and less aware of their surroundings. They may have fits (seizures). Coma and death can occur if treatment is not started.

HACE can develop quickly, over a few hours. It is possible to have symptoms of high-altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE) as well, ie to have both conditions at the same time. See below for information about HAPE.

What is the treatment for HACE?

This is a move down (a descent) to a lower altitude immediately. If this does not happen, or is delayed, death can occur. It may be necessary to descend at night, if this is possible, and this could be life-saving. Treatment with oxygen (if possible) and the steroid medicine dexamethasone can help to relieve symptoms and can mean that getting someone down to a lower altitude becomes easier. However, these treatments do not remove the need for descent. The descent should be at least to the last altitude at which the person woke up feeling well.

A device called a portable hyperbaric chamber may be used. It is, essentially, an airtight bag big enough for a person to fit in, that is pressurised by a pump. The person with HACE is placed inside it and it can provide the same effect as (simulate) descent. The person will be breathing air equivalent to that at much lower altitude. This can be life-saving when descent is not possible and oxygen is unavailable.

What is the prognosis for HACE?

People with HACE usually do well if they descend to a lower altitude soon enough and far enough. The outlook (prognosis) is that they will usually have a complete recovery.

High-altitude pulmonary oedema

What causes high-altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE)?

‘Pulmonary’ refers to the lungs and ‘oedema’ means that there is a build-up of fluid. So, pulmonary oedema is a build-up of fluid within the lungs. The exact reasons why HAPE can develop are unknown. It is thought that the high altitude causes an increase in pressure in some of the small blood vessels of the lungs which leads to smaller blood vessels becoming ‘leaky’. This allows fluid to escape from the blood vessels into the lungs.

What are the symptoms of HAPE?

If someone develops HAPE, the symptoms usually start to appear a few days after arrival at altitude. Symptoms start with shortness of breath on exertion. It then worsens, so that there is shortness of breath even when resting. People affected can also develop a cough and feel generally weak and tired. They may start to cough up pink/frothy liquid (sputum) and complain of chest tightness. They may have swelling of their ankles or legs and their lips or fingernails may be blue or grey. In severe cases they become extremely short of breath at rest and drowsy. Coma and death can occur if HAPE is not treated quickly.

HAPE can happen in someone who also has AMS or HACE, or they may have no obvious symptoms of these other problems.

What is the treatment for HAPE?

Again, someone with HAPE needs to move down (make a descent) to a lower altitude immediately. Even a descent of a few hundred metres can make a difference but ideally descent should be to the point where symptoms are better. Treatment with oxygen and the medicine nifedipine may also help symptoms but does not replace the need for descent.

A hyperbaric chamber (as explained above) can be used if descent is not possible and/or oxygen and other treatment are not available.

What is the prognosis for HAPE?

HAPE tends to get better quickly on descent. Outlook (prognosis) is that there is usually complete recovery.

90,000 Different strategies to prevent altitude sickness

Relevance

The term altitude sickness (ALS) is used to describe a group of brain and lung conditions that can occur when people travel at altitudes above about 2,500 meters (about 8,200 feet). People can react to high altitudes in different ways and experience different symptoms. These include headaches associated with altitude sickness, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue, often referred to as acute mountain sickness.Drowsiness, confusion, or loss of consciousness can occur with brain damage (high-altitude cerebral edema or ALVD), and with lung involvement, cough or shortness of breath (high-altitude pulmonary edema or ALVD). A number of different strategies are used to prevent altitude sickness. In this review, we assessed evidence from randomized controlled trials on whether different approaches can prevent the onset of altitude sickness, with a focus on non-drug approaches, herbs, and natural supplements.

Research characteristics

Evidence is current to January 2019. We included 20 randomized controlled trials with 1406 subjects. The studies looked at different approaches to preventing altitude sickness. These approaches included strategies for acclimatizing at high altitudes by simulating rapid climbs by reducing the oxygen levels in the air that participants breathe, and using herbal products or vitamin supplements available over the counter.

The age of the participants ranged from 17 to 65 years old. Only one study included people at high risk of developing altitude sickness because they had a history of altitude sickness. Four trials intervened one to three days before ascent (20% of studies) and eight trials 4-30 days before ascent (40% of studies). Participants in all of these studies reached final altitudes between 3500 and 5500 meters above sea level. Most studies did not provide clear funding information (55% of studies).Thirty additional studies were classified as ongoing (14 studies) or pending classification (16 studies) and will be considered in future versions of this set of three reviews, respectively.

Highlights

Evidence for the benefits of different strategies is inconclusive and even conflicting among the included studies.

In three studies that compared normal oxygen levels with low oxygen levels as a way of acclimatization before travel to high altitudes, we found no difference in the risk of developing acute mountain sickness (3 trials, 140 participants; low-quality evidence).No adverse events were reported, nor were high-altitude cerebral edema (HHE) or pulmonary edema (HAE).

Ginkgo biloba was compared with an inactive placebo in seven studies (523 participants) investigating acute mountain sickness. There was no difference between ginkgo biloba and placebo in terms of the risk of developing BMD (3 studies, 371 participants) or the risk of tingling or tingling, often described as “pins and needles,” as a side effect of treatment (2 studies, 352 participants).No cases of ARVD were reported (3 studies, 371 participants).

Ginkgo biloba was compared to acetazolamide, which is a drug used to prevent acute mountain sickness, in four studies (397 participants). The results varied between studies and no conclusions could be drawn. Acetazolamide increased the risk of needles and pins syndrome in two studies (354 participants). No cases of ARVD or PMVD were reported. In general, limited information on the safety of various interventions means that their safety remains unclear.

Quality of evidence

The quality of the evidence was low to very low. We were unable to obtain full text reports of some of the studies we found, which limited the number of studies included in this review. Many of these studies had small numbers of participants; and for some outcomes there were few events, so any conclusions were uncertain. More research is needed to clarify the efficacy and safety of various strategies for reducing altitude sickness.

Mountain sickness is no joke! – Risk.ru

Mountain sickness (miner, acclimuha – slang) is a painful condition of the human body, which has risen to a considerable height above sea level, which occurs as a result of hypoxia (insufficient supply of oxygen to tissues), hypocapnia (lack of carbon dioxide in tissues) and manifests itself as significant changes in all organs and systems of the human body.

With the wrong treatment or wrong actions (delayed evacuation down), altitude sickness can even lead to the death of the sick person.Sometimes very quickly.

Since a professional physician is not present in every sports group, in this article we will try to make the symptoms of altitude sickness “recognizable” and the tactics of treatment – understandable and reasonable.

Recommendations from the AlpIndustria Adventure Team:

So at what altitudes should you expect the development of altitude sickness?

At heights of 1500-2500 m above sea level, small functional changes in well-being are possible in the form of fatigue, increased heart rate, and a slight increase in blood pressure.After 1-2 days (depending on the fitness level of the athlete), these changes, as a rule, disappear. The oxygen saturation of the blood at this altitude is practically within the normal range.

With a rapid ascent of to an altitude of 2500-3500 m above sea level, the symptoms of hypoxia develop very quickly and also depend on the fitness of the athletes. When planning a very short time for the acclimatization of the group, which is now far from uncommon, if after a training ascent on the 3-4th day of ascent, a sports group enters a technically difficult route, the participants may experience symptoms from the nervous system – lethargy on the route, bad or slow execution of commands, sometimes euphoria develops.A calm and modest athlete suddenly begins to argue, shout, behave rudely. In this case, it is very important to immediately check the indicators on the part of the cardiovascular system – hypoxia will be manifested by an increase in the pulse rate (more than 180), an increase in blood pressure (this can be determined by the strength of the pulse wave on the wrists), an increase in shortness of breath (shortness of breath is considered an increase in the number of breaths over 30 in 1 minute). If these symptoms are present, the diagnosis of altitude sickness can be made with certainty.

At an altitude of 3500-5800 meters blood oxygen saturation will be much less than 90% (and 90% is considered normal), therefore manifestations of altitude sickness are more common, and the development of its complications is also often observed: cerebral edema, pulmonary edema.

During sleep, the patient may experience pathological rare breathing (the so-called “periodic” breathing, caused by a decrease in the level of carbon dioxide in the blood), mental disorders, hallucinations. A decrease in carbon dioxide in the body leads to a decrease in the frequency of breaths during sleep due to a decrease in the activity of the respiratory center of the brain (when a person is awake, the number of breaths is regulated by consciousness), which further increases hypoxia.This usually manifests itself in the form of attacks of suffocation or even temporary stops in breathing during sleep.

In the case of intense physical activity, the symptoms of altitude sickness may worsen. However, a little physical activity is useful, as it stimulates anaerobic metabolic processes in the body and neutralizes the increase in hypoxia in organs and tissues. The need to move in order to overcome it was mentioned by many high-altitude athletes (Reinhold Messner, Vladimir Shataev, Eduard Myslovsky).

Extreme heights include the level above 5800 m above sea level, a long stay at such an altitude is dangerous for humans. High levels of ultraviolet radiation, strong, sometimes hurricane, winds, temperature drops quickly lead to dehydration and exhaustion of the body. Therefore, those who climb to such a height must be very hardy and trained to the effects of hypoxia, must consume sufficient water and high-calorie, fast-digesting foods during the ascent.

At an altitude of above 6000 m , full acclimatization is even more difficult, in this regard, even many trained alpinists-high-altitude climbers noted numerous signs of mountain sickness (fatigue, sleep disturbances, delayed reaction, headache, disturbance taste sensations, etc.).

At altitudes over 8000 m an unacclimatized person can be without oxygen for no more than 1-2 days (and even then in the presence of a general high level of fitness and internal reserves).The term “Death Zone” (lethal zone) is known – an altitude zone in which the body spends more energy to ensure its own vital activity than it can receive from external sources (food, respiration, etc.). The extreme confirmation of the lethality of altitude is information from aviation medicine – at altitudes of about 10,000 m, a sudden depressurization of the aircraft cabin leads to death if oxygen is not urgently connected.

How does altitude sickness develop

Most of the processes in our body occur with the help of oxygen, which, when inhaled, enters the lungs, then, as a result of gas exchange in the lungs, enters the bloodstream, and, after passing through the heart, is sent to all organs and systems of the human body – to the brain, kidneys, liver, stomach, as well as muscles and ligaments.

With an increase in altitude, the amount of oxygen in the ambient air decreases and its amount in the human blood decreases. This condition is called hypoxia. In the case of slight hypoxia, the body responds to a decrease in the level of oxygen in the tissues, first of all, by an increase in heart rate (an increase in pulse), an increase in blood pressure, and an exit from the hematopoietic organs – depots (liver, spleen, bone marrow) – of a larger number of young erythrocytes, which capture an additional amount of oxygen, normalizing gas exchange in the lungs.

In the mountains, especially the high ones, other factors are added to the decrease in the oxygen content in the air: physical fatigue, hypothermia, and dehydration of the body at altitude. And in case of accidents – also injuries. And if in such a situation the body is not properly influenced, the physiological processes will proceed in a “vicious circle”, complications will join, and the life of the climber may be in danger. At altitude, the rate of pathological processes is very high, for example, the development of pulmonary or cerebral edema can cause the death of the victim within a few hours.

The main difficulty in diagnosing altitude sickness is primarily due to the fact that most of its symptoms, with a few exceptions (for example, intermittent intermittent breathing), are also found in other diseases: cough, shortness of breath and shortness of breath – in acute pneumonia, pain in stomach and digestive disorders – with poisoning, impaired consciousness and orientation – with craniocerebral trauma. But in the case of altitude sickness, all these symptoms are observed in the victim either during a rapid ascent to a height, or during a long stay at an altitude (for example, when waiting for bad weather).

Many conquerors of eight-thousanders noted drowsiness, lethargy, poor sleep with symptoms of suffocation, and the state of health immediately improved with a rapid loss of altitude.
General colds, dehydration, insomnia, fatigue, alcohol or coffee also contribute to the development of altitude sickness and worsen well-being at altitude.

Yes, and simply the tolerance of high altitudes is very individual: some athletes begin to feel deterioration at 3000-4000 m, others feel great at a much higher altitude.

That is, the development of altitude sickness depends on the individual resistance to hypoxia, in particular from:
– gender (women tolerate hypoxia better),
– age (the younger the person, the worse he tolerates hypoxia),
– general physical training and mental state,
– the speed of ascent to a height,
– as well as from past “high-altitude” experience.
The geography of the location also affects (for example, 7000 m in the Himalayas are easier to carry than 5000 m on Elbrus).

So how does the athlete’s body respond to a significant decrease in the oxygen content in the ambient air?

Pulmonary ventilation increases – breathing becomes more intense and deep. The work of the heart is enhanced – the minute volume of circulating blood increases, blood flow accelerates. Additional red blood cells are released from the blood depots (liver, spleen, bone marrow), resulting in an increase in the hemoglobin content in the blood. At the tissue level, capillaries begin to work more intensively, the amount of myoglobin in the muscles increases, metabolic processes are enhanced, new metabolic mechanisms are activated, for example, anaerobic oxidation.If hypoxia continues to increase, pathological disorders begin in the body: an insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain and lungs leads to the development of severe complications. A decrease in the level of oxygen in the tissues of the brain first leads to disturbances in behavior, consciousness, and subsequently contributes to the development of cerebral edema. Insufficient gas exchange in the lungs leads to reflex stagnation of blood in the pulmonary circulation and the development of pulmonary edema.

A decrease in blood flow in the kidneys leads to a decrease in renal excretory function – first a decrease, and then a complete absence of urine.This is a very alarming sign, because a decrease in excretory function leads to a rapid poisoning of the body. A decrease in oxygen in the blood of the gastrointestinal tract can be manifested by a complete lack of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. In addition, with a decrease in the level of oxygen in the tissues as a result of a violation of water-salt metabolism, dehydration of the body progresses (fluid loss can reach 7-10 liters per day), arrhythmia begins, and heart failure develops. As a result of liver dysfunction, intoxication rapidly develops, body temperature rises, and fever in conditions of lack of oxygen increases hypoxia (it was found that at 38 ° C the body’s oxygen demand doubles, and at 39.5 ° C it increases 4 times).

Attention! At a high temperature, the patient must be immediately lowered down! The miner can add a catastrophic minus to any pathology!

Aggravates well-being and cold effects:
Firstly, in the cold, the breath is usually short, and this also increases hypoxia.
Secondly, at low temperatures, other colds (tonsillitis, pneumonia) can join the pulmonary edema.
Thirdly, in the cold, the permeability of the cell walls is disturbed, which leads to additional tissue edema.
Therefore, at low temperatures, pulmonary edema or cerebral edema occurs and develops faster: at high altitudes and in severe frost, this period, up to death, can be only a few hours instead of the usual 8-12 hours.

The rapid onset of death is explained by the fact that the processes develop according to the principle of a “vicious” circle, when subsequent changes aggravate the cause of the process, and vice versa.

As a rule, all complications in the development of altitude sickness develop at night, during sleep, and by the morning there is a significant deterioration in the condition.This is due to the horizontal position of the body, a decrease in respiratory activity, an increase in the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system. Therefore, it is extremely important not to put a person who is sick with altitude sickness to sleep at a height, and use every minute to transport the victim down.

The cause of death in cerebral edema is compression of the medulla by the cranial vault, wedging of the cerebellum into the posterior cranial fossa. Therefore, it is very important for the slightest symptoms of brain damage to use both diuretics (reducing cerebral edema) and sedatives (sleeping pills), because the latter reduce the brain’s need for oxygen.

In pulmonary edema, the cause of death is respiratory failure, as well as blockage of the airways (asphyxia) by foam formed during pulmonary edema. In addition to this, pulmonary edema with altitude sickness is usually accompanied by heart failure due to overflow of the pulmonary circulation. Therefore, together with diuretics that reduce edema, it is necessary to give cardiac drugs that increase cardiac output, and corticosteroids, which stimulate the heart and increase blood pressure.

In the work of the digestive system during dehydration, the secretion of gastric juice decreases, which leads to loss of appetite, impaired digestion. As a result, the athlete dramatically loses weight, complains of discomfort in the abdomen, nausea, and diarrhea. It should be noted that digestive disorders in mountain sickness differ from diseases of the digestive tract, primarily in that the other members of the group do not observe signs of poisoning (nausea, vomiting). Diseases of the abdominal organs such as perforation of an ulcer or acute appendicitis are always confirmed by the presence of symptoms of irritation of the peritoneum (pain appears when pressing on the abdomen with a hand or palm, and sharply increases when the hand is pulled away).

In addition, as a result of impaired cerebral functions, a decrease in visual acuity, a decrease in pain sensitivity, and mental disorders are possible.

Symptoms

By the time of exposure to hypoxia on the body, acute and chronic forms of mountain sickness are distinguished.

Chronic mountain sickness is observed in residents of high mountain areas (for example, the village of Kurush in Dagestan, 4000 m), but this is already the sphere of activity of local doctors.
Acute mountain sickness usually occurs within a few hours and symptoms develop very quickly.
In addition, is distinguished by the subacute form of altitude sickness , which lasts up to 10 days. The clinical manifestations of acute and subacute forms of mountain sickness often coincide and differ only in the time of development of complications.

Distinguish between mild, moderate and severe degrees of altitude sickness.
For mild altitude sickness , the appearance of lethargy, malaise, palpitations, shortness of breath and dizziness in the first 6-10 hours after climbing to an altitude are characteristic.It is also characteristic that drowsiness and poor sleep are observed at the same time. If the ascent to altitude does not continue, these symptoms disappear after a couple of days as a result of adaptation of the body to altitude (acclimatization). There are no objective signs of a mild form of altitude sickness. If these symptoms appear within 3 days after climbing to a height, one should assume the presence of some other disease.

With moderate altitude sickness , inadequacy and a state of euphoria are characteristic, which are subsequently replaced by a decline in strength and apathy.The symptoms of hypoxia are already more pronounced: severe headache, dizziness. Sleep is disturbed: the sick do not fall asleep well and often wake up from suffocation, they are often tormented by nightmares. Under load, the pulse quickens sharply, shortness of breath appears. As a rule, appetite disappears completely, nausea appears, sometimes vomiting. In the mental sphere – there is lethargy on the route, poor or slow execution of commands, sometimes euphoria develops.
With a rapid loss of height, the state of health immediately improves before our eyes.

At severe mountain sickness symptoms of hypoxia affect all organs and systems of the body. The result is poor physical health, rapid fatigability, heaviness throughout the body, preventing the athlete from moving forward.
Headache increases, with a sharp change in body position, dizziness and lightheadedness occur. Due to severe dehydration, the body is worried about strong thirst, there is no appetite, gastrointestinal disorders appear in the form of diarrhea.Bloating and pain are possible.
During a night’s sleep, breathing is disturbed (interrupted breathing), hemoptysis may occur (hemoptysis differs from bleeding by the presence of foamy sputum; gastric bleeding, as a rule, is never associated with a cough, and the blood coming from the stomach looks like “coffee grounds” from for interactions with hydrochloric acid of gastric juice).
On examination of the patient: the tongue is coated, dry, the lips are bluish, the skin of the face has a grayish tint.
In the absence of treatment and going downhill, mountain sickness leads to severe complications – edema of the lungs and brain.
With pulmonary edema in the chest, mainly behind the sternum, moist wheezing, gurgling, gurgling appear. In severe cases, coughing up from the mouth may produce pink, frothy sputum. The pressure drops, the pulse quickens. If treatment is not started immediately, the patient can die very quickly. It is imperative to give the patient a semi-sitting position to relieve the heart and breathing, give oxygen, inject intramuscularly diuretics (diacarb, furosemide) and corticosteroids (dexometasone, dexon, hydrocortisone).To facilitate the work of the heart, tourniquets can be applied to the upper third of the shoulders and thighs for 15-20 minutes. If the treatment is carried out correctly, the condition should improve quickly, after which an immediate descent should begin. If treatment is not carried out, as a result of an overload of the heart, heart failure quickly joins the pulmonary edema: the skin turns blue, severe pains appear in the region of the heart, a sharp drop in blood pressure, arrhythmia.

High-altitude cerebral edema differs from traumatic brain injury, first of all, by the absence of asymmetry of the face, pupils and facial muscles and is manifested by lethargy and confusion of consciousness, up to its complete loss.At the very beginning of development, cerebral edema can manifest itself in inadequate behavior (anger or euphoria), as well as poor coordination of movements. Subsequently, the symptoms of brain damage can increase: the patient does not understand the simplest commands, cannot move, fix his gaze. As a result of cerebral edema, difficulty in breathing and cardiac activity may appear, but this occurs already some time after loss of consciousness. Cerebral edema is relieved by fractional (repeated) administration of diuretics (diacarb, furosemide), the obligatory administration of sedatives or hypnotics that reduce the need for oxygen in the brain, and the obligatory cooling of the victim’s head (lowering the temperature by several degrees reduces cerebral edema and prevents the development of complications!) …

Prevention of altitude sickness

Climbers and mountain tourists planning ascents and hikes in the mountains should understand that the likelihood of mountain sickness in participants is reduced:

– good informational and psychological preparation,
– good physical fitness,
– high-quality equipment,
– correct acclimatization and well-thought-out climbing tactics.

This is especially important for high altitudes (over 5000 m)!

– Good informational and psychological preparation
Be a bore in the best sense of the word.Find out thoroughly why mountains are dangerous, why altitude is dangerous. Nowadays there is no problem finding any information on the Internet. And if you need an individual consultation with a specialist, then the employees of AlpIndustria are at your service.

– Good general physical training (GPP)
Prevention of altitude sickness consists, first of all, in the early creation of a good athletic form of the athlete in the phase of preparation for events in the mountains. With good GPP, the athlete is less tired, better resists the effects of cold, all his organs are prepared for high loads, including in the presence of oxygen deficiency.In particular, for athletes planning high-altitude ascents, it is imperative to include anaerobic training in the training cycle (running uphill, running with breath holding).

– Quality equipment
“The right” clothing, bought in stores focused on mountain sports, bivouac gear, equipment for movement in the mountains – all these are factors that will save you from the cold (or heat, which even at altitude can sometimes “get” in the sun when windlessness), will allow you to move quickly and economically, provide a reliable and protected bivouac and hot food.And these are the factors of counteracting altitude sickness.
Planning the correct selection of products should also be included in the “equipment” section: light, well-digestible, high-calorie, with good taste. By the way, when choosing products, it is advisable to take into account the taste preferences of each member of the group.
When making high-altitude climbing, it is necessary to take multivitamins (preferably with a complex of trace elements), antioxidants: tinctures of ginseng, golden root, Rhodiola rosea, ascorbic acid, riboxin (it is advisable to carry out additional vitaminization of the body in advance, 1-2 weeks before going to the mountains ).Taking drugs that affect the heart rate (potassium orotate, asparkam) is inappropriate in the mountains due to the occurrence of various forms of cardiac arrhythmias. Be sure to take in the first aid kit means to normalize the water-salt balance (rehydron) or drink slightly salted water.
Well, you should not forget about other medications in the first-aid kit, just as you should not forget to consult with your doctor about its composition.

– Correct acclimatization and thoughtful climbing tactics
Directly in the mountains, it is important to have good and properly conducted acclimatization, moderate alternation of ascents and descents to the place of lodging with constant monitoring of the well-being of the group members.At the same time, you should gradually raise both the height of the base camp and the height of the “peak” lifting points.
You can encounter a situation when the “sportsman” tired of the office finally burst out into nature – into the mountains, in this case – and decides to take a dose of alcohol to relax and “to sleep better”.
So here:
The tragic consequences of such “relaxation” in history, even not so long ago, are known: it does not contribute to acclimatization at all, but on the contrary.

Alcohol, even in small doses, is categorically contraindicated under conditions of hypoxia, since it inhibits respiration, impairs interstitial fluid exchange, increases the load on the heart and increases oxygen starvation of brain cells.

If, nevertheless, the disease occurs …

If, when climbing to a height, one of the group members feels bad, then in the case of a mild to moderate degree of illness, it can be overcome by smoother acclimatization, without forcing it. That is, go down – come to your senses – go up higher, see how you feel, maybe even spend the night – go down. Etc.

But the main thing is not to miss the symptoms of another disease (see above).

In case of a severe illness, the victim must be brought down immediately, as the condition can worsen dramatically in a matter of hours, and the descent can become dangerous not only for the victim, but also for other members of the group.Maybe even at night …

Treatment of acute altitude sickness, therefore, begins with the immediate descent of the sick participant to a lower altitude. The best remedy for increasing hypoxia will be to increase the oxygen content in the air along with medications.

Mandatory when transporting a patient with altitude sickness are:

– drinking plenty of water,
– administration of diuretics,
– with a sharp drop in pressure or deterioration of the general condition – intramuscular administration of corticosteroids.
(Hormones of the adrenal cortex – corticosteroids – have an adrenaline-like effect: they increase blood pressure, increase cardiac output, and increase the body’s resistance to disease).

Taking 1-2 aspirin tablets can give some effect in hypoxia – by reducing blood clotting, it promotes better oxygen delivery to the tissues, but aspirin can only be taken in the absence of bleeding or hemoptysis.

Alcohol under conditions of hypoxia is categorically contraindicated – we have already spoken about this, and in case of illness – we emphasize: CATEGORALLY!

Thus, to save the life of a sick person with altitude sickness will help:

first, correct and quick diagnosis of the symptoms of the disease,
secondly, the use of modern medicines to reduce hypoxia and prevent the development of severe complications,
thirdly, the immediate descent of the sick participant of the ascent to a height safe for health.

Attention! The group leader must be well aware of the use of medicines in the group medicine cabinet and their contraindications! Consultation with a doctor is required when completing!

Attention! Group members must have an appropriate level of health (admission by a doctor) and notify the leader in case of chronic diseases and allergies!

Attention! One more important point must not be forgotten.It may turn out that the strength and skills of your comrades will not be enough to evacuate you safely and quickly. And so that your relatives and friends do not have to raise funds for a helicopter or the work of professional rescuers, DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THE RIGHT INSURANCE POLICY!

Good and safe ascents for you!

Altitude sickness

Altitude sickness is a consequence of prolonged oxygen starvation (hypoxia), which occurs from a sharp climb or a long stay in the mountains.In simple terms, your body is temporarily unable to provide tissues with a sufficient amount of oxygen, which sharply deteriorates health.

Everyone has their own high-rise ceiling, someone will feel all the “delights” at 2,000 meters, others – approaching the mark of 3,500 meters. The main symptoms: – headache, gastrointestinal upset, shortness of breath and general weakness.

Do not ignore the signs of GB. At the first hints of a sad ending, monitor your condition for 15-30 minutes, and if there is no improvement, immediately start descending, before the miner completely covers you.The consequences of a severe stage are pulmonary and cerebral edema, do you need it?

Every 150 meters of climb, the temperature drops by 1 degree, if necessary – keep warm, watch the thermoregulation. When spending the night in the mountains, temperature differences and rarefied air affect the general condition. Heat during the day, cold at night – a direct road to sleep disturbance. In order not to wait in torment for the morning, stock up on sweet tea in a thermos, antispasmodic pills and a chocolate bar.

Poor physical fitness or sudden intense exertion are risk areas for those who go to the mountains.Starting in the morning, you should not rush into battle violently. Let your body wake up, your lungs breathe, and your head gets used to. Rising to the starting point of the hike by car, try to go slowly, drink sweet tea on the way. A nutritious breakfast, healthy sleep and a fighting spirit play an important role!

Height categories:

Small – 1,500 – 2,000 m

A miner manifests itself in the case of the first trip to the mountains or lack of physical fitness.This altitude zone is characterized by a rapid heartbeat and a slight increase in blood pressure; with a calm pace of walking, the symptoms usually disappear within half an hour.

Medium – 2 500 – 3 500 m

Deterioration of health is possible with a sharp rise and a long stay at an altitude (3-4 days without acclimatization). Hypoxia is manifested by a rapid pulse of about 180 beats per minute, shortness of breath and headache. To improve the condition, you need to take medications or go downstairs.

Large – 3,500 – 5,500 m

At 4000 m, the oxygen level is below 50%. Almost everyone feels altitude sickness, the only difference is in intensity and severity. If you are on a day hike, do not delay the descent. An overnight stay in such conditions takes place only after adaptation of several days.

Since we are talking about hiking, not mountaineering, we will stop at 5.5 thousand meters.

Medication assistance.If a break, tea and chocolate do not help relieve symptoms, take 1 tablet of aspirin / paracetamol or ibuprofen, which thin the blood and relieve headaches. Do not self-medicate; in case of obvious dysfunctions, consult a specialist.

Prevention of altitude sickness. Do you like the mountains higher? Ascorbic acid in your first aid kit! Vitamin C removes from the body under-oxidized foods that appear as a result of oxygen starvation. Regular intake of “ascorbic acid” significantly improves health both on the plain and on the top.Absorb more carbs in the form of dried fruits, honey tea, bananas, apples, chocolate, and white bread.

Let’s summarize the basic rules of the Antigornyashka club: healthy sleep and breakfast, at the first symptoms – down, prevention is our best friend. And remember, if there is an opportunity, it is more useful to always walk on foot than to travel by transport.

What is altitude sickness – site Search Paths

Mountain sickness. Useful knowledge about survival in the mountains. What is altitude sickness, symptoms, treatment.Acclimatization. Preparing for the ascent. How to recognize a miner.

Climbers who love to conquer mountain peaks sooner or later face dizziness, hypoxia and other high-altitude “joys”. Then their acquaintance with the concept of “mountain sickness” begins. However, such a scenario can be avoided by taking preventive measures and taking care in advance to find fellow travelers for the trip.

What is altitude sickness

Mountain sickness is called by the common people “miner” or “miner”.In mountain tourism, this morbid physical condition is a consequence of a person’s stay at an unusual altitude for him, for example, while climbing. With the climb, the amount of oxygen in the air decreases, hypoxia occurs, which leads to the onset of altitude sickness.

Manifestation of altitude sickness

Poor health is inherent in all types of diseases, and mountain sickness is no exception. Symptoms can occur in any part of the human body. It is generally accepted that we are only talking about dizziness, in fact, everything is much more complicated.

Altitude Sickness Symptoms:

• Failure of the nervous system. Mental disorder is the most common symptom of altitude sickness. The traveler may feel unreasonable weakness, severe fatigue, insomnia, pressing headache, indifference or euphoria, lethargy, decreased pain threshold, numbness in different parts of the body, decreased vision and reaction speed. The person may lose consciousness. Tremors, deafness and paralysis can occur at an altitude of more than five kilometers.
• Failure of the cardiovascular system. The number of muscle contractions increases, the pulse quickens, the pressure changes, the veins in the legs and arms expand, capillaries burst, nose or ear bleeding occurs. Respiratory system failure. Shortness of breath appears, breathing becomes more frequent, the amount of air inhaled decreases, gas formation in the intestine increases, acidosis.
• Failure of the digestive system. A sharp decrease in body weight, unwillingness to eat, gastronomic tastes are perverted, the absorption of vitamins and microelements decreases, the excretory system deteriorates, diarrhea and nausea occur.
• Failure of the genitourinary system. The amount of urine decreases, the functionality of the adrenal glands increases.
• Failure of the circulatory system. Increased blood glucose, bilirubin, hemoglobin and cholesterol levels. All this leads to a violation of blood clotting.

To make acclimatization in the mountains easy, do not limit yourself to just a superficial knowledge of the symptoms. Preparing to climb high altitudes is a must, just like collecting equipment.

Preparation for the ascent

Prevention of altitude sickness is based on the gradual conquest of altitude, the so-called stepwise acclimatization. A tourist must be physically strong, not have serious pathological diseases, and be psychologically stable. If you plan to conquer a great height, you must have an ascent experience.

Three Basic Tourist Rules :

1. Abruptly do not climb to the height, where the first signs of altitude sickness begin.
2. When the first symptoms appear, it is necessary to descend and adapt to the new conditions.
3. The manifestation of one symptom, even without accompanying diseases, is considered to be the beginning of the development of altitude sickness.

Altitude Sickness Prevention:

• You cannot climb more than 600 meters a day to an altitude of 3 thousand kilometers. We pass a plot of 600 meters and settle down for the night.
• After climbing 3 thousand kilometers, each subsequent kilometer we make a stop for at least a day.
• Consider the individual characteristics of each member of the group.
• Do not move abruptly to great heights, for example by helicopter.
• If you flew to the place, then wait a day before going higher.
• The body adapts most strongly in the first three days.

It is best to bring a doctor or an experienced tourist with you on the trip, who can provide assistance in case of symptoms of illness. Climbers know what altitude sickness is, how to avoid it and minimize the consequences.

Altitude sickness development

There is no single figure at what altitude altitude sickness begins. Medical sources only provide statistics:

• the height from 3000 to 4000 meters changes the state of health of 10-20% of tourists;
• heights from 4500 to 5000 will affect the health of 100% of tourists.

According to scientists, the deadly height for humans is considered to be 8 kilometers above sea level. Unpleasant sensations during sharp ascents in the mountains are found only among residents of flat areas.The local high-altitude population suffers from chronic altitude sickness.

Altitude Sickness Treatment

Mountain sickness has three stages. The easiest one goes away on its own within three days with plenty of drinking, taking vitamins and no increase in height. The average degree is treated symptomatically. In the most difficult case, medical attention is needed. Here, you shouldn’t expect altitude sickness to go away on its own. The treatment below is for severe to moderate severity:

• inhalation of artificially humidified oxygen.This will help get rid of the headache, bring the person to their senses for a further decrease in height;
• use of corticosteroid hormones. Heavy artillery is used when life is threatened.

Even if the patient begins to feel better after using the above methods, it is necessary to bring him down for examination. It is necessary to call an ambulance to the place of descent in advance. It is important to remember that mountain sickness is serious and the victim needs help.Knowing the basic principles can save someone’s life. If you are going to climb the heights, make some space in your backpack for oxygen bags.

How a dog saved an entire city from a fatal disease

• Louise Crane
• BBC Earth

May 10, 2020

Photo by ARCTIC IMAGES / Alamy Stock Photo

In 1925, in a tiny town in Nomalyaski an epidemic of diphtheria broke out. To deliver the life-saving serum to residents, 20 teams of sled dogs had to travel more than 1,000 kilometers in snow and ice.

They say the dog is our best friend. But sometimes she is also our savior.

Of all the dogs that took part in the serum delivery relay to the residents of Nome, two stood out – Siberian huskies named Balto and Togo.

Today, dogs of this breed compete in exciting sled races, surpassing many outstanding human athletes in physical endurance.

How do they do it?

The husky was brought from Siberia by the fur trader William Husak at the beginning of the 20th century, when the “gold rush” was raging in the northwest of Canada in the Yukon.The gander was struck by the breed of these sled dogs used by the Chukchi.

Author of the photo, Alamy Stock Photo

Pidpis to the photo,

Chukchi – a small indigenous people of the Far North

For thousands of years the Chukchi overcame hundreds of kilometers of the Arctic tundra on dog sleds. Selective selection has created the ideal breed of sled dog, able to withstand the cold and years of hard work.

In 1909, Gander and his dogs took part in the famous dog sled race between the cities of Nome and Kendl in Alaska.The distance between them was 1085 km. The Alaskan Malamute breed dominated the competition for many years.

“Siberian Rats” Gusak were half the size of the Malamutes, but they left behind many local teams, receiving an honorable third place. Malamutes, bred to carry cargo, were more resilient, but the huskies pulled the sled faster.

Siberian Husky Husky turned out to be the gold standard for sled dogs – their size, correct pelvic angle, back length and shoulder width allow for a wider stride.

Although hounds can run faster than huskies, they make large jumps in the air while running. This technique is great for sprinting, but detrimental to the team, as the sled pulls it back every time.

Photo author, Alamy Stock Photo

Pidpis to photo,

“Parents, it’s your choice” – advertising of diphtheria vaccination

Already in the next 1910, Siberian huskies were the first to race in Alaska. The team was led by a driver from Nome, a Norwegian named Leonard Seppala.

His victory will be remembered 15 years later, in January 1925, when the health department of Nome faced a crisis – an epidemic of diphtheria.

Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that affects the nose and throat. If left untreated, it can be fatal. Fatalities are rare today because most people are vaccinated, but in 1925 things were very different.

The outbreak occurred at the worst time for Nome. The city was cut off from the rest of Alaska in the coldest winter in 20 years, and local supplies of diphtheria antitoxin ran out.

Without it, city doctors predicted a mortality rate of up to 100%. The nearest serum that could be delivered by rail was in Nenana at a distance of 1085 km.

It was decided to deliver the serum to Nome by dogs. Thus began the Great Race of Mercy.

A route was developed, a relay race for 20 drivers and 150 dogs. Leonard Seppal’s team had to pass the penultimate section of the route.

Photo by Design Pics Inc / Alamy Stock Photo

Signs to Photo,

Leonard Seppala with his dogs

Dogs, which also delivered mail at the time, usually covered this distance in 25 days.But this time it was out of the question. In harsh weather conditions, the serum could only survive for six days. The dogs had to run the distance in less than a quarter of the normal time.

The first task was simple – not to freeze to death.

The Siberian Husky has a double coat: a soft undercoat is protected by a coarse top coat, which keeps the skin warm, like a light down jacket, explains veterinarian Kelly Credil.

When dogs sleep at night, they curl up into a ball, covering their nose with their fluffy tail.It warms the air they breathe.

In addition, unlike other breeds, the husky’s coat practically does not grow in winter and does not shed. This allows the animal’s body to retain valuable proteins and fats needed for hair formation.

Many mushers (drivers) who took part in the Race of Mercy got frostbitten on their hands and face. To protect vital organs, the human body directs blood to them, leaving the limbs vulnerable.

Photo by Paul Andrew Lawrence / Alamy Stock Photo

Signs to photo,

Nome is a small town in Alaska where diphtheria flared up in January 1925

Unlike humans, dogs’ paws do not lose heat.The only area on the body of sled dogs that they can freeze is the nipples.

All these properties helped Leonard Seppal’s Siberian Husky to survive during the race. They had to run 170 km from Nome towards the last participant of the relay.

The serum was about to expire and near Norton Bay, Seppala decided to take a shortcut, heading straight across the bay. It was a risky decision because the ice was not calm.

In addition, there was a blizzard – Seppala did not see anything around.

To bypass the deadly areas, the driver completely entrusted the control of the leader of his team, the dog Togo.

Togo coped with the task perfectly. A dog’s whiskers, or vibrissae, sense changes in the flow of air. A key role in this is played by special sensors located at the base of the vibrissae – tylotric pads. The Husky has more of these pads than any other breed.

Husky is a very intelligent breed. The Chukchi needed dogs that could navigate perfectly in the snow and ice.

Photo author, Getty Images

Signs up to photo,

Sledding is primarily a game, because the dog does not receive immediate reward

Another trait that was extremely important for sled dogs, and which Seppala hoped for, as well as other drivers, is the ability of the husky to work together.

A playful breed was needed to raise good sled dogs.

“Sane pulling is essentially a game because the dog is not immediately rewarded,” explains dog researcher Raymond Coppinger.

“Playfulness is also an important social trait that promotes teamwork, strengthens the human-dog bond and reduces aggression among animals,” adds the scientist.

To breed such a breed, the Chukchi systematically selected the smartest and most playful dogs. The selection did its job – it helped to significantly reduce the aggression in Siberian huskies.

Seppala’s dogs covered 418 kilometers in a single rush – the most difficult part of the path.

Photo author, Getty Images

Signs to the photo,

Playfulness, close contact with a person and lack of aggression are traits acquired by the husky as a result of centuries-old selection

The last stage of the relay went to the coachman Gunnar Kaasen, his team was led by a Siberian husky named Balto.They delivered the serum to Nome half a day before its expiration date and saved the lives of 10,000 people.

The Mercy Race brought worldwide fame to the Siberian Husky. Balto was immortalized in bronze in Central Park in New York, which, however, is not very fair, because he was just one of many dogs that coped with this difficult task.

In 1930, the American Kennel Club recognized the Siberian Husky breed, defining very specific criteria for it.

“Each breed usually starts with a very small population,” explains Coppinger.

“All Siberian huskies are descendants of several individuals from nurseries in New Hampshire and Quebec. These were the dogs that Seppala called” Siberians. “

The transition to a breeding system meant that Siberian huskies would no longer be champions in sledding .

Photo by, dpa picture alliance / Alamy Stock Photo

Pidpis to foto,

There is a monument to Balto in Central Park in New York

“The dogs that win the competition today are not purebred huskies, but a cross between Siberian and Alaskan huskies, which in turn are the product of crossing the best Siberians, hounds, malamutes, collies and other breeds, “explains geneticist Heather Huson of Cornell University.

Today’s Siberian Husky breed is different from their ancestors, but this applies to any breed of dog. The body of the dachshund is longer than it was 200 years ago, and the noses of the pugs are more flattened.

New breeds supplant old ones in competition, as happened, for example, with the Alaskan huskies.

Now these dogs compete just for fun, but almost a hundred years ago, their ancestors saved the city from death.

The story of the Great Race of Mercy was the basis for the film “Togo” , directed by by Walt Disney Pictures in 2019.

Read the original of this article in English on the BBC Earth website.

Want to share your life stories with us? Write about yourself to [email protected] and our journalists will contact you.

Master class on Acclimatization in the mountains

Peculiarities of traveling in high mountain areas

The first sensation of a person ascending to a great height is a headache.There are also frequent cases of loss of sleep, appetite, indigestion, vomiting, feeling of weakness, etc. This is due to the fact that, due to low oxygen levels at altitude, cerebral edema occurs, which in turn causes an increase in intracranial pressure. The fluid accumulated in the intercellular space puts pressure on the brain, which impairs the work of all other organs. It is very important to gain altitude gradually so that the body has time to acclimatize. Otherwise, as a result, the person will begin to lose balance, stop thinking soberly and will seem drunk.If such symptoms appear, it is necessary to descend approximately 100 meters down as soon as possible, otherwise, a person may die within 2-4 days.

Altitude sickness also occurs due to pulmonary edema. Due to the low oxygen content in the blood and physical activity, the pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs increases. Blood pressure rises, which leads to the fact that blood vessels begin to flow.

This article describes the main aspects of traveling in highland areas for those participants who travel with our club to the mountainous regions of Nepal, Tibet, North India, Altai, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Africa, etc.(altitude 3000-6000 meters above sea level). This article can be called a brief educational program for all mountain hikers.

What makes you feel worse in high mountain areas?

There are several reasons for not feeling well at high altitude. At low altitudes, atmospheric pressure is usually 1 atm. With increasing altitude, the pressure begins to decrease. At low atmospheric pressure, a person begins to feel a lack of oxygen, this is due to the fact that the distance between O molecules ₂ increases significantly, and oxygen simply becomes more difficult to extract from the air.At high altitude, the concentration of O ₂ in the air remains the same as at sea level, but because of the lower pressure, oxygen takes up a larger volume and it is much more difficult for a person to get all the oxygen it needs. A person begins to breathe more often, but still there comes a moment when the lack of oxygen will be strongly felt. For each person, the altitude at which oxygen saturation decreases is different (approximately 1800 meters above sea level). Oxygen starvation is stress for the body, and it is necessary for the body to get used to this mode of operation.That is why a prerequisite for being in the highlands is acclimatization, which takes some time. Check with your doctor. Perhaps there are contraindications just for you.

What is altitude sickness? What are the signs of the beginning of the body’s acclimatization in the highlands?

Mountain sickness is a deterioration in well-being associated with a lack of oxygen in the human body, physical exertion, dehydration, physical fatigue and other factors.Mountain sickness is a severe and dangerous condition for human health, it leads to pulmonary and cerebral edema. That is why it is very important to follow the rules of acclimatization. Also, do not go to high-altitude areas if you have contraindications to stay at high altitudes.

If, being in a high-mountainous region, you start to feel lethargic, shortness of breath appears, you start to lag behind the whole group, then most likely you have edema. A dry cough gradually begins to appear, which becomes wet over time.To avoid these unpleasant moments, it is necessary that the body undergoes gradual acclimatization.

Acclimatization rules

In order for the acclimatization process to proceed correctly, it is necessary: ​​

1) drink more liquid,

2) do not rush,

3) exclude alcohol, fatty foods and heavy physical activity during the ascent

The first paragraph says that you need to drink as much clean drinking water as possible (at least 4 liters per day).This is due to the fact that at high altitude the body loses a large amount of water, which is why it is necessary to restore the balance of water in the body. You need to drink hot water with lemon, hibiscus, ginger, rose hips or with other tonic and acidic foods.

The second paragraph says that you need not only to gradually gain altitude, but you also need to go slowly, in no case should you fuss. However, it is worth noting that, for example, when hiking in high mountains, physical activity makes you sweat well, which in turn helps to lower blood pressure.

The third point says that for good acclimatization in the highlands, you need to adhere to Prohibition. Do not consume black tea, smoke or eat fatty, heavy foods.

Can medication be used to speed up the acclimatization process?

In order for acclimatization to take place correctly, you do not need to take any medications, you just need time. Over time, the body will get used to low atmospheric pressure and lack of oxygen.It is optimal if you climb gradually: about 300-400 meters per day, you need to arrange rest for every 3-4 days of ascent. If during the ascent your head starts to hurt, then you should not torment the body and continue the ascent. In this case, you just need to rest.

If you want to take any medicine, you can pay attention to homeopathy and the drug “Diamox”, which stimulates the brain, kidneys and quickens breathing. Taking this drug should be started one day before the ascent and finished one day after the descent.The recommended daily dose is 500 mg, you need to take the drug twice a day.

To get rid of a headache, you can drink paracetamol, ibuprofen, spazgan. But the most important thing during the ascent is not to rush. Medications can be taken to treat symptoms, but by no means to speed up the acclimatization process !!!

Contraindications for stay in high mountain areas

There is a whole list of medical contraindications for staying in the highlands.First, it should be said that a person can go to the mountains if he does not have any serious illnesses. People with chronic low blood pressure and problems with the cardiovascular system are strictly contraindicated to stay at an altitude of more than 3-3.5 thousand meters. Negative consequences can be caused by staying in the highlands in adolescents and pregnant women. Most often, the physical fitness and age of the participants in the ascent do not affect the acclimatization process.

How to facilitate the acclimatization process?

1) Sip hot drink from a thermos (not coffee or black tea) or plain acidified drinking water.A hot drink with honey, lemon and ginger helps to pass the acclimatization process.

2) Each individual first aid kit should contain moisturizing drops for nose and eyes, hygienic lipstick with SPF factor and hand cream. These items will help you to more easily tolerate the dry air in the highlands.

3) While in the mountains, regularly take a complex of vitamins, and in the first 3-4 days in the mountains, the dosage of vitamins can be doubled. Also, as a dietary supplement, you can take “Microhydrin”, which alleviates the symptoms of acclimatization.

4) Appetite often decreases during acclimatization. But, nevertheless, going to the highlands, you need to take with you dried fruits, nuts, dark chocolate, cheese, bacon and other high-calorie foods that will help you recuperate.

5) Remember to breathe deeply!

prepared by Alexey Primanov

Use of the article without author’s permission is prohibited

Acclimatization in adults: symptoms, treatment, prevention

To go far, far away, see new places, bask in the hot sun or walk on the bright blue ice of Lake Baikal, plunge into the gentle sea or climb to the snowy peak … Traveling gives you so many vivid impressions!

Often during travel we change time zones, find ourselves in other climatic zones.But, going on vacation, we do not always think that overcoming the distances, we run the risk of encountering such a phenomenon as acclimatization. Someone might say: this is scary only for children. Unfortunately no. Adults can also suffer from acclimatization. And it’s a shame to get sick on vacation!

How to recognize the symptoms of acclimatization, why it appears, how you can help yourself and your loved ones, Pavel Tkachuk, a diagnostician at the clinic of I.I.M. Sechenov, candidate of medical sciences .

Symptoms of acclimatization in adults

Usually, the first alarm calls appear on the second or third day after the move. Usually it is:

69 runny nose

work of the digestive tract: nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea

Where adaptation is more difficult

Before going to the beach, where the sun is bright, sunbathe first at home.This will be less harmful to the skin.
Photo: lori.ru

At sea

What is more difficult for us: climate change or time zones? According to experts, the second. For example, a flight from Moscow to Vladivostok threatens with greater consequences than from Murmansk to the Black or Azov Sea.

Adaptation at sea has its own characteristics. The risk of heatstroke and overheating increases. We go to the sea to sunbathe and swim. So in the first days you need to be careful, do not burn yourself, do not overdo it with water procedures.Don’t forget about sunscreens and hats. Take a walk when it’s not hot, use air conditioning. Drink plenty of water.

To protect your skin from burning, and yourself from heatstroke, it was worth sunbathing at home in advance – if possible. For example, in the country.

Usually adult acclimatization lasts from two to seven days.

Resorts where the climate is easier to tolerate

After the sea

Doctors say: acclimatization is not so terrible as the reverse adaptation of the organism.There is also re-acclimatization! When you return home, the body inevitably begins to rebuild its regime and rhythms again. Here, in addition to the listed symptoms (they are repeated), depression can still flood: the vacation is over, it’s time to go to the office. It happens that the more comfortable it was on vacation, the harder the reverse adaptation is physically and mentally. Therefore, try to plan your return so that there are two to three days before going to work.

In the mountains

At the first signs of acclimatization in the mountains, you should immediately go down.
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Acclimatization in the highlands is a separate song. Here the main factors are: low atmospheric pressure and insufficient oxygen in the air. At an altitude of more than two thousand meters, oxygen starvation can occur. The higher the altitude, the more likely the occurrence of the so-called altitude sickness. Her symptoms:

• shortness of breath,
• tinnitus,
• dizziness and headache,
• weakness, every movement is difficult,
• heart palpitations.

If symptoms appear, the ascent should be stopped. It is better for the patient to go down lower, he is shown to rest in a warm place, drink plenty of fluids, in severe cases – additional oxygen supply. In this case, you should not overeat, you should lean on sour and low-fat, vitamins and medicines – as prescribed by a doctor.

When traveling in the mountains, it is important to follow the rules: do not climb more than 500 meters per day. After the ascent – a few days for acclimatization.

By bus

Traveling by bus makes it easier for you to acclimate due to the gradual change of scenery.
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According to doctors, traveling by bus or train is more useful in terms of preventing acclimatization. You gradually change time zones and climate, which is more comfortable for the body.

Therefore, for adults, especially the elderly, bus tours are doubly beneficial: they are both more affordable in terms of cost and less harmful to health.

Aircraft exert the greatest strain on the body. But even here there are some tricks: you can choose the best time for the flight.Traveling east? Fly in the evening to get there in the morning. Sleep on the plane. Heading west? Try to fly out in the morning. And try not to fall asleep in the liner.

When to see a doctor

With the telemedicine application, you will be in touch with doctors anywhere in the world.
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Do not underestimate acclimatization, especially if you have chronic diseases. The drop in immunity during the restructuring of the body can exacerbate them.Elderly people should not change their climate and time zones drastically without first consulting their doctor. Men after 35-40 years of age have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Acclimatization can lead to severe pressure surges. Adaptation can develop into a hypertensive crisis, an attack of angina pectoris, acute infectious diseases.

If you have a high fever, your health has deteriorated sharply, headache and palpitations persist, you should immediately consult a doctor!

To understand whether you need to urgently call an ambulance or you can get by with symptomatic treatment, telemedicine services will help.A special application is downloaded and installed on a smartphone. To contact doctors, you only need Internet access, your location does not matter.

Traditional methods of treatment

Of course, avid travelers have their own recipes for dealing with acclimatization.

Tea and juices are the best drinks for the first few days of your vacation if you want to easily cope with a different climate.
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• Taking tinctures of ginseng and eleutherococcus .These are plant adaptogens, they reduce the sensitivity to climate change and time zones. But they should also be taken after consulting a doctor – and carefully read the instructions.
• Important Correct power supply . Get plenty of vegetables, fruits, fresh salads, cereals, fish and nuts. It is worth excluding alcohol in the first days after changing the place.
• For the prevention of altitude sickness, some people drink beet juice : it improves the function of blood vessels when there is a lack of oxygen.A natural energetic rich in nitrates (which in this case is only beneficial), it supplies oxygen to the muscles, including the heart.

Prevention of acclimatization in adults

1. Plan your vacation carefully. If you have a long-distance flight, let the stay in place be at least two weeks.

2. All activities : long trips, excursions, etc. plan for the second week of stay. In the first days, a minimum of loads.

3. Go in for sports and exercise. This really reduces the chances of difficult acclimatization. Swimming pool, sauna, fitness are good both before and after holidays.

Prepare for a long journey in advance: jogging in the fresh air and fitness classes are good.
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4. Two weeks before the trip, with the consent of the doctor, should start taking vitamins , especially A, C and E.

5. If your trip involves a serious time zone shift, you can start preparing in a week: adjust the schedule to the time of the place where you will go. If you go east – try to get up early in the morning, if to the west, on the contrary, later. At least half an hour or an hour.

What else is useful to know

If you get sick on vacation: quick ways to recover

The child is rocked in the car: how to help the baby on the trip

We are going “to the waters”: we choose the best thermal springs

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