Altitude sickness is the name for a number of symptoms that can occur when going to high altitudes without first acclimatizing. Below an altitude of 2500 meters there is little risk of contracting altitude sickness, but from that altitude there is, especially above 3500 meters. Altitude sickness has a large number of symptoms, fortunately not all of which occur. Susceptibility to the disease varies from person to person. Obviously it is a disease that can mainly occur while climbing high mountains.
Some descent necessary
Because the air pressure decreases, the inhaled air at high altitudes contains less oxygen. However, the body is not immediately able to correct this, which means that the blood also receives less oxygen and a form of altitude sickness can develop. In the case of a mild form of altitude sickness, it is often sufficient to stop ascending for one to two days to allow the body to recover. On the other hand, in a severe form it will be necessary to descend, where a drop of 500 to 1000 meters can already have an effect. During a sunny descent, altitude sickness can be expected to pass after a few days.
Altitude sickness in percentage per altitude
More and more high altitudes are accessible these days because travel agencies take tourists where they want to go. But not every climb, from the end point to which the organization has taken the tourists, is successful. Even in the Alps, at an altitude of 3000 meters, ten to twenty-five percent of climbers already suffer from altitude sickness. That percentage increases to fifty percent at an altitude of 4,500 meters and again at 1,000 meters higher, almost everyone gets some form of altitude sickness.
Tourists and travel organizations sometimes underestimate with fatal consequences
The risks of developing altitude sickness are often seriously underestimated. Not only by tourists but also by travel organizations. Insurers pay out a lot of money every year due to the costs of evacuation and treatment of tourists affected by altitude sickness. A number of climbers of high altitudes die every year from the disease, which often could have been prevented.
Prevented by gradual ascent
The best way to prevent altitude sickness is to ascend gradually, giving acclimatization the best chance. In most cases, only bridging a height of 300 meters daily between 2500 and 4000 meters will not pose a problem. Many people can even cover 500 meters per day at those heights. Some experts recommend an ascent rate of a maximum of 150 meters per day above 4000 meters, but others believe that 300 meters should also be possible for many climbers. Especially if rest days are planned in between, or walking days at almost the same altitude, more than 150 meters per day on climbing days should not lead to altitude sickness, according to them.
Acclimatization when climbing high mountains is not always possible
However, problems very often arise due to the tight schedule of organized tours and the associated high ascent speeds. Wanting to belong to the group can also lead to complaints not being reported in a timely manner and even tour guides are not sufficiently aware of the problems that may arise. Depending on the type of trip, it is sometimes not possible to acclimatize sufficiently due to the high altitude to which tourists are already taken by plane or bus.
Symptoms of altitude sickness
The symptoms of altitude sickness can occur in varying degrees and generally include:
- Unconsciousness
- Bluish lips and/or nails
- Dizziness
- Headache that goes away with painkillers
- Headache that does not go away with painkillers
- Insomnia
- Poor appetite
- Malaise feeling
- Nausea
- Difficulty breathing
- Edema on hands, feet and face
- Irregular breathing
- Indifferent behavior
- Over-fatigue
- Coughing up rust-colored mucus
- Tingling fingers
- Loss of coordination
- Decreased urine output
Fatigue and recklessness
In the event of severe symptoms, adequate intervention must be taken, otherwise the sufferer of altitude sickness may die within a few hours due to fluid accumulation in the lungs and brain. The cause of such serious altitude sickness is often a result of the combination of altitude sickness, severe fatigue and recklessness.