Never let someone with severe altitude sickness go down alone. Go to a lower altitude as fast as you can or get emergency help if someone with you has severe symptoms such as being confused or not being able to walk straight. Go to a lower altitude if your symptoms are moderate to severe, they get worse, or medicine or oxygen treatment does not help. You may also be able to use oxygen or a specially designed pressure chamber to treat altitude sickness. Nifedipine (Procardia) and dexamethasone are also used for altitude sickness. This speeds up how fast your body gets used to the higher altitude. You may also use medicine to reduce feeling sick to your stomach or other symptoms.Ī doctor can give you acetazolamide (Diamox).
Aspirin has been linked to Reye syndrome, a serious illness. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20. This may take from 12 hours to 3 or 4 days.įor the headache, you can take an over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve).
Do not go to a higher altitude until your symptoms go away. Drink plenty of water, but do not drink alcohol. You can explore the area, but take it easy. Symptoms often occur if you have just arrived at a mountain resort from a lower altitude. But if you have mild symptoms, you may be able to stay at that altitude and let your body get used to it. The best treatment for altitude sickness is to go to a lower altitude. As a rule, consider your symptoms to be altitude sickness unless you can prove they are not. People often mistake altitude sickness for the flu, a hangover, or dehydration. If you are hiking or camping, you and those with you need to know the symptoms of altitude sickness. To rule out other conditions, your doctor may ask if you have been drinking fluids or alcohol or using any medicines, or if you have a cold or the flu. Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and examine you. If you are at a high altitude, your doctor may think you have this condition.
Altitude sickness medication how to#
If you are going on a high-altitude trek, learn about altitude sickness, its symptoms, and how to treat it. These symptoms mean the condition is severe. When this happens, symptoms include being confused, not being able to walk straight (ataxia), feeling faint, not being able to catch your breath even at rest, and having blue or gray lips or fingernails. Many people say altitude sickness feels like having a hangover.Īltitude sickness can affect your lungs and brain. They may not start until a day after you have been at a high altitude. Waking up during the night and not sleeping well.In severe cases, you do not have the energy to eat, dress yourself, or do anything. It gets worse during the night and when you wake up. A headache, which is usually throbbing.The symptoms of altitude sickness include: As your body gets used to the altitude, the symptoms go away. This causes the headache and other symptoms of altitude sickness. When you go too high too fast, your body cannot get as much oxygen as it needs.
What causes it?Īir is "thinner" at high altitudes. It is smart to take special care if you go high-altitude hiking or camping (like in the Rockies) or have plans for a vacation or trek in high-altitude countries like Peru, Ecuador, or Nepal.Īltitude sickness is also called acute mountain sickness. Neither your fitness level nor being male or female plays a role in whether you get altitude sickness.Īltitude sickness can be dangerous. Experts do not know who will get it and who will not. For example, you may get a headache when you drive over a high mountain pass, hike to a high altitude, or arrive at a mountain resort. It happens most often when people who are not used to high altitudes go quickly from lower altitudes to 8000 ft (2500 m) or higher. This causes symptoms such as a headache, loss of appetite, and trouble sleeping. Condition Basics What is altitude sickness?Īltitude sickness occurs when you cannot get enough oxygen from the air at high altitudes.
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