Planning to go for trekking or hiking? Just beware of altitude sickness, also known as Acute Mountain Sickness, Altitude Illness or Soroche.It is the sickness that you are subjected to when you are at high altitudes where there is less oxygen. When a person is at a height of more than 8000 feet, he is exposed to low levels of air pressure, which can lead to altitude sickness. The body does not get as much as oxygen which it is used to and this causes headache and other problems. Altitude sickness usually does not affect people traveling in aircraft, because modern aero planes have pressurized passenger compartments.
Causes of Altitude Sickness
Though the actual cause of altitude sickness is not known yet, it is believed that it occurs due to low atmospheric pressure conditions, but not necessarily in low oxygen conditions at sea level pressure. When the body gets used to such changes in climatic conditions, the symptoms goes away. However, altitude sickness can proceed to become High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) or High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). The sickness is usually caused when you move upwards at a fast speed and can be prevented if you proceed slowly. Walking slowly gives your body time to get used to the conditions prevailing at the height.
Symptoms Of Altitude Sickness
The symptoms of altitude sickness may vary from being mild to severe. Some of them have been listed below:
- Having a headache. The headache is usually throbbing. It gets worse during the night and the time when you wake up.
- Loss of appetite
- You may feel like vomiting.
- Feeling weak and lazy. In severe cases, you do not have the energy to eat, dress yourself, or do anything.
- Waking up during the night and not sleeping well.
- Feeling dizzy
