High altitude sickness symptoms are usually mild and go away as your body gets used to the higher oxygen level. If you experience these symptoms, you should descend immediately to a lower altitude and seek medical help.
Headache, tiredness, nausea and irritability are common. You may also feel short of breath or have a cough.
This condition can be dangerous, so it’s important to know what the symptoms are and how to treat them.
Symptoms typically start within 12 to 24 hours of moving to a higher altitude and disappear after a few days as your body adjusts to the air. However, severe cases of altitude sickness can be deadly if not treated properly.
You can prevent or reduce the severity of your symptoms by staying at a lower elevation, using medicines, and taking measures to prevent dehydration. These include drinking plenty of water, and not taking alcohol or other medicines that dehydrate you.
Acetazolamide (Diamox, generic versions): This medication is an antihypertensive that helps the body deal with the thinner air at high altitudes. It can reduce the amount of fluid in the lungs and lessen the symptoms of high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE).
Nitroglycerin: This is a drug that is commonly prescribed to treat chest tightness, such as when you are sneezing or coughing. It can also help to ease the breathing problems associated with HAPE by narrowing the pulmonary arteries, making it easier to breathe.
Naproxen: This medicine is another prescription that reduces the swelling in the lungs. It can also be used to prevent AMS and to relieve symptoms of HAPE, but it is not effective at treating HACE.
The doctor can prescribe nifedipine, which is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker that decreases the narrowing of the pulmonary artery, making it easier to breathe. This medication can be useful when AMS is not responding to rest, supplemental oxygen or other treatments.
You can also take ibuprofen, which can prevent or reduce the symptoms of AMS. Ibuprofen helps to lower your blood pressure and reduce the occurrence of headaches.
Other medicines, such as acetazolamide and dexamethasone, can be prescribed to reduce the severity of your symptoms by reducing swelling in the lungs and easing the breathing problems. These medications can be taken before you move to a higher altitude, but they are not effective at relieving your symptoms after you have reached the higher elevation.
Medications that can help to prevent altitude sickness are available at many pharmacies and online, or your doctor can recommend some before you leave for a high-altitude adventure. These include ibuprofen, acetazolamide, and dexamethasone.
Your risk of developing altitude sickness is determined by a few factors, including where you live and the altitude, how quickly you move to the higher elevation, and whether you have any medical conditions such as diabetes, lung disease or a heart problem. You may also be more at risk if you are pregnant, have sickle cell disease or COPD, or have unstable angina or heart failure.
