HOW TO DEAL WITH ALTITUDE SICKNESS

Altitude sickness is a thing you can really do nothing about in advance: you cannot get fitter or more resilient, and you have to be very cautious because it is a serious medical condition.

Symptoms:

Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Vomiting
Fatigue and loss of energy
Shortness of breath
Problems with sleep
Loss of appetite

There are three kinds of altitude sickness:

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

(Photo from seminar on AMS in Manang)

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 is life threatening and you need to seek medical attention right away.

How to manage altitude sickness trekking Annapurna circuit

You will find some advices below for the trek in Annapurna but the same rules apply for whereever you are trekking.

It is recommended to do Altitude adaptation and stay one extra night in Manang. There is an Aid post in town that does lectures on altitude sickness every day (http://himalayanrescue.org.np/manang-aid-post/).

Medication is also available on trek -

You shall start taking it (if you prefer) for prevention more or less form altitude of 3000 m where Manang is located and you can get it there too.

By the way, Manang has the craziest movie theater! Of course, it shows “Everest” movie.

While you are having your rest day in Manang, you can do a three-hour trek to the hills where a lady monk lives and welcomes visitors. It is good to go up and down for preventing altitude sickness.