article icon
article

Altitude sickness

Written by healthwords.ai's team of doctors and pharmacists based in UK | Updated: 24 Jan 2023 | 3 min read

Altitude sickness is also known as acute mountain sickness. Altitude sickness can happen to anyone, no matter your fitness level, age or experience. It affects your breathing and your ability to take in oxygen. This can be life-threatening. It happens when you travel to a higher altitude too quickly, typically greater than 2500m above sea level, often when mountain climbing but also in cities that stand high above sea level. 

What are the symptoms of altitude sickness?

Symptoms usually develop within a day of reaching the altitude level. You may feel a gradual headache come on, you may also feel sick, dizzy, tired and disoriented. You may find it difficult to breathe and feel short of breath. Remember that if you feel unwell, it is altitude sickness until proven otherwise.

Can I prevent altitude sickness?

Of course, avoiding travelling to altitudes of 2500m above sea level is one way of preventing altitude sickness. But if you can't avoid it, it's important that you do not fly directly to these levels but climb them slowly (500m at a time) over 24 to 48 hours to allow your body time to adjust.

Drink plenty of water throughout your journey and avoid strenuous exercise. Be sure to incorporate time for an appropriate amount of rest, and avoid smoking and drinking alcohol, or taking medications such as sleeping tablets.

How can I manage altitude sickness?

If you think you are experiencing altitude sickness, you shouldn't continue climbing but instead, stop and rest where you are. Stay at that level for 24 to 48 hours until your symptoms have gone. It is very important to rest properly and not exercise or over-exert yourself whilst you are unwell. Again, you should drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and avoid smoking or drinking alcohol. 

There are medications available that can help manage your symptoms. Headaches can be helped with painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. Sickness can be helped with anti-sickness medications. Both of these are available from your local pharmacy. 

A travel clinic may prescribe acetazolamide tablets, which may help prevent and manage altitude sickness. If after 24 to 48 hours you still don't feel yourself, then it is important that you start to go down by at least 500m a time and reassess. If your symptoms are worsening it is important you seek urgent medical attention.