How Do You Diagnose And Treat Altitude Sickness?
Any time you rapidly increase altitude, whether in a car, on a trail, or while mountain climbing, you run the risk of getting altitude sickness. There are three types of altitude sickness: acute mountain sickness, high altitude pulmonary edema, and high altitude cerebral edema. Watch for symptoms like headache, loss of appetite, flu-like symptoms of lethargy, nausea, and perhaps vomiting and little urine. To treat acute mountain sickness, drink at least 5 liters of fluid per day. The more, the better and force yourself to eat. Do not go to a higher altitude until symptoms disappear and descend if the symptoms do not improve in 24-48 hours or descend immediately if symptoms take a sharp turn for the worse. Symptoms include extreme weakness and fatigue and extreme shortness of breath combined with a racing heart, even after rest. A dry, raspy cough similar to bronchitis, blue lips and fingernails and gurgling sounds in the chest. Look for a respiration rate greater than 20 per minute aft
