ALTITUDE SICKNESS

What is the altitude illness?
Nepal is the land of altitude diversity making it variably difference ranging from 60 meters to 8848 meters above sea level. The people living in the lower part are more prone to be sick when entering the higher level regions. This symptom is called altitude illness or mountain sickness. Many people keen to go for trekking in Nepal without having awareness of altitude illness could suffer such problems leading to severe effects on their health. We feel it as our obligation to facilitate and give advices of this acute mountain illness (AMS).

What are the causes of AMS?
Major cause registered is the lack of immunity to adjust with the altitude while trekking. As an example if a person sleeps one night at an altitude of 2800 meters and the next day he ascends to 3200 meters which could not be a bigger problem. But, a trekker when sleeps at an altitude of 2000 meters and suddenly moves to 4500 meters the next day could face respiratory and palpitation problems.  As to the research, the cause of such illness can also be the smell and pollen of certain flowers found in these Himalayan Mountains. In addition to these causes the other problems are Allergy and Diarrhea.

What we must do to prevent AMS?
Primarily we can follow few minor rules as prevention: to avoid such syndrome the trekker should limit the difference of altitude for about 300 to 500 meters per day for sleeping and walking in those areas.  The trekkers vulnerable or allergic to strange smell or pollens should use breathing masks. As a step to prevent additional problems we should be careful with our meals and most of all drinking water. The vegetables to be cooked can be washed with Iodine liquid found frequently in the city medical stores. The drinking water should be boiled thoroughly and few drops of Iodine or water purifying medicine tablets should be added and kept for at least 30 minutes before using. The medicine called Tetraglycine Hydroperiodide tablets can be used in the process of purifying water however, if you face difficulty in finding this medicine the other alternate is the Lugols solution which can be found easily in Nepal. You can find these medicines in a bottle of liquid or container of 50 tablets while one tablet is enough for purifting of 1 liter of drinking water. Another way to purify water is to use filter which may not be convenient to carry while traveling.

The things which are needed for the group of trekkers to adjust in trekking reasons (Actually for more than two weeks)

• Thermometer
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• 2.5cm adhesive or paper tape
• Sewing needles
• 10 cm rolled cotton bandages
• 7.5 cm rolled cotton bandages
• 2.2 cm Band-Aids or similar plastics
• Mole skin
• Mustin triangular bandage for sling
• Betadine antiseptic
• 10 cm Elastic bandage
• Steri-Strips

If some trekkers are children we must follow the children dosages of medication. (These are rough rules but more convenient).

• 3-6 years old: Give ¼ to 1/3 of the Adult dosage.
• 7/12 Years old : Give ½ the Adult dosage
• 12 /16 years old Give 2/3 of the adult dosage or adult dosage if the person is larger teenager.
Please don't give medicines to the woman who is PREGNANT unless it is absolutely necessary.