Wilderness Medicine: High Altitude Sickness Prevention
Wilderness Medicine: High Altitude Sickness Prevention
Dr. Donner explains strategies for preventing acute mountain sickness when traveling to high altitudes. This is video 2 of 17 on altitude illness (altitude sickness).
MedWild provides wilderness medicine, wilderness survival, and search and rescue instructional videos on a variety of topics: high altitude illness, traveler’s diarrhea, shoulder dislocation and reduction, shelter building, bushcraft, space blankets, hypothermia, medical kits, survival kits, frostbite, snake bites, fire craft, ropes and knots, orthopedic injuries and sam splints, cold water immersion and more.
Instructor: Howard Donner, MD
Co-Author “Field Guide to Wilderness Medicine”
Served as a physician for Denali National Park, Himalayan Rescue Association, and the 1998 NOVA Everest expedition. Served as a medical operations consultant for NASA for over 5 years. Whitewater rafting guide, commercial pilot, and certified flight instructor.
Recommended Audience: Outdoor enthusiasts and health care professionals including physicians, nurses, search and rescue teams, EMT, paramedics, ski patrol, corpsman, guides, instructors, wilderness first responders, and anyone else interested in educational and “how to” videos on wilderness emergency medicine, travel medicine, search and rescue, expedition medicine, backcountry first aid, wilderness survival training, and military medicine. Dr. Donner’s draws on his extensive backcountry and travel experience to highlight key signs, symptoms, treatments, and improvised techniques and skills.
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Thank you for the numbers. I’ve lived at sea level (Hawaii) for all my life. I’m very physically active (canoe paddling, kayaking, hiking, weight training, etc). . I’m visiting my son in Colorado and was unprepared for the altitude symptoms (decreased activity tolerance, loss of appetite, weight loss). A friend suggested canned peaches with baby aspirin, which helps to some extent. Did not want to do Diamox nor take any medications. Are there any ways to prevent the symptoms ahead of time so that when I visit Colorado, I can do more active things without the symptoms? I see some of the military climbers in my Hawaii using restrictive masks while climbing..
Glad the video helped– now you’ll know for next time
I have a job interview in Denver, currently living at 1000′ am I going to have a problem?
::Talks about eating bonbons on the couch while getting pelted by hail at 10,000 ft::
I’m tryna go to lake Tahoe and live in Cali but the last time I went I got really sick
We are going up Pike’s peak on a train for the first time. I have no experience being at 14,000 feet. But they use a train so I’m already thinking we are gonna have a rough time. The good news is I think we are only up there for a short bit. Any tips?
I had severe constipation, bloating, muscles in my legs were locking up and a headache with dizziness and a shift in mood, negatively.
I live in a humid environment at 1365 feet elevation. I went to Utah and we were at 6000 feet. I flew in and was driven the bulk of the way. Stayed for 4 nights…. I thought it was food related. My abdomen blew up. I looked like I had gained 30 pounds in a day and a half. The headache was so bad and my legs just locked up. I couldn’t get my legs to release. People got me electrolytes and that eventually helped. Felt better on the day I was flying out. That was not even 8000 feet. Sigh! 😟
Acetazolamide taken for 2 days before ascent to high altitude is effective prophylaxis for acute mountain sickness.
I recently made it to the summit of Mt. Elbert in Colorado. Being from Michigan, and aware of the altitude difference, I only climbed to the tree line the first day. The second day I made the summit and was glad I took two days to acclimatize.
I have been following your videos for about a month. I appreciate that you provide concise info and also like your humor. Thank you.
Just sleep at 10000 feet or 120000 feet deal with the headache and sleep and take small walks
I am in cuzco peru right now and i feel like i am drowning..
I realize this video was made several years ago and I’m not sure you will view it, but I’ll ask any way. My wife and I are going to Colorado this upcoming ski season (2015 – 2016). The last time we were there she got very sick (bordering on me calling 911). We live at sea level and going to sleep at 10,000 feet. What can we do to not have a occurrence of these symptoms? Thanks for your time.
Good question- and it depends on how you are acclimatizing and feeling.
You may get some additional benefit from "climbing high and sleeping low" on your rest day.
However, getting over zealous on your rest day, especially if you are not feeling great, may increase fatigue or worsen altitude symptoms.
We typically recommend getting out to stretch the legs for a short walk, but only taking on a significant altitude gain if you are feeling great.
Excacly, sleeping is the issue. Went to EBC trek and fine, but had big problems sleeping.
Very informative! Me and my friends are planning to climb some mountains sometime later this year and AMS was something I was partly worried about, so thank you for taking the time to explain this!
Hello! I’m from Houston and me and my wife are staying in Florissant. We drove here. The past three days I’ve had a fever, chills, and can’t sleep. I think it’s altitude sickness because I was perfectly fine prior to getting here. Any advice? Do those oxygen cans help?
I wish I would have known about this before going to big bend from Houston 😂 the. Hit the observatory and I was feeling horrid
Wtf is a bon bon?
I live in Orlando at around 110 ft of elevation and visited Mountain Mitchell state park which is around 6,684 ft. I went driving so I didn’t really realize exactly how high up I was. When I got there, I was super dizzy, weak and nauseous so I laid in the car and fell asleep for a few hours. I woke up and felt better so I went on a small trail and then started to make my way home.
I’m back to 110 ft of elevation now and have these nasty headaches & a lot of nausea. Should I be concerned? This was my first time at an altitude that high.
They pissed me off.
I wonder if after landing in Lukla we need to adapt to its altitude or if is just in higher altitudes. Can I just walk away from the plane and proceed as if i am at "regular" altitudes?
Thank you for your service and for teaching about medical issues and survival techniques Dr. Donner. I want to learn skills how to be of service to others, make a difference.
I hope you read this comment. I have recently moved to Mexico City from about a mile from the water on the gulf coast. I didn’t know what to expect but I have been here for about 4 weeks and am still having difficulty climbing stairs and sleeping and feel light headed sometimes and lose my breath sometimes. When can I expect to adjust to this attitude? Thanks so much!
I made it to the summit of Mt. Home, it’s about 3 Floors in altitude, got my MRE, and survival kit, preparing for another covid lock down
See the instructor in this video (Dr. Howard Donner) give presentations and teach a variety of hands-on workshops at the upcoming National CME Conference on Wilderness Medicine. All medical specialities are welcome! https://wilderness-medicine.com/cme-conferences/santa-fe/
Great video! I’m also doing the Everest Base Camp trek soon. I have a quick question: the second day of trekking on my group’s itinerary goes from 8700 ft to 11,290 ft which is almost 2,500 ft gain. We have an acclimatization day after this but is the trekking day mentioned a day to take it easy? All other days are well below the 2,000 ft limit you advise. Thank you.
Glad the videos were helpful. Enjoy your trek to Everest Base Camp!
If starting the trek from Lukla, most people actually do well with just 2 weeks. It is about a 9,000 foot elevation gain to EBC, so 14 days provides ample time for keeping daily sleeping elevation gains under 2,000 feet, and having a couple of scheduled rest days to relax.
That said, taking more than 2 weeks allows more time for some great alternate trails to explore places like the Imja Kola River Valley and Khumjung.
Mass Sagin 😊
Planning a possible trek to EBC in about a year. I am a wimp when it comes to headaches & I’m concerned. Sounds as if you might be somewhat anti-drug, but I am asking you for the best drug plan for sickness prevention, especially headache, which would destroy this amazing trek for me. I am a methadone patient & on the trip will be about 50mg/day (I’m tapering). Never causes drowsiness nor a high. I’m a fit marathoner. Can the opiate prevent headache? Will altitude increase drug effect?
Yes! I felt fine when I got to Beaver Creek from LA but during the night my oxygen levels plummeted and I kept gasping. Went from beach level elevation to 8,500 feet and my O2 readings were pretty frightening for the 3 days I was there. Flew back home and on landing I had full O2 saturation back. I know Apple Watch measurements are not perfect but it’s a good ballpark tool.
can someone tell him to stop moving around so much next time? what is this, fucking law and order with all the jittery cam movement?
I wish I’ve watch this video before going to to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite this weekend. It turn out to be a disaster to me as I didn’t know I’m going to have AMS! Great and very informative video. The symptoms I felt were just the same symptoms you described. Thought I was having a heart or lung problem. Whew!
I’ve been trekking, hiking, skiing since I was young. Never experienced High Altitude problems. In the last four years (my body weight increased of about 10/15kg, perfectly healthy person), getting above 2000/2300 meters has become a problem for me: I’ve slept in a Hut last fall, at about 2700m and I’ve felt a bit dizzy, heart rate increased and nausea. The worst that I got was on the Mont Blanc: it’s quite common experience here to get from Courmayeur (1200m) up at about 1000 meters from the top (which means approx. 3800m)via cable car. That day, in 1hour I gained more than 2000m of altitude, which cause me more than an hangover !!!
I’m trying to "train" my body to the lack of oxygen at some altitude, but I don’t see much results. Any advise for the future high experiences is welcome!!
ps: ginger helps me a bit