YouAsked is a segment on our blog where we answer questions you’ve asked us. If you have any questions regarding hiking, hiking equipment, our packages and locations, or anything else, don’t hesitate to drop us a line at info@adventureabroad.com.au
A question came in from Maya A. asking about how to deal with altitude sickness and how to deal with it.
“I’m very interested in your Everest Base Camp trek, but at the same time I’m a little bit worried about altitude sickness. I’m of average fitness but I’m easily tired. How likely is it to affect me and how should I deal with it if it happens to me?”
Well, Maya, the bad news is, altitude sickness does not specifically affect any particular demographic. So you never actually know if it will affect you. On the other hand, the good news is that altitude sickness does not specifically affect any particular demographic…so chances are, it won’t affect you!
Regardless of your age, height, weight, or fitness level, you are at equal risk of altitude sickness. The most determining factor in knowing whether you are likely to get altitude sickness is how fast your ascent is.
Altitude sickness is caused by rapid exposure to a thin atmosphere where there is less oxygen and less pressure present. This causes headaches, nausea, muscle aches and dizziness.
The most common method of prevention is slowly ascending towards higher altitudes, as well as the popular “climb high, sleep low” practice of ascending up to 1km high but sleeping at a lower altitude, in order for hikers to acclimatize to the thin atmosphere.
This is where the importance of a guide comes in! We at Adventure Abroad always advocate for always putting safety first, and this usually comes in the form of having a well-trained guide with you!
A properly trained and licensed guide will know the best practices for whichever trek you’re on, and will also have extensive knowledge of first aid procedures should altitude sickness ever afflict a trekker.
So if and when you ever decide to sign up for our EBC experience, there’s nothing to worry about! Adventure Abroad works with only the best and most experienced guides, and will always put safety first. We hope to see you on one of our future treks, Maya!