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Signs and Symptoms of Altitude Sickness
If a person is suffering from altitude or mountain sickness, he may suffer from the following symptoms:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Interrupted sleep and other sleep problems
- Vomiting
- Swelling around the arms and legs
The symptoms of severe altitude sickness, high altitude cerebral edema (HACE) and high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) include:
- Breathlessness while resting
- Coughing out frothy pink sputum or phlegm
- Cracking sound produced in the lungs
- Severe headache
- Altered vision
- Hallucinations
- Loss of balance and control
- Coma–in the case of HACE
First aid for altitude sickness
1. Treat the symptoms of the condition
- Give oxygen to the casualty, if available
- Make sure the casualty is warm–cover him with a blanket. Encourage him or her to rest
- Give the casualty plenty of fluids
- For headaches, you may give him or her over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen
2. See your doctor
- If symptoms, even if mild, persist for several days even at low altitude
- if the person experiences symptoms after coming to a low altitude area
- If symptoms are severe–see you health care provider as soon as possible. This should be done even if the symptoms disappear after the descent
Learn More
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