Altitude Sickness Tablets Bedford – Getting you to new Heights
Altitude Sickness Tablets Bedford
If you’re heading off to the mountains and crossing 2500m above sea level, you may begin to feel sick. Altitude sickness is more common than you think. It’s important to understand what it is, the symptoms you can experience and how to treat. This article explores just that.
What is Altitude Sickness?
Altitude sickness, also known as “mountain sickness,” occurs when an individual ascends to a higher elevation too rapidly, causing a range of symptoms. It is primarily caused by a drop in barometric or atmospheric pressure and reduced oxygen availability at higher elevations. When travelling to altitudes higher than one is accustomed to, the body requires time to adjust to the change in pressure. Altitude sickness may occur at elevations above 8,000 feet.
Types of Altitude Sickness
There are three levels of altitude sickness: Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), High-Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPO), and High-Altitude Cerebral Oedema (HACO).
1. AMS is the mildest and most common form, with symptoms resembling a hangover, such as dizziness, headache, muscle aches, and nausea.
2. HAPO involves fluid buildup in the lungs, which can be life-threatening and is the leading cause of death from altitude sickness
3. HACO, the most severe form, occurs when fluid accumulates in the brain and is also life-threatening, requiring immediate medical attention.
What are the symptoms of Altitude sickness?
The severity of your symptoms vary depending on who you are, and your tolerance levels at such heights. But, possible symptoms include:
— Headache
— Dizziness
— Nausea
— Vomiting
— Fatigue and energy loss
— Breathing difficulties
— Sleep disturbances
— Reduced appetite
Typically, these symptoms manifest within 12 to 24 hours of reaching a higher altitude and improve within a day or two as the body acclimatises to the new altitude.
In cases of moderate altitude sickness, symptoms may be more severe and not respond to over-the-counter medications. Rather than improving over time, the individual’s condition may worsen, with increased shortness of breath and fatigue. This is where you may need prescription-strength medication, such as Acetazolamide Tablets.
How should you treat it?
If you suspect altitude sickness is happening to you, you can take the following steps:
1. Halt and rest at your current location.
2. Avoid ascending further for at least 24 to 48 hours.
3. For headaches, take ibuprofen or paracetamol.
4. For nausea, use anti-emetic medication like promethazine (talk to us about this medicine)
5. Ensure proper hydration.
6. Refrain from smoking, alcohol consumption, and exercising.
7. Acetazolamide may help alleviate symptoms, but it won’t eliminate them entirely.
Inform your travel companions about your condition, even if mild, as your judgement may be impaired. Once fully recovered, you can proceed with caution. If there’s no improvement after 24 hours however, the best thing to do is descend at least 500m (approximately 1,600 feet) and avoid climbing until symptoms disappear completely.
Typically, after 2 to 3 days, your body adjusts to the altitude and symptoms subside. If your symptoms don’t go away however, it will be important to contact a medical professional.
CH Barton – Altitude Sickness Tablets in Bedford
As always, the Team at CH Barton are here to help. We can prescribe Acetazolamide Tablets as part of our travel clinic at a very affordable price. We’ll need to conduct a consultation first, so be sure to book in or speak to us over Live Chat now.
This blog post was written on behalf of C & H Barton Pharmacy by Pharmacy Mentor.