How to Prevent Altitude Based Sickness When Trekking Everest Base Camp
No matter where you are in the world, trekking to Everest Base Camp is an incredible journey to experience. Walking among the shadows of the tallest peaks in the world, experiencing the villages, and viewing landscapes that appear they are out of dream are experiences that are rare, if not impossible, to have elsewhere. But all of that beauty and wonder brings with it one of the worst parts of trekking, sickness from altitude.
Altitude sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) if we want to be more formal, can be common for trekkers traveling to Everest Base Camp, as this trek can take you to altitudes over 5,000 meters. If you are walking about the atmosphere at an altitude above 3,000 meters with thin air, reduced levels of oxygen, and more variable altitudes, your body will have a frightening and sometimes fatal response to this.
Fortunately, it turns out that just about all trekkers can take steps necessary to counter altitude based sickness, and can complete this world famous trek with little issue.
In this blog, I will try to provide a thoughtful plan on how to reduce the risk of altitude based sickness when trekking to Everest Base Camp, including practical steps you can take, recommendations to acclimatize the body before the trek, and health based aspects of life that one should consider when trekking.
Understand What Altitude Sickness Is
The first important thing to do to prevent altitude sickness is simply to know and understand what altitude sickness is. Altitude sickness occurs when your body reacts to the lesser oxygen level associated with elevation change, and is unable to acclimate quickly enough. At sea level, the level of saturation is approximately 21 percent oxygen, but as you go higher, especially above 3,000 meters, the oxygen saturation goes down and subsequently your lungs and body have to work harder to circulate enough oxygen to your blood and brain.
The signs and symptoms you may notice from altitude sickness can be mild signs with headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and shortness of breath or can escalate to fluid build-up in the lungs or in the brain. Tidier escalation symptoms are termed High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) or High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE; these symptoms can even be life-threatening if unmediated.
Once you understand this clearly, hopefully, it is easy to know how important the concept of prevention actually is. You don’t wait until you get sick to take action, you have all these preventive interventions that you do ahead of time and during the trek to give your body gradual time to acclimatize.
Ascend Slowly and Give Your Body Time
The most important factor to minimize altitude sickness as you are trekking to Everest Base Camp is to ascend slowly. Your body needs time to adjust to the thinner air. If you rush your trek you will almost certainly increase your chances of developing altitude mountain sickness (AMS). A majority of standard itineraries will enable the Trek to occur over the 12 – 14 day duration, allowing for acclimatization and rest days.
For example, you fly into Lukla, which is at 2860 m, and the first day (which is the first day of the trek) trekkers generally walk to Phakding (which actually is almost a little below Lukla) on the first day of the trekking. Walking to a little lower altitude helps acclimatize your body to your trek. Following the Phakding part of trek, the trail typically goes upwards but a good plan also allows for acclimatization days in Namche Bazaar and Dingboche. Rest days are key days really since they allow your body to acclimatize to the altitude instead of just climbing.
Remember: the trek to Everest Base Camp is not a race. Many that push the distance too fast, end up sick and/or unable to continue. Walking more slowly is good for your health, but more importantly, helps you to take the unbelievable scenery and experience the Sherpas’ intriguing culture.
Acclimatization Days are Necessary
Trek participants often ask why days of acclimatization are included if the plan is just get to Everest Base Camp. The reason is simple: acclimatization makes it possible for your body to function at high altitudes where there is less oxygen. The acclimatization days are not lost days; they are essential to completing the trek for the vast majority of trekkers.
With Namche Bazaar (3,440 meters) as a base, you will spend two nights, rest on the second day hike, and return to sleep at Namche. The beautiful fixture of sleeping at a lower altitude is from a higher hike that day, called “climb high sleep low”. This method promotes a person’s acclimatization so that they can continue their trek, but they recover inflammation and oxygen deficiency from their body and recover at a lower elevation.
Trekkers tend to stay at Dingboche (4,410 m) for one or two extra nights, also taking an acclimatization day hike up to Nagarjun Hill or Chhukung Ri. Despite these hike sounding difficult, they are extremely important for acclimatization to the high elevations you will very soon experience in Gorak Shep and Everest Base Camp.
Too many trekkers simply skipped the acclimatization days. They are convinced that this will rob them of “valuable” time and will put them at an even greater risk of altitude sickness that could potentially disrupt their trek altogether.
Stay Hydrated
Hydration is one of the best and simplest ways to prevent altitude sickness. At elevation, your body, when high altitudes increases respiratory rates and causes increased urination, is losing fluids. Dehydration can slow the body’s acclimatization process to low oxygen greatly increases the likelihood of developing headaches, feelings of fatigue, and symptoms of nausea.
Hikers should drink AT LEAST three to four liters of water daily while hiking. This does not only mean water, but soup, tea, rehydration salts, etc. to supplement hydration and electrolytes. Many hikers also prefer to have reuseable water bottles or hydration bladders to sip water, rather than wait until their body is thirsty to drink enough fluids.
Finally, hikers also should be mindful of their caffeine and alcohol intake while hiking. A small cup of tea or coffee is fine, however, it is important to be mindful of total amounts of caffeine consumed, since caffeine will dehydrate your body. Alcohol should be avoided all together, since it effects your hydration, as well as, your acclimatization. Being mindful of what is consumed, can help you avoid altitude related issues.
Feed Yourself Nutritiously and Balanced
Food influences how your body adapts better to a greater altitude. Trekking burns lots of calories, and thus eating well allows your body to have enough energy to adapt and stay well. What you also regularly consume should be accounted for as well as what the quantity of food you eat.
Meals that are high in carbohydrates are desirable because they are easily digested and will give you energy in every meal while your body is digesting food at altitude. Most treks you will see trekkers eating dal bhat, a local dish made of rice, lentils, and vegetables that is found throughout Nepal. This is a nutritious and filling meal that will provide good energy for the trek.
Heavy foods, such as oily greasy foods, are what you want to avoid; as you travel and eat at altitude it will be harder for your body to digest them. Instead, stick to soups, pasta dishes, rice dishes or vegetables. You also want to eat smaller portions compared to larger sizes, and not make your stomach work hard to digest a larger meal. If you eat a diet with balance it will generally keep your energy levels better and assist your bodies in minimizing food and energy to work effectively with the strain altitude brings.
Recognizing Symptoms Early
In this grand prevention of altitude sickness puzzle, one of the most important pieces is understanding how to recognize the symptoms early. Too many trekkers will brush off what they think are minor symptoms, like a very minimal headache, or a small amount of shortness of breath, telling themselves that these are acceptable and part of a normal acclimatization pattern. These symptoms are not — this is your system telling you that it is starting to struggle to acclimatize.
Some common symptoms of altitude sickness are headaches, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, disturbed sleep, and general fatigue. If you feel any of these signs of altitude sickness you should not ignore them. Take the needed time to rest and hydrate. Do not go higher in altitude until you feel better. Continuing on with symptoms getting worse thinking that you are okay may lead to serious altitude sickness conditions, such as, HAPE and HACE.
It also is important for trekkers to monitor each other. Sometimes you do not realize the changes in your own mood, behavior, or speech, however your trekking companions will. Always articulate how you are feeling with your group and your guide. Taking initiative to recognize symptoms of altitude sickness can be the difference between finishing a safe trek and finding yourself in a medical emergency.
Use Preventive Medication Wisely
Some trekkers find preventive medicines useful in reducing altitude sickness. Diamox (Acetazolamide), for example, may not have a direct fixing effect as much as it serves to improve your body acclimatization process. Many doctors recommend taking it the day before you reach altitude and continue taking it until acclimatization is complete. That said, medications should never be a substitute for normative acclimatization or tapering ascent while trekking. It is merely a supplemental aid. Nevertheless, consult your doctor for a visit before the trek to see if Diamox or any other preventative medicines are suitable for you. Of course, these medicines are all imperfect and have potential side effects.
Many trekkers also use things like garlic soup or ginger tea and other herbal remedies, which are found and popular through the Everest region, to assist them with altitude acclimatization. The scientific evidence is limited, but these natural remedies could be helpful comfort measures and supportive in boosting hydration, which may indirectly assist or supplement acclimatization at altitude.
Sleep Well and Rest Properly
Sleep is one of the most valuable recovery tools the human body has, unfortunately, at altitude trekkers could have some trouble with sleep and may wake up throughout the night due to the thin air. Less sleep can lead to an increase in fatigue and increase your chances of altitude sickness.
To maximize your sleep, especially on an acclimatization night. Try to sleep early and give yourself plenty of time to sleep. Have a good quality sleeping bag, the warm you are at night the better your sleep will be, as being cold can break your sleep cycle. Avoid eating a heavy meal and anything with caffeine, including alcohol right before bed. Breathing exercises and herbal teas can also be a good way to unwind before bed.
Rest days are equally important. Even if you feel like you have energy, it is still important to give the body time to recover on a day of acclimatization. Or don’t overexert yourself on a long acclimatization day. Climbing at altitude requires the body to put in work. And it will take a little more rest for the body to recuperate to tackle the next climbing day.
Listen to Your Body and Know When to Turn Back
The mountains will always be there, but the most important thing is your health. One of the hardest choices a trekker can make is the decision to turn back when you have obvious symptoms of altitude sickness. However, usually this is the most important decision you will make. If your headache becomes debilitating. Or if you have been dizzy since you first walked into camp. If you find yourself confused, or short of breath, these are clear signs that you should descend as quickly as possible! When in doubt, consider the following. If you have headaches or dizziness that’s getting worse you should descend. If it’s anything worse than this, you *must* descend!
Guides and porters are trained to recognize many of the symptoms of altitude sickness from previous expeditions. And although they may not say anything to you, it doesn’t mean they aren’t concerned. Trust their instincts and experience when they share with you when to descend.
Sometimes descending even a couple hundred meters will make a huge difference in how you feel. Once your symptoms subside and you are feeling better, only then can you consider whether you can continue. Remember, the summit or the trek is never worth going without your health or your life!
Train and Prepare Before the Trek
An additional important aspect related to reducing the risk of altitude sickness. To be in shape prior to your arrival in Nepal. Being fit does not guarantee health. But it should help your body to more easily accomplish.
You should begin preparing yourself (as long as it is months in advance of your trek). By doing short bursts of cardio, or weight workouts, regularly. This could be running, hiking, swimming, or cycling. You might also want to begin some strength training for your core and legs. Because that will aide you in long uphill hikes. If at all feasible, practice hiking with a pack loaded to the way you will hike on yourEverest Base Camp trek.
Again, as I have stated in my former writings. You will want to condition your mind for your hike. High altitude trekking is about patience, stamina, and flexibility. If you condition your body and your mind. You will give yourself the best chance of acclimatizing. And if you do this, you will have the best chance of enjoying the experience when it is required.
Final thoughts
EBC is a bucket list hike for so many people, and height sickness. It should never be a reason why you do not fulfill your dream. As long as you respect the potential dangers. Ascend slowly, take acclimatization seriously, drink plenty of water, eat good food, and listen to your body. You will mitigate anything related to altitude sickness.
Remember while trekking – it is better to prevent than to treat altitude sickness. Respect the mountain, your body, and your health more than speed. You will succeed in getting up to Everest Base Camp. And enjoy making your way through one of the most incredible landscapes in the world.