Prevent Acute Mountain Sickness – Ladakh AMS

Altitude Sickness – Prevent Acute Mountain Sickness – Ladakh AMS

” You are at an altitude of 3,256 meters above sea-level. If you are suffering from breathlessness, dizziness, nausea, or uneasiness please report at the Medical Aid counter immediately”.

These words or something to that effect over the public address system welcomed us when we landed at the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh, Ladakh, India. The airport nestles in a valley surrounded by high mountains.

We had flown into Leh from the plains of Delhi, ascending a height of about 3,040 meters in about 45 minutes flat which goes against the very grain of precautions to be taken when ascending to high altitudes. It is always recommended to gradually ascend heights that take you beyond 3,000 meters. It is said that until 3,000 meters above sea-level, most people do not have issues and it is only beyond 3,000 meters, that the paucity of oxygen starts creating issues.

We had arrived at Leh without recourse to the dose of Diamox which many people advised. We had been to Nathula Pass in Sikkim at an altitude of about 4,310 meters and had no issues and so hoped to be fine in Ladakh too.

Our Experience At The High Altitudes of Ladakh

Apart from a little bit of exhaustion while lugging our luggage to the taxi, we were none the worse as soon as we landed in Leh. The first day in Leh had been thoughtfully earmarked for acclimatization by the organizers of our trip, incidentally, we were part of the media team to cover the famous Naropa Festival, dubbed as the Kumbh Mela of the Himalayas.

An exhaustive list of do’s and don’ts advised us to be confined to our hotel rooms for at least 24 hours and not move out. It also advised us not to sleep during the day and eat light food. So we spent the day relaxing and strolling in the gardens of the hotel and plucking a few apples. But come evening we could no longer be confined to our rooms and headed out for a stroll uphill to the nearby Shanti Stupa.

We did not have much appetite which is considered normal as the body adjusted to lesser amounts of oxygen. Oxygen is required for digestion. The first night was a sleepless one and the closed environs of the hotel room meant that the oxygen was even less inside. One of us had shortness of breath, but it was nothing to be really alarmed about. A quick oxygen check at the reception of the hotel indicated that both of us had oxygen levels above 80 which we were told was fine for the first day and that it would increase the next day.

Though at Leh our bodies seemed to have got acclimatized to the conditions, the same could not be said for the Changla Pass which stands at a height of 5,360meterss or 17,585 feet. We stopped for some time at Changla Pass one of the highest motorable passes in the world, on our way to the famed Pangong Lake.

One of us had a nightmarish experience here. There was a churning in the stomach, the body felt heavy and it felt as if it was being pushed. The mind felt numb. The best option was to get back into the bus, and the symptoms eased as we descended from Changla Pass to the lesser heights of Pangong Lake at an altitude of 4,250 meters.

The Main Effects of High Altitude on The Body

What is the reason that the human body reacts weirdly at high altitudes? The root of the various symptoms boils down to two issues one faces at high altitudes that result in high altitude sickness.

1. At high altitudes, the air pressure decreases and this means less oxygen, Oxygen is required to generate energy in the body. With less oxygen, the body needs to produce more red blood corpuscles to release more energy and this could take almost a week to stabilize.
2. The lower air pressure at altitudes also means a faster rate of evaporation of water and this leads to dehydration.

Altitude Sickness and its Manifestations

So how do you know that you have been afflicted by altitude sickness? Here are some of the manifestations of altitude sickness or the effects of high altitude. Many of these are effects which one will experience during the first one or two days and is considered normal, however, if they are severe one should seek medical attention immediately.

1. One does breathe faster at high altitudes, which is considered normal and the body slowly gets adjusted to it, this happens to enable the body to get more and more of the rare oxygen.
2. One will see a lot more urination at high altitudes, we experienced this the first day of our stay in Leh. This is normal and a natural adjustment of the body, in fact, if this is not happening then chances are you are not taking enough water and are actually dehydrated.
3. We had been advised not to sleep during the day on our first day in Ladakh, this was to ensure that we did not suffer from what is known as interrupted breathing. The different composition of oxygen and carbon dioxide send confusing signals and the body forgets to breathe when in deep sleep, which could scare you if you were to get up in the middle of deep sleep. But it is okay to take a short nap as that will also refresh you.

Who is Susceptible to Altitude Sickness

Contrary to popular belief, altitude sickness can afflict anyone and everyone. Your age, physical fitness, etc., does not matter. Of course if one already has heart or respiratory ailments then these can be compounded by high altitudes. Studies show that for some strange reason Men are more susceptible than women.

What is AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness)

The terms Altitude sickness and Acute Mountain Sickness are many times used interchangeably. AMS is said to be the mildest form of altitude sickness or the effect of high altitude on the body. The symptoms of acute mountain sickness or altitude mountain sickness could be a headache, vomiting, tiredness, sleeplessness, and giddiness, confusion, nose bleeding, and difficulty in walking.

HACE and HAPE the dangerous and sometimes fatal forms of AMS

The more serious forms of Acute Mountain Sickness are HACE – High Altitude Cerebral Edema and HAPE – High Altitude Pulmonary Edema. In HACE the brain swells and it is a serious issue and the patient may have only a few hours. The main remedy for this is to immediately evacuate to lower altitudes. The main symptoms here are failing mental function and confusion as well as inability to walk properly. Severe AMS can lead to brain damage or even death.

HAPE occurs when the lungs get filled with fluid. Symptoms include breathlessness, coughing with blood, congestion of the chest, and the extremities of the body turning blue in colour. HAPE is critical and could be fatal, the patient again needs to be evacuated to lower altitudes.

Prevention & Care When Traveling to High Altitudes

One can of course plan well in advance before embarking on a trip to higher altitudes. Here are some steps that will help you face higher altitudes.

• Being aware of what could be in the offing is the first step, so read all you can about effects of altitude sickness
• Consult a doctor and start a dose of Diamox or other medicine as advised a few days prior to your trip to a high altitude

• Ascend gradually to higher altitudes, it is advisable to travel by road with stops in between at different altitudes to give enough time to the body for  acclimatization to high altitude
• If you have to travel to Ladakh by road then it is advisable to take the Srinagar-Leh highway rather than the Manali – Leh route
• If you are flying into a high altitude place like Leh take the meaning of acclimatization part seriously and rest for at the least 24 hours without unnecessary exertion, spend a couple of nights in Leh before venturing to higher altitude places in Ladakh
• Do not smoke or consume alcohol at higher altitudes during the acclimatization to altitude process and also ensure you eat light and easily digestible food
• If you are feeling uncomfortable and showing any of the symptoms of altitude sickness like nausea, headaches, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, breathlessness or shortness of breath report it to the medical or any other competent authority immediately.

These precautions are sure to ensure that you enjoy the stunning landscapes of Ladakh or for that matter any other place in the world without being hampered by altitude sickness. However as each body has a different physical makeup, it is always best to consult with a doctor and take their expert advice in case of any questions about Altitude sickness.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post are based on the experience of the authors and in no way constitute medical advice, be sure to consult a doctor for queries on Altitude sickness.

We do hope that this post is useful to you, especially if you are planning a trip to a high altitude place shortly, you could take a cue from our acclimatization tips for Leh Ladakh trip. We hope you now know all you should know about AMS and were able to find answers to some of your questions like:

What is Acute Mountain Sickness?

What is HAPE mountain sickness?

What is acute mountain sickness and the importance of acclimatization?

What is the definition of acclimatization and what are some of the acclimatization Tips?

How to deal with AMS?

What are the symptoms of mountain sickness and the mountain sickness symptoms to watch out for?

What about acute mountain sickness treatment and how to prevent AMS?

How to deal with altitude or mountain sickness in Ladakh?

We hope these travel tips for Leh Ladakh tour will stand you in good stead when you plan to explore the land of high passes.

Have you experienced Altitude sickness? What are your time-tested hacks for dealing with altitude sickness? Do let us know your thoughts through the comments section.

Our related posts on Leh – Ladakh:
Naropa Festival Ladakh – Kumbh Mela Of Himalayas

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