There was this pretty girl in school while I was in the tenth grade. I remember she had big eyes and long black hair. Cheerful and friendly, she was quite popular. Then one day after some couple of years I heard from a friend that she had passed away while on a pilgrimage to Muktinath. She had suffered from altitude sickness. That news came to me as a shock. Not that I knew her that well, it just seemed so impossible. She was young, beautiful and healthy?and she went away just like that. It sounded so peculiar to me that one could die at such a young age and for what seemed to me at that moment an unbelievable cause.



In a country like Nepal where altitudes range from 60 meters above sea level to 8848, one is exposed to various differences in altitude while traveling. While traveling to places that lie in higher altitudes than your body is used to, you carry the risk of getting altitude sickness. Altitude sickness is caused by dry air, a decrease in oxygen levels, and low barometric pressure. Altitude sickness can be fatal so it is best to equip yourself with some knowledge before traveling to the higher altitudes.

The main reason of altitude illnesses is going too high too fast. If you plan to go to some place that's high in altitude, it is prudent to spend 1-3 days in a place in a lower altitude to allow your body to adapt to the decrease in oxygen content in the atmosphere. From there you may gradually move higher, repeating the same process. This process is known as acclimatization.

The symptoms of altitude sickness are severe headache, nausea and vomiting, increasing weakness and fatigue, shortness of breath, and decreased coordination. If you are traveling at high altitudes and find yourself getting altitude sick, immediately move down to lower altitudes as there is no other cure for it. Drinking plenty of fluids is also recommended as acclimatization is often accompanied by fluid loss. It is best to find out what altitude you're traveling to before you go to see if altitude sickness could be a problem.

Regards,

Tenzing Lama

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