What should you know about treatment for altitude sickness?

Altitude sickness, also called acute mountain sickness, follows a rapid move to high elevation before the body has adapted to thinner air. A headache is a common presentation of altitude sickness, and nausea, tiredness, dizziness or poor sleep can occur too. Symptoms can be mild, but continuing upward can allow the illness to progress and affect the brain or lungs.

The key treatment is reducing exertion and allowing acclimatisation. Oxygen, observation and prescribed medicines may be used according to the symptoms, altitude and medical history. A travel clinician can discuss prevention before a trip, including a gradual ascent plan and whether preventive medicine is appropriate.

Stop ascending while symptoms are present. Rest, keep warm, drink normally, and avoid alcohol or sedating medicines unless a clinician has advised them. Do not rely on pain relief to hide worsening symptoms. If you are not improving after rest, or symptoms increase, descend with another person and arrange medical assessment. Severe symptoms require assisted descent and urgent care; do not travel alone.

Before future high-altitude travel, book a Travel Health Consultation to review your itinerary, previous reactions, lung or heart conditions, pregnancy, and medicines. Carry a plan for communicating during descent and follow the instructions on any prescribed treatment.

Seek urgent help for breathlessness at rest, a cough producing frothy fluid, confusion, unusual drowsiness, difficulty walking, fainting, blue lips, or severe headache with repeated vomiting. These signs can indicate dangerous effects of altitude and need immediate descent and emergency assessment. Do not wait for a medicine to take effect.

Ask which symptoms should trigger descent, whether your existing medicines change the plan, how to use any prescribed treatment, and how to arrange oxygen or evacuation if a remote itinerary becomes unsafe.