Altitude sickness is not just a danger reserved for extreme hiking trips, it’s possible to get it anytime you go too high too quickly. In some cases, it can be deadly, so it’s a good idea to have an awareness about how to prevent it.
The first symptoms of altitude sickness are usually headache and an upset stomach. If it continues to progress, people get disoriented and eventually, fluid can enter the lungs and the brain can swell. Both of which can obviously have serious consequences.
The last thing that you want to do should you experience any of those symptoms is to keep going to a higher elevation. Each person will have different reactions to the elevation based on their unique body chemistry, so it’s important to take other people’s symptoms seriously even when some a group feel totally fine.
The best thing to do if it strikes on a hike is to start going down and quickly. Always be mindful to allow enough time to go up a mountain by spending time equalizing as you go.
