ACUTE MOUNTAIN SICKNESS SYMPTOMS
Acute Mountain Sickness Symptoms vary from mild, Moderate to extremely severe or serious Mountain Sickness.
In this article we discuss each level of Acute Mountain Sickness giving clear symptoms for you to Look out for as you trek Kilimanjaro.
Mild Symptoms
These include:
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Nausea and Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Disturbed sleep
- Loss of appetite
If you suffer any of the symptoms above it is important to communicate to your climbing partners and guide how you are feeling. These symptoms generally disappear if you rest for a day at the level at which they originally started. This is why an acclimatization day where you climb high and sleep low is so important!
Moderate Symptoms
These include:
- Very bad headaches that is not relieved with medication
- Feeling very nauseous which often resulting in vomiting
- Very fatigued and weak
- Decreased coordination (known as ataxia)
- Shortness of breath
A clear sign that you are experiencing moderate altitude sickness symptoms is when one or all of the mild symptoms start getting worse to a degree that becomes debilitating. Typically people experiencing moderate symptoms have very bad headaches and usually vomit. A feeling of decreased coordination is common (i.e. ataxia).
People can often walk on their own when experiencing moderate AMS, however ascent under such symptoms will almost certainly result in worsening of the symptoms to a degree where one cannot walk anymore. This would necessitate a stretcher evacuation, which should be avoided at all costs.
Ascending under moderate symptoms can lead to death.
It is important you descend at least 1000 feet (300m), but more if necessary, and remain at a lower altitude until the symptoms subside. Once the symptoms have disappeared you have acclimatized and you can ascend again.
Serious or Severe Symptoms
These include:
- Inability to walk
- Shortness of breath whilst resting
- Loss of mental capacities and hallucination
- Fluid build up on the lungs
Ascent under serious Acute Mountain Sickness symptoms is extremely dangerous and should never occur. People experiencing serious AMS are usually unable to walk, struggle to breathe and lack their mental capacities to think straight.
There are two conditions associated with serious AMS, each of which occurs when fluid leaks through the capillary walls either into the lungs (this is called High Altitude Pulmonary Edema – HAPE) or into the brain (this is call High Altitude Cerebral Edema – HACE).
Both conditions are rare but almost always occur because of ascending too high, too fast, or because one has stayed too long at very high altitude.
READ MORE USEFUL INFORMATION
- High Altitude Cerebral Edema – HACE
- High Altitude Pulmonary Edema – HAPE.
- Using Diamox On Mountain Kilimanjaro
We hope this article has answered all your questions on Acute Moutain sickness Syptoms on Kilimanjaro. If you have any more questions, feel free to Contact Us.
