Take the Altitude Sickness Quiz
Gazing down on the spectacular view from a mountaintop can take your breath away.
That breathlessness is oftentimes more than just an awestruck reaction to the sights.
It can be a symptom of altitude sickness, an illness that can strike hikers, mountain
climbers, skiers, and anyone who hits the 8,000-foot mark on a mountain. Learn more
about this condition by taking this true-false quiz.
1. Altitude sickness is also called mountain sickness.
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Other names for this illness include altitude anoxia; more serious forms are called
high altitude pulmonary edema and high altitude cerebral edema.
2. If you live close to sea level, you are more likely to feel the effects of high
altitude when visiting high places.
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Children also are more likely to feel the effects of high altitude. One way to prevent
altitude sickness is to ascend heights gradually. Take several days to move up to
8,000 feet. Beyond that height, don't climb any faster than about 1,000 feet a day.
Experts also advise sleeping at a lower altitude than you spend the day at. If you're
climbing, for instance, don't make camp at the highest point you've reached for the
day, but backtrack down the trail at least several hundred feet.
3. Altitude sickness occurs because a person on a mountain is so much closer to the
sun than at sea level.
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Altitude sickness occurs because the higher up you go, the less oxygen is in the air
for you to breathe. It occurs most commonly at elevations above 8,000 feet. If you
live in the mountains, your body adapts. At 14,000 feet and above, however, nearly
everyone experiences at least mild symptoms of altitude sickness.
4. In severe cases of altitude sickness, fluid collects in the lungs and the brain
swells.
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These are life-threatening conditions. They need medical care right away. Milder symptoms
include shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, headache, insomnia, nausea, rapid pulse,
fatigue, and dizziness. More serious symptoms include coughing, tightness in the chest,
trouble walking in a straight line, and mental confusion.
5. If you notice mild symptoms of altitude sickness, it's fine to keep on climbing.
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If you notice even mild symptoms, don't go any higher. If you have symptoms of altitude
sickness, it's important that you return to a lower elevation. For instance, if you
are at an altitude of 8,000 to 9,000 feet, you may need to travel down to an elevation
of 6,000 feet or lower for your symptoms to go away. A healthcare provider may prescribe
medicines to prevent or treat the symptoms of severe high altitude sickness. If your
symptoms go away at a lower altitude, you may try to return to a higher elevation
after your body adjusts. This may take 1 to 3 days.
6. People with severe emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease shouldn't
travel to high elevations.
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You also should stay away from high elevations if you have severe heart disease or
sickle cell anemia. If you have mild heart or lung disease, and you are managing it
well, you might be fine at high elevations. Check with your healthcare provider to
see if it's safe. Travelers should also consider things such as how easy it is to
quickly descend to lower altitude and how near you are to medical care.
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