Nepal Trekking, Prevention and Dealing With Altitude Sickness

Nepal Trekking is a famous and popular part of the world to trek, ramble and hike, however there are dangers:

The country of Nepal is situated quite high in South Asia. The giant mountains that are situated quite near to Nepal reach over 20,000 feet. In fact the top 8 highest mountains in the world (including of course Mount Everest) are positioned quite north of Nepal. So this ia quite a special place. In addition Nepal itself is situated over 15,000 feet above sea level.

Another fact is a medical one. Hikers and trekkers suffer from Altitude sickness at heights of over 8000ft. Taking a look at these height figures it should be no surprise then that people suffer with Altitude sickness a lot when they go Nepal Trekking. So when you go Nepal Trekking Altitude sickness is a real problem that needs to be dealt with and prevented.

The problem with Nepal Trekking is that you are climbing high and as you trek higher and higher the amount of oxygen remains the same but the air pressure falls preventing the right levels of oxygen to the body. This situation causes you to get altitude sickness which is mainly a feeling of being unstable, headaches, and also feeling very tired and sick. If this gets so bad the body can even fall into a coma (not good). So you really need to watch yourself when you are Nepal Trekking.
Here are the following actions you can take either to prevent or deal with altitude sickness

1. Be physically fit before you go Nepal Trekking. You know whether you are or not. With me I use to be but not any more so if I was to go back to Nepal and trek and would be in the gym a lot more.

2. Try and avoid this by taking acetazolamide before you go Nepal Trekking. However as usual you will need to consult a doctor to determine the amount to take and to ensure this is medically right for you.

3. Make sure you are fully hydrated before and during Nepal Trekking.

4. Ascend slowly to avoid these problems

5. Try and reduce your food intake if you start getting the symptoms

6. Painkillers will help

7. If you feel sick try and descend to lower levels of the mountain.

Of course if you do fall sick and need to exit the mountains – when you have recovered Nepal itself is a great place to be. Whilst Nepal is very spiritual (being the birthplace of Buddha) there are also things you can do. Try and visit one of the many festivals or take a flight over the mountains or enjoy a cycling trip.

So the rewards for Nepal Trekking can be out of this world, however so can the dangers of altitude sickness. So enjoy your trek but also be aware of the many dangers including altitude sickness when you go Nepal Trekking.