What altitude does sickness start?

Have you ever gone on a rollercoaster or been on a plane and felt nauseous, dizzy, or even passed out? Well, my friend, that’s altitude sickness! But the question is: what altitude does it actually start at? Let’s dive into this topic (pun intended) and see where we land!

What Is Altitude Sickness?

Before we explore what height triggers altitude sickness, let’s understand what it means. It is a medical condition that occurs when your body struggles to adjust to lower air pressure and less oxygen as you go up higher in elevation. The body goes through physiological changes to adapt; these can cause symptoms ranging from mild nausea and headaches to severe dizziness or high-altitude pulmonary edema.

The severity of the symptoms depends mostly on how fast you climb and how high you go. So if there was one piece of advice I could offer (apart from don’t eat yellow snow), it would be this: take things slowly! Get used to low levels before climbing higher.

Can Elevation Affect Anyone?

Yes! Telling yourself “it couldn’t happen to me” is like saying “I won’t become addicted after trying crack once.” Not all bodies acclimatize equally quickly; therefore anyone ascending above 8k ft should be alert for signs/symptoms!

Indeed,it doesn’t matter who you are- any person wanting an adventure in higher elevations needs to have some awareness about potential health concerns while having fun under high altitudes.

So now that we have covered the base details behind HAAPE,and AMS lets directly rush onto our main query!!

Where Does Altitude Sickness Begin?

Simply put -There isn’t an easy answer around here though typically ‘sick zone’ starts immediately after crossing over 2500 m mark or18000 ft’. Higher risk people like those with previous heart-lung diseases may feel the symptoms much earlier than that.(It’s not fair, is it!?)

Below are some specific heights and their light-hearted names:

Height	Name
6,000 ft	The Mile High Club for beginners!
8,000ft -10,000ft	“Oh dude…wait for it….here comes the headache!!” zone.
12,200ft : Yippy! Goodbye Everest Base Camp
14k feet: Dirty Dozen: Sign me up to Army Bootcamp WHY AGAIN?

However note that some degree of variability exists from person to person based on factors such as age,speed of climb,past medical history.

Symptoms at Different Elevations

Not getting used to lower air pressure can lead to high-altitude sickness (HAS), which has three stages varying in severity:

Acute Mountain Sickness

1] Happens in anyone who goes above 2k metres elevation
2] Appears after being exposed to elevations equal / greater than ~2400m
3] Some top-notch symptoms may roll out onto your experience.Like,two-for-one irritability, pulsatile headaches and confusion.
4] Accompanied by lack of appetite or nausea.  

High-Altitude Cerebral Edema(HACE)

1) Typically seen after descending from a higher peak
(you know what I mean Brent ?)
2) Causes increased pressure within skull.
3) Severe dizziness along with diminished coordination skills.Take care while peeing lest you fall over stepping off a cliff!
4) Memory loss : Forget your significant other ever existed or paid gas bill yesterday.
5_ Get Help !! Move down ASAP!

High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema [HAPE]

1) Accumulation of fluid in lung tissue.
2) Happens when ascending high altitude rapidly.(take it easy on Kilimanjaro , lads!)
3) Signs- Lip color turns blue(neat zombie like look!) & breathing challenges above anything else.
4] WHAT TO DO? Stop your ascent,move down or to hospital ASAP!

How to Prevent AMS?

As the saying goes – healthy mind resides in a healthy body ! Proper preparation before the trip could mean smooth sailing for you up into those higher altitudes. Here are some helpful tips (a.k.a lifesavers):

Take Time

1] Slow but steady wins the acclimatization game!
2] Make short ascents during first few days,enabling internal bodily changes so as not to struggle later.

Hydrate yourself !

1] It’s like being back in school again… always hydrating
2] Dehydration can quickly worsen symptoms requiring descent immediately.

Avoid Alcohol!

1. Altitude makes alcohol more potent
   2.No one wants Acute Mountain Drunksness right ?

Carbonated Drinks : Oops! Yeap,the stuff that bursts into bubbles should be avoided too.Just stick to H20

Remember: The quicker you climb and higher summit at,higher risks will come along

When Should You Go Down?

You don’t want things getting worse if if symptoms start settling in,bail out!!

To clarify;as soon as signs of severe sickness appear,moving lower is necessary thing for ensuring better health status.Not being able carry out basic functions without help,sleep disturbances,stiff neck,pulmonary edema or inability consciousness become apparent . At most times continuing isn’t worth putting yourself under undue stress.The delay compromises your life ! Never risk it.

Ease comes with understanding, and knowledge brings comfort while escaping heights WOOT!! Enjoy this guide as we here at ALTITUDE SICKNESS,CO. will be waiting for your success story.Understanding how high you can trek without facing symptoms will give you a greater experience on your mountain expeditions.