Acute Mountain Sickness, better known as AMS or Altitude Sickness, is a potentially deadly condition common among mountain climbers. What causes AMS? AMS is caused by constant exposure to low pressure of oxygen at high altitudes. It is hard to determine who will be affected by altitude-sickness, as there are no specific factors that compare with this vulnerability to altitude sickness. However, most people can climb up to 2500 meters (8000 ft) normally.
The ailment is generally broken up into levels of intensity: mild, moderate, & severe. The symptoms, similar to an extreme hangover, include headache, nausea, and lethargy. The headaches in particular are notoriously painful. Other, more dangerous symptoms include insomnia and lack of appetite. Though unpleasant, AMS is no reason to throw in the towel; unless the symptoms become severe, the climber is encouraged to continue toward his ultimate goal. The best way to alleviate AMS in the short term is to take a rest period and let your body adjust to the altitude. The worse the sickness, the longer the break required and it may be advisable or neccessary to move to a lower altitude.
These are the main ways of spotting AMS, we will have another post on how to avoid AMS and how to treat it.
As always, you are always welcome to share your tips, ideas, and journeys with us! We are always welcome top learning about more places to adventure!
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