Altitude Sickness

Altitude Sickness this is a very tipic and common Sickness that is caused for the lack of oxygen at very high altitude, called Hypoxia, commonly occurred beginning the 2400 meters over the sea level.

The cause of that illness is very hard to determine, due that depends of the physics state of the person that go at a very high altitude.

Symptoms

Like said before, the altitude sickness varied to the health of the person, the most common symptoms starts to the arrive at the place where the altitude is around 2000 meters above the sea level, and the person can feel this in just about 6 to 10 hours that his arrive.

The sickness is no longer the 2 days of feeling bad, and if continuous is because derived for a worse and complicated and serious condition.

The sickness is related to the velocity of ascent and the altitude reached. The atmospheric pressure drop with the altitude, what affects the bio-disponibility of oxygen, since the lungs is not able to transport the same quantity of oxygen to the pressure blood.

The Most Commons Symptoms Are

Dizziness
Headache.
Nausea and vomit.
Lack of appetite.
Physic exhaustion.
Sleeping disorders, that causes Insomnia.

Prevention and Treatment

The physical condition of the person does not determine and prevent the altitude sickness, given that this can occurred at a low 2500 meter above the sea level, and is known that the susceptibility is not proportional inverse to the age of the person, probably for the maturity of the nervous system.

Is not recommend that the person who suffers of that sickness take medicine or pills, to that is very useful do what doctors called acclimatization. Even you can do the acclimatization, the Altitude sickness can show at any time, also is very important maintain hydrated, drink at least 4, 5 liters of water, and keep rest the entire situation.

The Altitude Sickness in Machu Picchu

The person who suffers for this sickness is the tourist that arrives on a plane is more prone to get this sickness. The symptoms occurred at the first 48 hours.
Occasionally the doctors use many diagnosis tables, in wich made his appreciation general and clinical. The evaluation is to see how bad and serious the patient is.
Of all these tables the most used is the scale called Lake Louise, which is divided into a self-assessment questionnaire (subjective) and clinical assessment (objective). Both the questionnaire and clinical assessment, the term ¨serious¨ usually means ¨disabling¨.

Recommendations

When you arrive from the plane to Cusco, you must avoid heavy food or very seasoned.
Do not drink carbonated sodas, coffee, and cigarettes.
You must carry pills called coramina glucose, you put under your tongue, and you can feel a little better.
Drink daily abundant water and also infusion of herbs, to maintain an adequate and hydrated balance.
The coca leaf in infusion is very useful, a bunch of leafs with hot water, and maybe a twist of lemon prevent the altitude sickness.

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