Table of contents:
- Various health risks from hiking
- 1. Hypothermia
- 2. Vertigo
- 3. Ringing ears (Tinnitus)
- 4. Barotrauma
- 5. Mountain Sickness (AMS)
- 6. Upland pulmonary edema (HAPE /High Altitude Pulmonary Edema)
- 7. Upland brain edema (HACE /High Altitude Cerebral Edema)
Climbing the mountain requires extra preparation because you will be exploring the forest carrying heavy loads. But besides being prepared, you also have to be aware of the health risks that may occur while on the mountain and make sure that you are always ready for whatever activity you do up there. Here are seven health problems that may arise while hiking that you should be aware of.
Various health risks from hiking
1. Hypothermia
While climbing the mountain, you will continue to be exposed to cold temperatures, heavy winds, and unpredictable rainfall. Basically, continuous exposure to cold temperatures from the outside environment that is lower than body temperature can cause hypothermia, if your clothes are not right or you can't control your body condition.
Shivering may be the first symptom of hypothermia you feel when your temperature starts to drop because shivering is your body's automatic defense response to warm itself.
At first, shivering is usually followed by fatigue, slight confusion, lack of coordination, slurred speech, rapid breathing, and cold or pale skin. But when your body temperature drops too low to below 35ºC, your heart, nervous system, and other organs can't work optimally.
If not treated promptly, hypothermia can be life threatening because it causes shock and complete failure of the heart and respiratory system function.
2. Vertigo
Vertigo is a feeling of shakiness or the sensation of spinning when the body is motionless or there is no movement around, or body movements that are unnatural in response to other movements. For example, being at a high altitude, looking down from a high place, or looking far away at a high point / object can cause the sensation of a head clenching characteristic of vertigo.
One of the problems lies in the inner ear. The inner ear helps regulate the balance of the body. If this doesn't work well, you may feel dizzy spinning or shaky. You may also experience hearing problems or dizziness symptoms that increase when your head is tilted to a certain position.
The sensation of the head turning can be dangerous when it occurs over a mountain as it can easily lead to disorientation. The best way to avoid vertigo in the mountains is not to go up the mountain if you have headaches, migraines, chills, or allergies that have not been treated.
3. Ringing ears (Tinnitus)
Tinnitus is a disorder of the ear ringing without stopping. As with vertigo, if you are brave enough to climb mountains with a headache or have other ear problems, you can be at risk for this.
When you are thousands of kilometers high, external air pressure squeezes the air in the ear canal, causing a sensation of pressure and pain in the head and ears. You must equalize the pressure in this room with a variety of methods, such as pinching your nostrils while gently blowing your nose. If you do this right, you can withstand the increased pressure without a problem.
However, sinus congestion caused by a cold, flu, or allergies can interfere with your ability to equalize pressure and can result in damage to the eardrums.
4. Barotrauma
Barotrauma can attack mountain climbers when they are at an altitude of more than 2 thousand meters above sea level. Barotrauma refers to an injury caused by a drastic increase in air or water pressure, such as while climbing a mountain or diving. Ear barotrauma is the most common type.
This change in pressure creates a vacuum in the middle ear that pulls the eardrum inward. This can cause pain and can muffle sounds. Your ears will feel crowded and you may feel as if you need to blow up the "hot air balloon" in that ear. The same sensation is also common when you are on an airplane.
In more severe cases of barotrauma, the middle ear can fill with clear fluid when the body tries to equalize the pressure on both sides of the eardrum. This fluid is drawn from a blood vessel in the lining of the inner ear, and can only drain if the eustachian tube is open. The fluid behind the eardrum is called serous otitis media. This condition can cause pain and difficulty hearing similar to middle ear infections.
5. Mountain Sickness (AMS)
Mountain sickness (AMS) occurs when climbers stay or spend the night at a certain altitude, especially at an altitude between 2400 and 3000 meters above sea level (masl). AMS can happen to anyone, regardless of age. However, several studies have stated that AMS is more common in women than men. AMS is caused by decreased oxygen levels and reduced air pressure when climbing to higher ground.
Symptoms and signs of AMS usually appear within a few hours to 1 day, and can range from mild to severe. Symptoms of AMS include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, frequent waking during sleep, loss of appetite, and nausea and vomiting.
The AMS may reappear if you climb to a higher altitude. The higher the climb, the thinner the oxygen content. If not treated properly, AMS can be fatal and cause edema in the brain and lungs.
6. Upland pulmonary edema (HAPE /High Altitude Pulmonary Edema)
Upland pulmonary edema (HAPE) is one of the complications of AMS on mountaineering. Pulmonary edema is caused by a buildup of excess fluid in the lungs. HAPE may present on its own without the first symptoms of AMS (this occurs in more than 50% of cases). HAPE is the most deadly altitude sickness, but it is often misunderstood as pneumonia.
The most important sign of HAPE to look out for is shortness of breath. In addition, fatigue, weakness, and a dry cough can also be early warning signs of this condition. HAPE can develop very quickly, in about 1-2 hours, or gradually in just a day.
This condition often manifests itself on the second night at new heights. HAPE can also appear when you descend from a height. HAPE is more likely to occur in people who have a cold or have chest infections.
7. Upland brain edema (HACE /High Altitude Cerebral Edema)
Edema of the brain occurs when there is a buildup of excess fluid in your brain. Severe cases of HAPE can progress to HACE, aka brain edema. But HACE may present itself without any symptoms of HAPE or AMS.
Signs and symptoms of HACE include severe headache that does not improve with medication, loss of body coordination (ataxia) such as difficulty walking or falling easily, decreased level of consciousness (difficulty remembering, confusion, drowsiness, drowsiness / semi-consciousness), nausea and vomiting, blurred vision , to hallucinations.
HACE often appears when mountaineers have been at an altitude in the last few days. Going down the mountain is the most effective treatment of HACE and HAPE, and it should not be delayed.
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