Risk Factors of Acute Mountain Sickness

The risk factors cause High Altitude Sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Mountaineers, climbers, hikers, skiers, or travelers at high altitude (typically above 8,000 feet or 2,400 meters) are easily to be affected.

The causes of Acute Mountain Sickness mainly refer to the combination of reduced air pressure and lower oxygen levels at high altitudes.

Risk Factors of Acute Mountain Sickness

1.The major cause of Acute Mountain Sickness is going too high too fast. Don't climb too fast! Lack of acclimatization and excessively rapid ascent are the main risk factors for Acute Mountain Sickness, as our body doesn't acclimatize the high altitude environment. If you ascend slowly to give your body time, you will adapt to the decrease in oxygen molecules at a specific altitude. For example, if you hike to 10,000 feet (3,048m), and spend several days at that altitude, your body acclimatizes to 10,000 feet (3,048m). If you climb to 12,000 feet (3,658m), your body has to acclimatize once again. A number of changes take place in the body to allow it to operate with decreased oxygen.

2.People who arrival in high altitude are highly suggested to have a rest to acclimatize high altitude environment. That is why there are not any activities at first day when we have high altitude tour such as Tibet tour. Because our body needs to be given time to acclimatize and find the equilibrium point. Otherwise, we will probably suffer the high altitude sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness whatever the specific way we choose to enter to Tibet.

3.We are told not do any strenuous exercise because it is regarded as the risk factors of Acute Mountain Sickness. When your body tries to acclimatize the high altitude, your brain and lung can not bear any more loads. Otherwise your body will be fallen down.

4.Moreover, the cold is also considered as one of the risk factors of Acute Mountain Sickness. For example, we got a very little wound and it will be recovered very soon in few days. But it will be recovered in 1 month or more when your body is in high altitude. So if you get the cold, it is very dangerous as your body has no more power to fight with the cold.