If you’re dealing with altitude sickness, the most important actions are to stop going higher, rest, and, if needed, get to a lower elevation as soon as you can.

Quick Scoop: What To Do For Altitude Sickness

This is general info, not medical advice. If symptoms are serious (confusion, trouble walking straight, extreme shortness of breath, chest tightness, or worsening headache), treat it as an emergency and seek professional help immediately.

1. First Steps When You Feel Sick

  • Stop ascending right away; don’t go any higher until you feel fully better.
  • Rest where you are; avoid exertion like fast hiking, running, or carrying heavy loads.
  • Drink plenty of fluids (water or electrolyte drinks), but don’t force huge volumes; avoid alcohol completely.
  • Light food is better than heavy, greasy meals if you’re nauseated.

Mild symptoms (headache, light nausea, mild dizziness, fatigue, poor sleep) often improve over 12–72 hours with rest and no further ascent.

2. When You Must Go Lower

If symptoms are moderate or getting worse, the safest “treatment” is to go down.

  • Aim to descend at least 300–1,000 meters (about 1,000–3,300 feet) if possible.
  • Descend immediately if you notice:
    • Difficulty walking straight (ataxia), confusion, or behavior changes.
* Severe shortness of breath at rest, cough, or pink, frothy sputum (signs of high‑altitude pulmonary edema).
  • Do not stay and “tough it out” if you’re clearly getting worse; that’s how people end up in life‑threatening situations.

A simple rule many mountaineers follow: worsening symptoms at altitude = go down now.

3. Oxygen, Pressure Bags, and Emergency Help

  • Supplemental oxygen (from cylinders or concentrators) can ease symptoms and buy time, especially if descent is delayed.
  • Portable hyperbaric bags (often called Gamow bags) simulate going to a lower altitude and are used in remote expedition settings when evacuation is delayed.
  • These tools are not substitutes for descent; they’re bridges to safety when you can’t move yet.

If you’re on a guided trek or at a ski resort, ask where the nearest medical facility or patrol clinic is; they often have oxygen and staff familiar with altitude issues.

4. Medications Commonly Used

Talk to a clinician (ideally before your trip) about if any of these are appropriate for you.

  • Acetazolamide (Diamox) :
    • Used for both prevention and treatment of acute mountain sickness (AMS).
* Speeds acclimatization by making you breathe a bit faster and improving oxygen levels.
  • Dexamethasone :
    • A steroid used more for moderate/severe AMS and high‑altitude cerebral edema (HACE).
* Often a “rescue” option when descent or oxygen is delayed.
  • Nifedipine :
    • Sometimes used in high‑altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), usually under medical supervision.
  • Over‑the‑counter help :
    • Ibuprofen or acetaminophen for headache.
* Antinausea medication if you’re vomiting or very queasy.

Never rely only on pills while continuing to climb higher; medicines are a support, not a license to ignore symptoms.

5. What Not To Do

  • Don’t ascend further with any significant symptoms (headache plus nausea, dizziness, or fatigue).
  • Don’t use alcohol or sedatives/sleeping pills at altitude; they suppress breathing and can worsen altitude problems.
  • Don’t ignore “just a bad headache” if it’s getting worse or paired with confusion or trouble walking.
  • Don’t let group pressure force you higher; altitude sickness is very individual.

6. Quick Prevention Tips (For Your Next Trip)

Even though you asked what to do , prevention is half the battle, and it’s trending as a key topic for high‑altitude travel in the last few years.

  • Ascend gradually: above about 2,500–3,000 m, keep sleeping elevation gains modest and add rest days.
  • Spend a night or two at an intermediate altitude before going very high (for example, fly into a mid‑altitude city, stay, then go higher).
  • Avoid heavy exertion and alcohol in the first 24–48 hours at a new high altitude.
  • Discuss preventive acetazolamide with a clinician if you have a history of altitude sickness, are going very high, or must ascend quickly (common on popular treks and ski trips).

Simple HTML Table (Treat vs Prevent)

html

<table>
  <tr>
    <th>Situation</th>
    <th>What to Do</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Mild altitude sickness</td>
    <td>Stop ascending, rest, hydrate, use painkillers/anti-nausea meds, wait 12–72 hours.[web:3][web:5][web:7][web:8]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Moderate or worsening symptoms</td>
    <td>Descend 300–1,000 m if possible; seek medical help; consider oxygen or emergency meds as advised.[web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Severe symptoms (HACE/HAPE signs)</td>
    <td>Emergency descent, oxygen, possible hyperbaric bag, urgent medical care.[web:1][web:3]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Before a high-altitude trip</td>
    <td>Ascend slowly, plan rest days, avoid alcohol early on, consider preventive acetazolamide after medical advice.[web:2][web:3][web:6][web:9]</td>
  </tr>
</table>

TL;DR

  • Stop going higher at the first sign of altitude sickness.
  • Rest, hydrate, and treat symptoms; if they worsen or don’t improve, go down.
  • Oxygen, pressure bags, and medications can help, but descent is the core life‑saving step.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.