HIGH-ALTITUDE HEALTH TIPS

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR HIGH-ALTITUDE CONDITIONS?

Most people will adapt relatively well to the altitude on the valley floor in Jackson Hole, which is around 6,300 feet above sea level. The people who tend to have the biggest trouble often have preexisting medical problems, especially obstructive sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart failure, heart disease, pulmonary hypertension or chronic lung conditions. Even healthy visitors can occasionally have issues with the altitude during activity.

I see several patients every week who were given the “all clear” by their providers back home and then experienced worsening of their usually well-controlled medical problems when they came to Jackson Hole. If you have a significant preexisting medical condition, seek advice from a qualified medical provider who is experienced in altitude medicine. There are medications that can be prescribed in advance to help reduce your risk of getting sick.

WHAT DOES ALTITUDE SICKNESS FEEL LIKE?

The most common form of altitude sickness here is called acute mountain sickness. The symptoms are: headache, nausea, fatigue and sometimes shortness of breath. Generally, those symptoms worsen at higher elevations or during exertion.

If you feel that you might be suffering from acute mountain sickness, descend to the valley floor, stay hydrated, get some rest, and most of the symptoms will pass.

If you are having trouble adapting to the elevation of Jackson Hole, you shouldn’t go to Yellowstone until symptoms resolve—most of the Yellowstone plateau is significantly higher than Jackson Hole.

HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF FROM ALTITUDE SICKNESS?

1. Stay well hydrated. Due to our dry climate here, it’s very easy to get dehydrated.

2. Limit your alcohol intake.

3. Get plenty of rest and transition gradually from the valley floor to higher elevations.

Dr

Jim Little,

Jr Family Health + Urgent Care

Dr. James "Jim" Little, Jr., spent most of his childhood in Jackson, Wyoming. His father, Dr. Jim Little, Sr., was the first pediatrician in Jackson. He is board certified in family medicine and is also a Senior FAA Aviation Medical Examiner. When not practicing medicine, Dr. Little Jr. is an avid skier, volunteers as a firefighter with Jackson Fire/EMS, and flies as a search and rescue mission pilot with Civil Air Patrol.

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