Get acquainted with 6 diseases that often attack mountain climbers

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Mountain climbing is a sport that requires excellent physical readiness. This is because the terrain on the mountain has different slopes and characteristics. Even the summit attack path always makes climbers have to walk slowly and carefully. Therefore, physical preparation must be done before climbing the mountain to avoid some of the diseases that often attack climbers on the mountain.

In addition to the heavy terrain, weather factors and air pressure at high altitudes also contribute to making some mountain climbers feel what is called mountain sickness. Ranging from mild diseases to deadly diseases such as hypothermia which claimed so many lives of climbers.

Therefore, in addition to physical preparation, we also have to know what diseases often attack climbers when they are on the mountain. Here are 6 diseases that climbers often experience when on the mountain with their causes and how to handle them.


1. Muscle spasms/cramps

As we know in mountaineering we will be required to walk further and for hours than usual while carrying a gravel load that contains logistics, clothing, and mountaineering equipment. Plus, mountain climbing is a tough sport that demands physical, mental strength,, and feelings, eh.


As the cool name is Hiking, then in mountain climbing we will be required to walk along the path while walking, not riding a motorbike (if that's called ngojek). Of course, it's not only an hour but more than an hour and even hours, especially if you meet climbers who come down and ask, is Pos 2 still far or not? And they said they were close, at least 5 minutes away. But after 2 hours, it just arrived at post 2 hadeehh. (Whose behavior is that who likes to make 5-minute hoaxes in the mountains, let's admit it, it means we have the same frequency, eh).


In addition to walking for hours with a large gravel load, we will also find various hiking trails or trails ranging from castings in the community's gardens, dirt tracks, rock tracks, root tracks, knee tracks to meet chins or tilts of pride, tracks sand, but there is no trailer truck, yes, the one on the mountain is a trailer climber, especially during the summit attack, eh.


Of course, with such challenges, it is not uncommon for mountain climbers to experience muscle spasms/cramps. Usually caused by taking the wrong path to stand and also lack of warm-up and physical exercise before climbing. Plus the cold air in the mountains is also very influential and can make your muscles tense and cramp.


Signs that you are experiencing cramps are when your legs experience sudden cramps and the leg muscles become hard and difficult to move. And what is certain is that it will hurt and hinder the climb.


How to Handle Cramps


If you experience this while climbing a mountain, then try the following treatments so that the pain is reduced. Try taking a short break and calm your body by releasing the keril for a moment, then don't forget to drink and snack or eat snacks that contain lots of salt.


But don't just carry a lot of salt, then you give fresh bread salt and then eat it. I can't imagine it's like wanting to get married or even wanting to get married. Foods that contain salt here for example ciki and her friends or you can also eat wheat bread which is rich in carbohydrates and serves to restore energy as well.


2. AMS/Altitude Disease

So the cause of climbers experiencing mountain sickness is due to differences in altitude and the surrounding environment. Usually occurs due to the length of time the body adapts to new environments and new heights. The higher the place, the lower the air pressure and the less oxygen.


So if you can't adapt or the language is cool, it will take a long time to acclimatize to the new environment, especially in the mountains. Then most likely will contract this mountain sickness. Where the signs begin with dizziness and nausea, then shortness of breath, no appetite to the scariestscariest heart palpitations. But the pounding wasn't because I met him in the hiking trail, eh.


So if you or your climbing partner experience the signs above, then try taking a short break while waiting for the body to adapt to the surrounding environment. Understandably because the higher the oxygen intake is getting thinner and can result in a lack of oxygen intake in the blood. And if this is forced, dangerous things can happen, from excessive headaches to loss of consciousness.


How to Treat AMS/Altitude Disease


For the treatment of this disease, we must increase the speed of acclimatization or adaptation of the body to the new environment and altitude. The trick is to arrive early and stay 1-2 days at the climbing basecamp.


This can make our bodies fitter and more prepared and able to adapt to new environments and weather conditions at high altitudes. And this is mandatory, especially for climbers who have slow acclimatization or are climbing the mountain for the first time.


Besides that, another advantage of staying at the basecamp before climbing is that the body can be fitter and more ready to climb. Because it was a break after traveling far from home to the climbing basecamp which must have been tired.


Then what if mountain sickness occurs while climbing? Now if this one treatment then takes a break to make the body adapt to the environment. If you feel you are no longer dizzy and your heart is pounding, you can continue the climb but don't force yourself.


But if you have rested it gets worse then the only way is to go down to a lower place first to let the body adapt. But if it's really bad then take it down to basecamp and let it rest there. So don't be forced to keep climbing in such conditions.


3. Hypothermia

This is one of the deadliest diseases on the mountain, apart from falling into a ravine or going the wrong way and getting lost. And many people died because of hypothermia or better known as hypo.


Hypothermia itself occurs due to the drop in temperature inside our body because the temperature outside the body is also cold. Coupled with the fatigue factor and high altitude fields that are so draining and also the oxygen supply is running low. Makes our bodies prone to hypothermia attacks when climbing mountains. Especially when extreme weather conditions such as storms or heavy rain on the mountain. Then the risk of developing hypothermia will increase.


Therefore we must always warm the body and change dry clothes before going to bed. This is done to prevent hypothermia, especially during sleep.


Usually, the signs of a person affected by hypothermia are severe chills, the face looks pale and dry skin. And if the hypothermia is severe, it can lose consciousness and the breath becomes slower and shorter like a dying person.


How to treat hypothermia


For how to handle if one of our friends is affected by hypothermia while climbing, then immediately bring it into the tent. If you are on the road then find a roomy place and then set up a tent first. Then change the victim's clothes with dry clothes and if possible warm clothes. Then create a warm environment by applying heating oil (tawon oil, GPU, capkampak, et al).


After that, put the victim into a sleeping bag that has been warmed before. How to warm the sleeping bag before use is by putting pasta water into the bottle and putting it into the sleeping bag before use. After the victim enters the sleeping bag, the next step is to talk to the victim if he is still conscious and make warm drinks such as ginger wedang and the like.


If the victim is in a state of loss of consciousness then try as much as possible to resuscitate the victim by holding eucalyptus oil near his nose so that he will immediately wake up. Don't forget to make warm water in a bottle and put it in a sleeping bag with the victim to provide warmth.


However, if it is severe then make skin-to-skin contact to lure the victim's body temperature back to warm and normal. Remember, skin-to-skin contact is done when all the above methods of handling do not work and the victim's body temperature drops. And this skin contact must be done with the same sex and if possible with relatives or close friends.


If for example the victim is a woman and she is the only woman in your group. So as much as possible ask for help from other female climbers to accompany and warm-up and change the victim's clothes in the tent. Let things happen that are not desirable and detrimental to others.


If the above method doesn't work, you can contact the SAR team via an emergency call or ask for help from other experienced climbers.


4. Frostbite

Frostbite or frostbite usually attacks climbers who climb at altitudes of more than 4,000 meters above sea level or in snowy mountains. Although not as deadly as hypothermia, frostbite is so terrible if it is severe and can lose our fingers or toes.


Because this mountain disease attacks the fingers and toes. So it's no wonder that climbers who often climb to Mount Hilamaya or mountains with snow often have to lose their fingers and toes because of this disease.


This disease is characterized by the skin of the fingers becoming dense and gray and the skin tissue in the affected area will harden and numb due to cold. This is because the skin tissue freezes due to the extreme cold outside.


How to treat cold sores


For how to handle it can be by soaking the feet or hands affected by this disease with warm water. Then dry and wrap the body part with a warm cloth so that it gets warm again. And of course, everything is done in a tent, yes, and try to create a warm atmosphere in the tent to speed up the healing of this disease.


However, if it is severe and the skin tissue breaks due to freezing, then inevitably, further medical treatment must be carried out by cutting the rotten part of the finger or toe so that it does not spread to the foot tissue. So this is why the climbers, especially in the mountains that have this ice, not a few of them lose fingers or toes.


5. Hypoxia/Oxygen Deficiency

This disease often attacks climbers who climb the iceberg or who have an altitude above 5,000 masl. This is because the higher the place, the oxygen pressure will decrease. This is what causes hypoxia, which is when the body's tissue conditions are deprived of oxygen.


This disease is usually experienced by mountain climbers who have a history of asthma or who do not warm up and acclimatize first to the surrounding weather conditions. Therefore, usually, to climb Mount Everest we will be at the Everest basecamp for approximately 1 month to 40 days while exercising and to condition the body with the weather conditions there.


How to handle hypoxia/oxygen deficiency


For how to handle it, namely by inhaling oxygen from an emergency portable oxygen cylinder. Where when climbing to the top of Everest, it is obligatory to carry this portable oxygen cylinder during the ascent.


However, if you run out of oxygen, the risk that occurs is that the body will experience hallucinations and the peak will be loss of consciousness and death because the organs of the body lack oxygen and cannot work properly.


6. Sendi-Rian


This disease usually attacks single climbers who are bored when they reach the top of the mountain and see other climbers taking photos with their partners. That's it, the pose is intimate again and it's UWU and makes the eyes of the single climbers test their guts. It is heart-wrenching and mind-blowing and the future is such a sight.


Especially before climbing the mountain, he got an invitation from his ex or was left behind when he got married again, unfortunately, because he continued to climb the mountain, eh.


How to treat Sendi-Rian


The way to handle it is really easy, namely by being anti-self aka retiring as a single climber and graduating from horror questions from an uncle, aunt, friends, and family, namely "When are you getting married?"


So, those are some of the diseases that often attack climbers while on the mountain that you must watch out for, especially the last disease alias number 6. Because according to surveys from mountain climbers, it turns out that most mountain climbers are singles, especially mountain climbers who are boys, he said.


But what is certain is that when you are going to climb a mountain, you must always pray first, check your health and prepare physically, mentally, and equipment as well as qualified survival insights. So that during the climb they can do it smoothly and safely to the top until they return to their respective homes to meet their favorite mattress.


Stay safe and stay safe


Greetings Lestari and keep exploring Again because Indonesia's nature is very beautiful and so amazing.


Redaksi Jelajah Lagi

Kami mengulas berbagai hal menarik tentang petualangan, pendakian gunung dan traveling serta perlengkapan outdoor untuk menunjang aktifitas alam bebas.

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