Nepal provides travellers with scenic views, flourishing flora and fauna, and trekking trails. These trails have difficulty levels ranging from low to high and attract adventurers from around the globe.
If you’re visiting Nepal soon, you might want to plan at least a short hike, or even a month long trail to mountain base camps. Either way, travellers may face health issues.
Read on to know more about 5 common health problems that travelers may face while trekking and how they can completely avoid it.
1. Blisters
Blisters appear when your skin makes contact with ill-fitting sock or shoes. This friction causes one of the most common and annoying injuries. Avoid this small but annoying injury by taking proper preventive measures:
– Make sure your socks don’t slip down while walking.
– Wear proper shoes while hiking.
– Make sure your shoes are a proper fit to prevent your foot from unwanted friction.
– Keep your feet dry and carry at least 2 spare socks in case your socks get wet.
If you get a blister, it is important not to pop it through unsterilized methods as it increases the risk of infection. Instead wrap the affected part with a bandage. Once you get hold of a sterilized needle, you can pop it, drain it, apply disinfectant, and wrap the blister with a bandage.
2. Sprains
The most common sprain that happens to people while trekking is an ankle sprain. This happens when the ligaments that support the ankle get stretched or torn. Some ankle sprains can be easy to take care of, while others might need medical attention.
It is beneficial for any trekkers to keep the following prevention tips in mind:
– Buy good hiking boots with sturdy ankle support.
– Take caution while trailing through uneven ground.
– Walk with caution on slippery surfaces and do not rush.
– Use walking sticks for support – if you don’t have a walking stick you can use fallen branches instead.
If you do get an ankle sprain then remember R.I.C. E: Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. After this use a walking stick, or ask help from your travelling companion to lessen the weight on your injured feet when you walk.
3. Altitude sickness
Altitude sickness is a mild form of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) which can affect even experienced trekkers. AMS occurs when you quickly move to higher altitudes before your body can adjust to the changes in the air pressure and oxygen level. Symptoms of altitude sickness include headache, nausea, weakness, loss of appetite, etc.
Acclimatization is important to if you want to prevent Altitude sickness from worsening. To adapt better on higher altitudes:
– Return to a lower altitude to sleep even if you are familiar to higher altitudes.
– Stay nourished by eating meals with high carbohydrate content.
– Drink plenty of water as you climb higher.
– Avoid dramatic gains in elevation.
– Be active and do not sleep as soon as you reach high altitude.
4. Snow blindness
Snow Blindness happens when one’s eyes get exposed to excessive radiation. This can happen when looking at snow directly since snow absorbs only about 25% of the light, and reflects the rest causing damage to the capillaries in your eyes. Snow Blindness is a serious injury that can be prevented easily by wearing protective sunglasses.
Remember to carry sunglasses, and to not lose or break them when trekking. If you are not carrying dark shades, it will be best for you to cut down exposure to the snow, and remain indoors. Alternatively, you can also try to shield your eyes using cotton drapes, but it will not be as effective.
Symptoms of Snow Blindness include eye pain, burning eyes, watery eyes, blurry eyes, and more. Do not rub your eyes if you suspect you have snow blindness. Instead place a dampened washcloth over closed eyelids for pain relief.
5. Sunburn
Sunburn is damage caused to skin exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays present in sunlight. Getting sunburned during hiking and trekking is common since people often neglect to wear sunscreen, and even if they do, they do not reapply it frequently.
The best way to prevent sunburn is to cover up as much as possible: wear a cap, scarves to cover the face and neck, and full sleeved shirt and pants.
You can apply a soaked piece of clothing to relieve sunburn pains. A few days after a sunburn, the body starts to heal itself. However, medical attention may be required if it doesn’t improve, or if it is accompanied by high fever or nausea.
Looking for a Reliable and Professional Rescue Medicine Consultation in Nepal?
If you are on a trail and have an illness that needs to be diagnosed and treated immediately, contact us at Swacon International Hospital. Our team of medical experts have extensive experience with Rescue Medicine and Travel Medicine and can provide you with the professional care and treatment that you need.
To book an appointment, please call us at +977-1-4478105 or email us at info@swaconhospital.com.
Health for All