Altitude Sickness

[Guest guest]

Can anyone suggest a formula or individual herbs to prevent or cure altitude

sickness, I have a patient that is traveling to the Andes to do some mountain

climbing and will be at elevations from 9,000 to 19,000 feet if they summit.

Thanks IRV

[Guest guest]

The Institute for Traditional Medicine's START group (one of the most

valuable TCM learning experiences I've had) published a monograph about

altitude sickness formulas a few years back. I've used them with quite a

few patients, as well as myself, and found them to be exceptionally useful.

 

I would contact them first, they'll fax you the article. If you don't have

a fax machine and need it more rapidly I'll dig up the formula and email it

to you.

 

Mark Reese

[Guest guest]

Coca leaves, chewed, or in tea will relief all altitude symptoms. At that

altitude the coca will bring a person " down " .

 

 

>Can anyone suggest a formula or individual herbs to prevent or cure altitude

>sickness, I have a patient that is traveling to the Andes to do some mountain

>climbing and will be at elevations from 9,000 to 19,000 feet if they summit.

>Thanks IRV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L.Ac.

acupuncture & herbs

safe, compassionate care

 

1823 Wilshire Blvd. #610

Santa Monica, CA

90403

310 264-9197

[Guest guest]

There is an article at;

 

http://www.itmonline.org/disorder.htm

Reduction of Mountain Sickness with Chinese Herbs

 

The only personal experience I have is that Tienchi helps me when at high

altitude.

 

Gilbert

[Guest guest]

on 10/5/00 7:30 AM, Irvcmarcus at Irvcmarcus wrote:

 

> Can anyone suggest a formula or individual herbs to prevent or cure altitude

> sickness, I have a patient that is traveling to the Andes to do some mountain

> climbing and will be at elevations from 9,000 to 19,000 feet if they summit.

> Thanks IRV

>

There are a number of medicinals that are used in China to treat altitude

sickness. . . . one that comes to mind is wu wei zi.

 

 

[Guest guest]

I used to have terrible problems with altitude sickness. The best things

I found were SLOW ascents, with plenty of time to stop and walk around on

the way up. A day or two at the top altitude to accomodate before I had

to do something important. Deep breathing exercises including a spell of

rapid hyperventilation. Not wearing or carrying something that would

reduce circulation (like a backpack or tight pants). And plenty of

oatstraw infusion or a gentle diuretic might help that fluid retention.

(1 oz. oatstraw/quart water, inused overnight)

 

Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus, Ci wu jia) has a good track

record for dealing with altitude and low oxygen environments. It is used

by mountain climbers, athletes, the Russian Olympic team and Soviet

cosmonauts (for really high altitudes). I remember one study where

skiers took a single dose before a race and found fewer problems dealing

with cold as well as physical endurance (especially when not

fully-trained). Fenugreek tea also helps prevent and arrest the problem

(external invasion by climactic factors).

 

A friend concocted a successful altitude sickness tincture of equal parts

of Gingko biloba leaf tincture, Cratageus tincture, gotu kola tincture, &

Panax quinquefolia tincture, all 1:5 to be taken 1/2 tsp qid 3 days

before

ascending and for the duration of the climb. A 2 oz bottle at that

dosage would have lasted a little over a week. Longer trekkers seem to

acclimatize well and after a week or so can way diminish or quit the

herbs

altogether. She also suggests chlorophyll for a month before the trip

to increasing the O2 carrying capacity of the cells. The Ci wu jia

should do that as well.

 

My South American colleagues tell me that drinking coca leaf tea is the

only way to prevent Andean altitude sickness, besides hyperbaric oxygen

which is found in Lima and less expensive than in the US. Maybe your

friend can research one or the other.

 

Karen Vaughan

CreationsGarden

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[Guest guest]

I've had flatladers have an easy time adjusting to 12,000 feet in the Rocky

Mountains on hikes from their sealevel homes. I had them take Cataplex E-2

from Standard Process West for a few weeks(3) before visiting. Standard

Process West's phone is 970-416-9011 and they say this is a common supplement

taken for climbing some of the worlds's highest mountains.

Eric

[Guest guest]

Atma Namaste,

I am an Associate Certified Pranic Healer. One of

friends has

recently returned from a trip to the Himalayas. He was

feeling quite

awful on his return and his physician diagnosed

Altitude Sickness. Can

I provide Pranic treatment along with his medications?

What should be

the methodology and precautions?

 

Abhijit Roy

 

===========================

 

 

Dear Abhijit,

 

Atma namaste.

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Medical Background:

 

Altitude Illness

 

Travelers whose itineraries will take them above an

altitude of 1,829-2,438m (6,000-8,000ft) should be

aware of the risk of altitude illness. Travelers are

exposed to higher altitudes in a number of ways: by

flying into a high-altitude city, by driving to a

high-altitude destination, or by hiking or climbing in

high mountains. Examples of high-altitude cities with

airports are Cuzco, Peru (3,000m; 11,000ft); La Paz,

Bolivia (3,444m; 11,300ft); and Lhasa, Tibet (3,749m;

12,500ft).

 

Travelers vary considerably in their susceptibility to

altitude illness, and no screening tests are available

to predict someone's risk for altitude illness.

Susceptibility to altitude illness appears to be

inherent in some way and is not affected by training

or physical fitness. How a traveler has responded in

the past to exposure to high altitude is the most

reliable guide for future trips but is not infallible.

 

Travelers with underlying medical conditions, such as

congestive heart failure, myocardial ischemia

(angina), sickle cell disease, or any form of

pulmonary insufficiency, should be advised to consult

a doctor familiar with high-altitude illness before

undertaking such travel. The risk of new ischemic

heart disease in previously healthy travelers does not

appear to be increased at high altitudes.

 

Most people do not have visual problems at high

altitude. However, at very high altitudes some persons

who had incisional radial keratotomy (a procedure

widely performed from the late 1970s to the early

1990s) may develop acute farsightedness. The laser

surgery for vision correction that replaced radial

keratotomy (e.g., Lasik and other procedures) is not

associated with visual disturbances at high altitudes.

 

Altitude illness is the result of traveling to a

higher altitude faster than the body can adapt to that

new altitude. Fluid leakage from blood vessels appears

to be the main cause of symptoms. Altitude illness is

divided into three syndromes: acute mountain sickness

(AMS), high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), and

high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE).

 

AMS is the most common form of altitude illness and,

while it can occur at altitudes as low as 1,219-1,829m

(4,000-6,000ft), most often it occurs in abrupt

ascents to >2,743m (>9,000ft).

 

Symptoms of AMS - The symptoms resemble those of an

alcohol hangover: headache, fatigue, loss of appetite,

nausea, and, occasionally, vomiting. The onset of AMS

is delayed, usually beginning 6-12 hours after arrival

at a higher altitude, but occasionally greater than or

equal to 24 hours after ascent.

 

HACE is considered a severe progression of AMS. In

addition to the AMS symptoms, lethargy becomes

profound, confusion can manifest, and ataxia will be

demonstrated during the tandem gait test. A traveler

who fails the tandem gait test has HACE by definition,

and immediate descent is mandatory.

 

HAPE can occur by itself or in conjunction with HACE.

The initial symptoms are increased breathlessness with

exertion, and eventually increased breathlessness at

rest. The diagnosis can usually be made when

breathlessness fails to resolve after several minutes

of rest. At this point, it is critical to descend to a

lower altitude.

 

HAPE can be more rapidly fatal than HACE.

 

Determining an itinerary that will avoid any

occurrence of altitude illness is difficult because of

variations in individual susceptibility, as well as in

starting points and terrain. The main point of

instructing travelers about altitude illness is not to

prevent any possibility of altitude illness, but to

prevent death from altitude illness. The onset of

symptoms and clinical course are sufficiently slow and

predictable that there is no reason for someone to die

from altitude illness unless trapped by weather or

geography in a situation in which descent is

impossible. The three rules that travelers should be

made aware of to prevent death from altitude illness

are:

 

-Learn the early symptoms of altitude illness and be

willing to admit that you have them.

-Never ascend to sleep at a higher altitude when

experiencing any of the symptoms of altitude illness,

no matter how minor they seem.

-Descend if the symptoms become worse while resting at

the same altitude.

 

Studies have shown that travelers who are on organized

group treks to high-altitude locations are more likely

to die of altitude illness than travelers who are by

themselves. This is most likely the result of group

pressure (whether perceived or real) and a fixed

itinerary. The most important aspect of preventing

severe altitude illness is to refrain from further

ascent until all symptoms of altitude illness have

disappeared.

 

Children are as susceptible to altitude illness as

adults, and young children who cannot talk can show

very nonspecific symptoms, such as loss of appetite

and irritability. There are no studies or case reports

of harm to a fetus if the mother travels briefly to

high altitude during pregnancy. However, most

authorities recommend that pregnant women stay below

3,658m (12,000ft) if possible.

 

There are medications that have shown to be useful

in the prevention and treatment of altitude illness.

(Please consult your medical doctor for your specific

requirements.)

 

HAPE is always associated with increased pulmonary

artery pressure. Drugs that can selectively lower

pulmonary artery pressure have been shown to be of

benefit in preventing and treating HAPE.

 

For trekking groups and expeditions going into remote

high-altitude areas, where descent to a lower altitude

could be problematic, a pressurization bag (the Gamow

bag) can prove extremely beneficial. Persons with

altitude illness can be zipped into the bag, and a

foot pump can increase the pressure inside the bag by

2 lbs. per in2, mimicking a descent of 1,500-1,800m

(5,000-6,000ft), depending on the starting altitude.

The total packed weight of the bag and pump is

approximately 6.5kg.

 

For most travelers, the best way to avoid altitude

illness is to plan a gradual ascent, with extra rest

days at intermediate altitudes....

 

Source : David Shlim, Yellow Book, Chapter 6 –

Non-Infectious Risks During Travel, Travelers' Health:

 

Health Information for International Travel, 2005-2006

 

The Yellow Book is published every two years by CDC as

a reference for those who advise international

travelers of health risks. The Yellow Book is written

primarily for health care providers, although others

might find it useful.

 

 

Pranic Healing:

 

1. Invoke and scan before, during and after

treatment.

 

2. Teach the patient proper slow deep abdominal

Pranic Breathing 6-3-6-3. Wait until the patient has

completed 12 cycles of Pranic Breathing before

starting the treatment. Ask the patient to continue

Pranic Breathing during treatment.

 

3. General sweeping twice using LWG.

 

4. Localized thorough sweeping on all the major

chakras and vital organs using LWG.

 

5. Localized thorough sweeping on the head area, the

ajna chakra, forehead chakra, crown chakra, temple

minor chakras and back head minor chakra. Energize

them with LWG then with oridnary LWV.

 

6. Localized thorough sweeping on the jaw minor

chakras, throat chakra and secondary throat chakra.

Energize them with LWG then with ordinary LWV.

 

7. Localized thorough sweeping on the ribs and the

entire spine.

 

8. Localized thorough sweeping on the front and back

heart chakra. Energize through the back heart chakra

with LWG then with more of ordinary LWV.

 

9. Localized thorough sweeping on the front, sides

and back of the lungs. Energize through the back of

the lungs with LWG, LWR then ordinary LWV.

 

10. Localized thorough sweeping on the front and back

spleen chakra.

 

11. Localized thorough sweeping on the front and back

solar plexus chakra and the liver. Energize the

solar plexus chakra with LWG, LWB then ordinary LWV.

 

More experienced advanced Pranic Healers, please apply

the cleansing the internal organs technique.

 

12. Localized thorough sweeping on the basic chakra,

sex chakra, navel chakra and the lower abdominal area.

Energize the chakras with LWR.

 

13. Localized thorough sweeping on the arms and legs

and their minor chakras. Energize the minor chakras

of the arms and legs with LWR.

 

14. Stabilize and release projected pranic energy.

 

15. Repeat treatment 2 to 3 times per week.

 

16. For patient

- Slow deep abdominal Pranic Breathing for 5 minutes

per session, one session every 3 to 6 hours everyday.

- Light physical exercise daily.

 

Love,

 

Marilette

 

 

Source materials for all MCKS Pranic Healing protocols are taken from the

following books by Master Choa Kok Sui:

 

* Miracles Through Pranic Healing

* Advanced Pranic Healing

* Pranic Psychotherapy

* Pranic Crystal Healing.

 

 

NOTICE:

1. Pranic Healing is not intended to replace orthodox medicine, but rather to

complement it. If symptoms persist or if the ailment is severe, please consult

immediately a medical doctor and a Certified Pranic Healer.

 

2. Pranic Healers who are are not medical doctors should not prescribe nor

interfere with prescribed medications and/or medical treatments. ~ Master Choa

Kok Sui

 

 

" Miracles do not happen in contradiction to nature, but only to that which is

known to us in nature. " ~ St. Augustine

 

Ask or read the up to date Pranic Healing protocols by joining the group through

http://health./

 

MCKS Pranic Healing gateway website: http://www.pranichealing.org.

 

 

 

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