Why Altitude Sickness Hits Tourists in Mexico City
You don’t have to look far for an explanation of why so many tourists in Mexico City come down with altitude sickness.
No acclimatization on arrival: The majority of visitors put in a direct flight from someplace at or near sea level: Miami, New York, London, even Cancún. You deplane and are immediately in thinner air; your body has to make the adjustment on its own terms and it doesn’t always do so quietly.
Mexico City’s altitude is higher than most people expect: We are 7,350 feet (2,240 m) up, which puts us well above the kind of places you might otherwise be wary of. Take Denver, the Mile High City: at 5,280 feet it is still nearly 2,000 feet below us. If you are used to sea level, the oxygen your system is counting on is just not going to be there.
Physical activity on arrival day accelerates onset: Some of it is how you spend your first day. A tourist who heads straight from the airport into a full day of walking and sightseeing, with no built-in rest before hitting the streets, is putting a strain on his cardiovascular system before he has had a chance to get used to things. World Cup visitors doing a stadium day on arrival afternoon see this especially often. That kind of exertion will bring on symptoms faster and with more force.
And don’t forget the air quality: The city’s pollution is an added factor on top of the reduced oxygen from the elevation. On days when the smog is bad, the two combine to make things worse. You can see people who have never been bothered by altitude before start to show signs of it.
When Your Altitude Sickness Needs Medical Attention
There are times when altitude sickness is something you can put in the hands of a telemedicine provider and others when you need to be seen right away.
Manageable symptoms (suitable for telemedicine):
If your symptoms are manageable, a virtual consult is fine. We can diagnose altitude sickness by what you tell us and have a prescription for acetazolamide, an antiemetic or some ibuprofen sent to a pharmacy near you without you having to make an in-person trip. This approach is good for:
- A headache that lingers and won’t budge with paracetamol or ibuprofen
- Feeling too weak or fatigued for what you’ve been up to
- Nausea and no desire to eat
- Some dizziness on your feet when you stand or walk
- Being unable to get or keep your sleep even when you are worn out
- Getting winded over light exertion like going up a flight of stairs
Symptoms requiring emergency care:
But certain signs are red flags for high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) or high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), which are genuine emergencies. In these cases there is no substitute for emergency care; don’t rely on telemedicine. Head to the nearest hospital or dial 911 at once. You should also start making your way down to a lower elevation as fast as you can.
Call for help if you have:
- Trouble breathing even when you are at rest
- Any change in your mental state, confusion or disorientation
- Skin that has turned pale, gray or blue, particularly on the lips
- A bad cough that is getting worse, or one that brings up blood or pink mucus
- Chest that feels tight
- Vomiting so severe you can’t hold down any fluids
- A loss of coordination where you can’t walk in a straight line or find yourself stumbling
Get a rapid symptom assessment. Use our emergency triage tool to find the right care level in one minute.
How to Get Altitude Sickness Treatment While Visiting Mexico City
Dealing with altitude sickness in Mexico City doesn’t always mean you have to put in an appearance at a clinic. If you are feeling under the weather but your symptoms are not out of hand, or if you would like a doctor’s opinion before making that trip, there is no better option than telemedicine.
Vacation Doctor offers telemedicine services to anyone in Mexico, tourist or resident. You can have a consultation in English over WhatsApp. Dr. Oscar will go over your symptoms and get some history from you, when they started, when you arrived, any conditions you may have had before, to decide if he can handle it remotely or if you should be seen in person.
In the case of altitude sickness, a remote prescription might cover:
- Acetazolamide (Diamox) to help you acclimatize faster
- Something for the nausea or an altitude headache
- Advice on whether to hydrate and rest up in the city or head to lower ground
He will even send the prescription to a pharmacy in your vicinity.
The service is around the clock, seven days a week. And should your condition warrant it, Dr. Oscar won’t mince words; he will let you know right away and point you in the direction of the proper emergency care.
Getting Help Quickly
Quick and easy help is at hand.
- Message via WhatsApp: Just put in a WhatsApp with some details on your symptoms, when they began and where you are in Mexico City. You don’t have to make an appointment.
- Dr. Oscar responds within 20 minutes: Dr. Oscar will be in touch in under 20 minutes to ask whatever he needs to get a handle on your situation.
- Telemedicine consultation by text or video: We offer telemedicine in English, by text or video. The consultation will go over the severity of what you are experiencing, your medical history and any current medications.
- Prescription sent to a nearby pharmacy: Should you require a prescription, we will have it sent to a pharmacy close by. In CDMX you will find acetazolamide and the like at most places along the hotel corridors.
- Follow-up within 24 hours if needed: If your condition calls for it, there is a follow-up in 24 hours.
None of the usual hassles: no paperwork, no waiting room, and you won’t have to try and figure out a foreign healthcare system when you are not feeling well.
Telemedicine for Tourists in Mexico City
Whether you are a resident or visiting, Vacation Doctor offers telemedicine consultations not only in Mexico City but in every major city across the country. If your symptoms are something you can manage, we are on hand 24/7 via WhatsApp anywhere in Mexico. But should you have a medical emergency or severe symptoms, put down the phone and head to the closest hospital or put in a call to local emergency services at 911.
Please note that this article is strictly for your information and isn’t to be taken as medical advice. In the event of an emergency, don’t hesitate to contact local services or make your way to a hospital right away.