There are many physical dangers to the climbers on Mt. Everest. Many people frequently die from these dangers. Some of the sicknesses about every climber develops, like the Khumbu Cough. Four of the main dangers are frostbite, hypothermia, snowblindness, and acute mountain sickness (AMS).
Frostbite is one of the most common dangers on Mt. Everest. It normally happens to hands or feet. It happens from not keeping different body parts warm enough. The frostbite will make the body part turn to a blackish blue color. If the frostbite goes to far without being treated the body part that has it will probably have to be amputated.
To help treat frostbite take off all wet clothing. Drink warm fluids and stay inside. Put frostbitten body parts in warm water and rewarm. Do not thaw frostbite or use direct heat like a fire. Do not rub frostbite. To prevent frostbite keep moving, stay warm and drink warm fluids.
Hypothermia is not that common. Your whole body gets it. It is caused from your body temperature going down faster than it is made. It is like you are frozen or in a coma, because you cannot really move. You can barely talk and if you do it is hardly understandable. Your blood will slow down until it stops and that will make you die.
There is not really a way to treat without going to the hospital. You can rewarm and that will stop most of it. You should go to the hospital as soon as you can. Also you should remove all wet clothes and put on dry clothes. To prevent hypothermia stay warm, keep moving, drink warm fluids and try to stay dry.
Snow blindness is not all that common. It happens due to seeing the sun's reflection on the snow. The person who has the sickness will get their eyesight damaged. Snow blindness will make the persons eyes ooze and swell. It will make the persons eyes sensitive and they might have pains in the fore head and eyes.
A way the person could treat snow blindness would be to put a moist patch on their eyes. To prevent snow blindness you should wear sunglasses. The sunglasses should have side screens.
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is common. It has a lot of different symptoms, but whoever has AMS will not necessarily get them all. One of the most common symptoms is a headache. Some more are nausea, vomiting, though getting sleep, dizziness, small breaths, anorexia and fatigue. Acute Mountain Sickness makes so you don’t think right. It will make you collapse after a while and you won’t really be able to do anything.
To treat the person would be to use pain reliever and steroids. They should get medical help immediately. To prevent AMS you should acclimatize before climbing in high altitudes.
