RESPIRATORY DISORDERS - Medicine for Mountaineering and Other Wilderness Activities - page 238

orspasmsofthefingers,hands,andforearms,whichareparticularly frighteningtotheper-
son.
Even though the hyperventilation syndrome is suspected, the individual should be ex-
amined to ensure no other problem is present. If not, reassurance and explanation are usu-
allyenoughtoreversethedisorder.Thepersonshouldbeinstructedtodeliberatelyslowthe
rate of breathing. If this is not effective, a tranquilizer may be necessary. Once recovered,
the individual may feel weak and shaky and have a headache. A treatment that has been
recommended in the past is breathing into a paper bag. Currently this is not recommended,
however, because it may cause dangerously low blood oxygen levels at high altitude or be-
cause an unrecognized lung problem actually may be present at any altitude.
INFECTIOUS DISORDERS
Tracheitis
The trachea is the large airway leading from the throat to the middle of the chest, where
itdividesintothetwomainbronchi.Thisstructuresometimesbecomesinflamedandocca-
sionally infected. Usually the pain is in the throat below the tonsils or beneath the sternum
and becomes worse with breathing. Coughing may cause pain in the same area and may
produce thick sputum. The treatment for tracheitis is the same as for bronchitis.
Bronchitis
Bronchitis, or more properly tracheobronchitis, is an infection of the major air passages
to the lungs. Such infections are rarely disabling but occasionally progress to pneumonia.
This disease frequently comes on during or after a cold, and may be called a “chest cold.”
The predominant symptom of bronchitis is a persistent irritating cough that may be dry
but frequently becomes productive after one or two days. The sputum may be green or yel-
low. Slight pain may be associated with the coughing and easy fatigability may be present,
particularly at high altitudes. However, the person does not usually appear severely ill and
hasonlyaslightfeverornoneatall.Iftheinfectioninvolvesthelarynx(voicebox),thein-
dividual may be hoarse (laryngitis). A few wheezes and crackles may be heard throughout
the chest, but these tend to disappear with coughing.
The treatment for tracheitis or bronchitis begins with adequate hydration. The person
should drink lots of warm fluids, such as soups, and if possible should inhale steam from a
boilingkettleorpottomoistentheairwaysandloosenorliquefythematerialinthebronchi
so it can be coughed up more easily.
Rest, warmth, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are helpful. If the condition
persists for more than two or three days, descent to a lower altitude may be necessary.
Viruses cause bronchitis more often than bacteria, and antibiotics are not useful for treat-
ment.