When you're in the mountains to ski, hike, or just take in the view, you could get head pain from something called an altitude headache. It's a symptom of altitude sickness, which happens when you go to higher elevations.
The problem usually starts when you're 8,500 feet above sea level. About a quarter of all people get a headache when they reach that height.
Symptoms
Moderate headache pain typically starts as you get up to around 8,500 feet, most often on both sides of the head. You might notice that it worsens as you go higher or when you cough, push yourself hard, or bend over. Another clue that higher altitude caused your headache is that it goes away within 24 hours of getting back below 8,200 feet.Headache is the most common sign of altitude sickness, and one may happen without other symptoms. But there are other typical problems with this illness. You may also feel tired, weak, dizzy, nauseated, and have trouble sleeping.
Getting to a lower elevation is the best treatment for altitude headache and altitude sickness in general. In more serious cases, it may help to breathe in some oxygen, which you can carry with you in small canisters, until you can get to a lower elevation.
If you tend to get altitude headaches, you may be able to help prevent them if you take medications like furosemide, acetazolamide (Diamox), or corticosteroids before you get to high altitudes. You'll need a doctor's prescription for these drugs.
Over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or aspirin might help both before and after the headache starts. The migraine medicine sumatriptan also helps some people. Talk to your doctor about what drugs are best for you if you know you get headaches at higher elevations.
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