Frequently Asked Questions

 
COLORADO'S HIGH ALTITUDE

Essential FAQs for Out-of-State Visitors to Embrace the Thrills and Challenges of High Altitude Adventures

What is concierge medicine?
Concierge Medicine is a modern medical business model that seeks to promote wellness for people in the comfort of their own home or place of their choosing. It is personalized medical care where convenience to the patient is prioritized above all else.
What is High Altitude Sickness?
High Altitude sickness is the physiological result of decreased oxygen (O2) in the air, due to the decrease in barometric pressure of air at higher altitudes. Reduced availability of O2 in the air causes a reduction in blood oxygen saturation, resulting in increased O2 demands by organs including the heart, lungs, and brain. This produces symptoms of high altitude sickness. There are levels of altitude sickness ranging from mild to life-threatening. It is extremely uncommon to see life-threatening complications of High Altitude Sickness (High altitude Pulmonary Edema or High Altitude Cerebral Edema) when below 8,000 ft. More commonly, people will experience mildly uncomfortable symptoms that will cause them to lay low for 2-3 days as their body acclimates. In your case, that is days off your time to explore!
What are the symptoms of High Altitude Sickness?
Symptoms include: Dizziness, fatigue, nausea, headache, weakness, insomnia, and more seriously, shortness of breath and confusion.
Fluid loss at Altitude?
The same activities that you would do at sea level will require more effort and energy expenditure when at altitude. Fluid loss via breathing and sweating occur more quickly, because of the increased effort of breathing and activity. If you do not drink enough at altitude, you may become hypovolemic. Hypovolemia causes low blood pressure, and occurs when the volume of blood in the vessels is decreased, resulting in an increased heart rate in the body’s effort to circulate the depleted volume of blood getting to vital organs. By increasing fluid intake (drinking water), you can help to increase the intravascular volume of fluid in the blood vessels, and keep your heart rate down. Intravenous hydration has the exact same effects, except that saline infusions go directly into the blood vessels, and drinking water must pass through the stomach and intestines before it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Saline is the more efficacious option for acute management of fluid loss.
How can IV therapy help treat Jet Lag?
In many of the IV solutions are vitamins, minerals and amino acids that help cellular processes to maintain their normal function. Jet Lag symptoms are worsened by dehydration, so the saline bags will rehydrate you and give your body the nutrients it needs. We offer medications to treat headaches and nausea, and minerals that decrease anxiety and irritability.
Do you accept insurance?
Not at this time. We are working towards this!
Why not just drink water and take oral supplements?
These are great habits we recommend doing on a daily basis. Sometimes those efforts aren’t enough to combat the combination that both Jet Lag and High Altitude Sickness will have on the body
Would I get the same therapy at an Urgent Care if I’m experiencing symptoms of high Altitude Sickness?
Fluids, oxygen, and medication are interventions used in the urgent care and Emergency Room setting when patients suffer from altitude sickness. If the problem is more serious, then we will refer you to an ER. For mild symptoms of altitude sickness, we are equipped to take care of you. This is the age of modern medicine, and we are here to make your life much simpler.
High Altitude 101: How to get quick relief from High Altitude Sickness
1. Get to lower elevation where the oxygen concentration is higher ‍ 2. If that is not possible, apply supplemental oxygen and medications for symptoms management until the body acclimatizes 3. Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink plenty of fluids and replace electrolytes. At altitude, the body expends more energy to do the same tasks it would at sea level.
Why is hydration important at altitude?
The body loses electrolytes and fluids at a faster pace while it’s acclimating to the altitude. The human body uses water for every vital function including body temperature regulation, toxin filtration, digestion of proteins and enzymes, cellular function, proper organ function, lubrication of organs/joints, nutrient absorption, etc. The benefits of hydration can be summed up by saying: the average human will survive only 3 days without water in comparison to food, which is approximately 3 weeks. Studies show roughly 17-28% of American adults do not drink enough water each day (Taylor K, Jones, 2022) To monitor whether you’re adequately hydrated, consider these tips: Color of Urine (should be close to clear, the darker it is, the more dehydrated you are) Mucous Membranes (do you notice your lips and mouth are dry or chapped, or that you’re experiencing a lack of saliva production? if so, it is likely you’re dehydrated) Skin Turgor (for adults, pinch the back of your hand. Does it remain tented for longer than 3 seconds)? If so, you’re probably dehydrated. This is a sign of late dehydration, so if you notice this, drink up or call us for an IV drip!
What is Jet Lag?
Jet Lag is the disruption of the circadian rhythm (the body’s natural sleep cycle) due to traveling across time zones. Symptoms of Jet Lag include daytime sleepiness, insomnia, headache, indigestion, and irritability.
What is Oxygen Therapy?
Oxygen Therapy is a common practice of delivering supplemental oxygen, in our case, through a nasal cannula (small tubes) that rest outside of the nostrils. When blood oxygen levels are low (hypoxemia), supplemental oxygen raises the amount of oxygen attached to the hemoglobin molecule, in effect, causing more oxygen to be readily transported to vital organs throughout the body. It can cause immediate relief for headaches and improve mental clarity.
Why am I more likely to need Oxygen Therapy when in Denver than other places?
Denver’s air has lower barometric pressure than say, Monterey, California, because Denver is 5,000+ ft elevation (hence the nickname “Mile High City”). Lower air pressure also means lower density of oxygen particles in the air, so a person must breathe extra deep or breathe more rapidly to get the same amount of oxygen in Colorado as they would in California. This means that a person has “increased effort” to breath, simply due to being at higher elevation.
Don’t I need a prescription for IV Therapy and Oxygen?
Yes, you do! Our physician will write you a prescription based on your symptoms. Although we rent out oxygen equipment, it is intended for sole use by the person whom the prescription is written for.