Saving Your Throat on the Everest Trek
The 'Khumbu Cough' is a dry, persistent cough caused by breathing cold, dry air at high altitude. It can be so violent it breaks ribs. Prevention is key for any Mount Everest expedition.
Always wear a Buff or face mask. This traps the moisture from your breath, creating a humid microclimate for your lungs. Never breathe cold air directly through your mouth.
Suck on hard candy or cough drops constantly. Keeping the throat moist prevents the irritation that starts the cough. Menthol flavors can also help clear sinuses.
Dehydration dries out mucus membranes. Drink warm fluids whenever possible. Ginger lemon honey tea is the Sherpa remedy of choice on the Everest trekking trail.
Once the cough starts, it rarely stops until you descend. Prevention is the only cure.
