Ear, nose, and throat effects of high altitude

High altitude changes human physiology and can result in illnesses such as acute mountain sickness, high-altitude cerebral edema, and high-altitude pulmonary edema. The physiological impacts of high-altitude illnesses occur secondary to extravasation of fluid from the intravascular space into the extravascular space during a rapid ascent. Headache, hearing disturbances, vestibular disturbances, epistaxis, sleep apnea, coughing, respiratory tract infections, and nasal obstruction are main ear, nose, and throat complaints of individuals travelling to high altitude. These complaints can cause delays or cancelations in a person’s climbing plans. In this article, we review the ear, nose, and throat effects of high altitude based on the relevant literature.