preventing high altitude (khumbu) cough techniques?

[travel2walk]

Hey y'all, what are some of the things y'all do to prevent developing a cough from dry, cold environment? Especially during the night when sleeping?

A little background for this question. About 8 years ago, I had to bail on a hike in Peru at attitude (15k-16k ft) because I developed a cough that prevented me from taking deep breath as I tried to go up hill. I learned to be more careful acclimatizing to attitude to prevent that the next time around.

I was pretty good since then until I got the Rona last year. I found that I was more susceptible at developing the cough at relative lower elevations (10k). I've tried to address this by wearing an face gaiter more often to keep moisture in, trying to monitor my heart rate exertion on the uphills so I'm not breathing as hard, and much more careful with acclimatization (which I can't shortcut living on the east coast). All these things help while hiking, but all this weren't fully effective on my current trip into the Himalayas where I had to bail on the 3 passes trek on our final challenges of the 2nd pass. I had been very careful acclimatizing with 14 days at attitude already and had peaked at our max attitude of 18k a couple days before. I felt it was the the very cold/and dry night time that delt me in since I couldn't stop coughing after a pretty terrible night.

So what are some of the things y'all do to prevent just sucking up cold air at night without feeling like you are suffocating yourself with still wearing a bandana or burritoing your head in the covers or sleeping bag. And do you have other tips during hiking to prevent it that's worked for you? Thanks!

 

[Bob]

Altitude-related cough - Cough

Altitude-related cough is a troublesome condition of uncertain aetiology that affects many visitors to high altitude. The traditionally held belief that it was due solely to the inspiration of cold, dry air was refuted by observations and experiments in long duration hypobaric chamber studies...

coughjournal.biomedcentral.com

 

[travel2walk]

Altitude-related cough - Cough

Altitude-related cough is a troublesome condition of uncertain aetiology that affects many visitors to high altitude. The traditionally held belief that it was due solely to the inspiration of cold, dry air was refuted by observations and experiments in long duration hypobaric chamber studies...

coughjournal.biomedcentral.com

Thanks Bob, interesting paper on the causes. You have any tips on sleeping in the cold and not just breathing in the cold & dry air?

Also as a follow up to my original post. I think I picked up a sinus infection that lead to my cough on the trip. Even after we were down from the mountain, I was a snot machine for a couple weeks. Though I think I maybe overly paranoid now on trips still, so any tips would still be appreciated.