Navy Dive Manual Practice Test

Stress from altitudes above 10,000 feet can lead to altitude sickness, which occurs when the body struggles to adapt to reduced oxygen levels at higher elevations. This condition can manifest in a range of symptoms, including headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath. As the altitude increases, the atmospheric pressure decreases, leading to a lower availability of oxygen, which can significantly impact individuals not acclimatized to such conditions.

Altitude sickness can affect anyone, regardless of physical fitness or prior experience at high elevations, making awareness and understanding of its symptoms crucial for those operating at altitude, particularly in diving operations or high-altitude missions.

While decompression sickness is a condition that can occur from rapid ascents after being underwater, it is not directly related to altitude stress. Hypothermia is caused by cold exposure rather than altitude, and pneumonia is an infection usually related to respiratory issues, not altitude exposure. Therefore, altitude sickness accurately describes the physiological response to high altitudes above 10,000 feet.