Oxygen Therapy Explained
What is Oxygen Therapy?
is a treatment that provides you with supplemental, or extra, oxygen. Although oxygen therapy may be common in the hospital, it can also be used at home. There are several devices used to deliver oxygen at home. Your healthcare provider will help you choose the equipment that works best for you. Oxygen is usually delivered through nasal prongs (an oxygen cannula) or a face mask. Oxygen equipment can attach to other medical equipment such as CPAP machines and ventilators.
Oxygen therapy can help you feel better and stay active. Learning all you can about oxygen therapy can help you feel more comfortable and confident.
Why You Might Need Oxygen the Simple Answer is;
Because every cell in your body relies on oxygen to function properly, a doctor will prescribe supplemental oxygen if they find that you are not getting sufficient oxygen on your own
What are the Symptoms of Low Oxygen?
There are a number of symptoms of low oxygen. The most common include frequent shortness of breath, even without overexertion, rapid breathing and an accelerated heart rate, as well as a persistent cough and sweating. At times, individuals in need of supplemental oxygen may experience confusion, as the lack of oxygen begins to impact cognitive abilities. If you experience any of these symptoms, then it may be time to talk to your doctor about oxygen therapy.
Getting assessed for home oxygen therapy
Your doctor will refer you to a specialist clinic if they think your symptoms can be helped by home oxygen therapy.
To check the amount of oxygen in your blood, you may have a blood test and an oxygen sensor may be attached to your finger or earlobe (a pulse oximetry test).
You may also be asked to breathe into a device that checks how well your lungs are working. This test is called spirometry.