Without oxygen, human life cannot exist. Oxygen is vital for normal daily activity and makes up about 90 percent of your energy. Individuals diagnosed with conditions that cause shortness of breath and fatigue, sleep-related breathing disorders, and certain chronic conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, may require supplemental oxygen. Oxygen can be administered in a health care setting but home oxygen therapy, due to its convenience, is very popular.
Low Oxygen Levels
A pulse oximeter is a device that is placed on your finger and measures the concentration of oxygen in your blood. Normal values can range between 95 and 100 percent. Values less than 90 percent are considered low, according to MayoClinic.com. Other tests, like the arterial blood gas, may also be used to measure blood levels. Oxygen is considered a medication and must be prescribed by your doctor. You doctor will determine when supplemental oxygen is required and will order the amount and frequency you should use it.
How Oxygen Works
Normally, your body absorbs oxygen from the air you breathe. Air enters the body when you inhale. The air is warmed and humidified as it passes through the nasal passages and other airways. The air travels down the windpipe through the bronchi and into your lungs. Once in the lungs, the air moves through smaller airways called bronchioles and finally to tiny air sacs known as aveoli. Oxygen moves through the walls of the aveoli, where it is absorbed into the capillaries that are nearby, picked up by the red blood cells, and then travels to the heart and is pumped to the rest of the body. In addition to increased energy, you will enjoy increased endurance and stamina, improved circulation, better sleep, better concentration, and a stronger immune system when blood oxygen levels are maintained at appropriate levels.
Administration
Standard home oxygen can be delivered as a compressed gas in a cylinder with a regulator that controls flow rate. This type of oxygen can also be contained in a smaller cylinder that is portable and can be carried with you. A nasal cannula and a face mask are common ways through which oxygen can be delivered to the body. The nasal cannula has prongs that are inserted into the nostrils and deliver a constant supply of oxygen. If you need a high flow of oxygen, a mask is used.
Safety and Precautions
Certain precautions should be taken to ensure your safety with standard oxygen therapy. Oxygen by itself will not burn but is one of the three items, along with a fuel source and heat, needed to start a fire. Do not smoke while using it or have someone near you who is smoking. According to YourLungHealth.org, stay at least five feet from gas stoves, candles, lighted fireplaces as well as any flammable products when using oxygen therapy. In addition, never adjust your oxygen flow rate unless instructed by your doctor to do so. Contact your doctor if you experience headaches, anxiety, blue lips or nail beds, dizziness, restlessness, or difficulty breathing.
