Published on September 1, 2016
If you are suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and it has reached an advanced (severe) stage, then it is likely that your doctor would prescribe you oxygen therapy. It is one of the most common treatments for COPD when the oxygen level in your blood drops to dangerously low. Even if your COPD isn’t too severe, your doctor may still insist for oxygen therapy in case you have other conditions that might deteriorate due to low oxygen level in your blood.
There are multiple ways to administer induced oxygen that can help you breathe better. These options include the use of oxygen gas cylinders, oxygen concentrators or liquid oxygen devices. Usually, these oxygen supplying machines are connected to a flexible tube with two-pronged endings that goes into both nasals, or it will have a mask.
The duration for which you are required to use oxygen devices will depend on your COPD condition and activities you do. You can benefit from using oxygen therapy during your sleep, exercise or while doing other activities. Using oxygen therapy may have some side effects in people such as
Oxygen administration devices come in all sizes and shapes depending on the usage. Mobile units are also available to enable mobility of users. They also come with a backup battery for usages away from the power supply or in the case of power failure.
There are some precautions that need to be kept in mind before using oxygen dispensing devices. Since oxygen is an oxidizer that can instantly burn anything that is flammable in nature – when it comes in contact with a flame – cigarettes and other sources of fire must be kept away.