The Need of Oxygen Therapy

"Give Your Body The Oxygen It Requires Through Oxygen Therapy"

 "Oxygen therapy is a treatment that provides you with extra oxygen. Oxygen is a gas that your body needs to function. Normally, your lungs absorb oxygen from the air you breathe. But some conditions can prevent you from getting enough oxygen"


What is Oxygen Therapy?

- Oxygen therapy is a treatment that provides you with extra oxygen. Oxygen is a gas that your body needs to function. Normally, your lungs absorb oxygen from the air you breathe. But some conditions can prevent you from getting enough oxygen such as interstitial lung disease or Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 

- The oxygen comes through nasal prongs, a mask, or a breathing tube. If you have a chronic problem, you may need a portable oxygen tank (cylinder) or a machine (oxygen concentrator) in your home.

- Oxygen therapy is not a replacement for any medication, nor should any of the medicines be stopped out of hopelessness and disbelief. It is a simple way to satisfy the body’s needs in difficult times which are common with the lung conditions. It is a common gas that we all breathe every day, but the patient needs it more than others.
 

- Oxygen therapy is a serious matter. Excess oxygen may in turn damage the lungs. Un necessary usage will cause throat burns and nasal ulcers. Like all drugs, it also has side effects and harms can come from using the oxygen device without proper supervision and instructions.

- Oxygen tanks and cylinders are flammable material just like home LPG gas. Care should be taken to check for leaks and damages. Also turn off the tank main valve system when not in use. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Clinical Knowledge (UK) recommend that, if the patient will not stop smoking, oxygen therapy should be withheld. There is a real risk of fire and burns to the face and any benefit to health is counteracted by smoking. So active smokers will most likely never be prescribed oxygen till then have shown to have stopped smoking.
 

- Oxygen does not help in the healing of the lungs. It should always be used with the medication advised. Not to be used as an alternative. Oxygen therapy has a dose and time duration with special instructions for use different for each patient. Some patients will typically need oxygen only during sleeping and exercise. This should be clearly understood by each and every patient and/ or relatives. Periodic revisions will be needed as per the improvement or deterioration of the clinical condition.

- Oxygen therapy will need the patient to follow up more frequently in the doctor’s clinic. Portable oxygen may be needed for travel and at chestcare clinic kharghar we take a good care of our patient through out this treatment.

Short-burst oxygen therapy 

- Short-burst oxygen therapy (SBOT) is typically given to patients for the relief of breathlessness not relieved by any other treatments. It is used intermittently at home for short periods - for example, 10-20 minutes at a time.

- Oxygen used in this way has traditionally been ordered for non-hypoxaemic patients and used for subjective relief of dyspnoea prior to exercise for oxygenation or after exercise for relief of dyspnoea and recovery from exertion.
 
- Consider SBOT only for episodes of severe breathlessness not relieved by other treatments and continue only if breathlessness improves. You should discuss the details with your doctor to understand SBOT better.

Monitoring the patient

- The patient will have to be regularly monitored for the changes in oxygen status by a finger probe oxygen monitor. This is the oxygen saturation. The target oxygen saturation should be discussed with the doctor. Please avoid keeping oxygen saturation >95 % unless the doctor has expressly said so. Please also keep in mind that oxygen therapy is expensive and has side effects so long term un necessary usage should be best avoided.
 
- The patient should be watched for changes in breathing rate, coughing, changing color of tongue, drowsiness, and mouth drying. If any of these symptoms should occur then one should see the doctor immediately.

- At chestcare clinic kharghar we monitor the patient in the way it is meant to and we are truly committed to improve and bring a whole lot of changes into a patient's life.

What is the outlook for people who use Long Term Oxygen Therapy? 

- Many people who need supplemental oxygen live normal, active lives. In many cases, the oxygen therapy helps make activity easier, increases stamina, and decreases shortness of breath.

- Even people who need ongoing therapy due to chronic conditions can live normal lives. Once a person learns to manage the oxygen equipment, the therapy doesn’t have to limit their routine including trips to the market and exercise. 

Benefits of oxygen therapy? 

* Increased Survival.
* Reduced COPD Complications.
* Lessened COPD Symptoms.
* Improved Health-Related Quality of Life.
* Increased Exercise Tolerance.
* Improved Sex Life.
* Safer Air Travel.
* Improved Social Life.

Who needs oxygen therapy?

Oxygen therapy is prescribed for people who can’t get enough oxygen on their own. This is often because of lung conditions that prevents the lungs from absorbing oxygen, including:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Pneumonia.
• Asthama.
• Brochopulmonary dysplasia underdeveloped lungs in newborns.
• Heart failure.
• Cystic fibrosis.
• Sleep apnea
• Lung disease.
• Trauma to the respiratory system.

To determine whether a person will benefit from oxygen therapy, doctors test the amount of oxygen in their arterial blood. Another way to check is using a pulse oximeter that indirectly measures oxygen levels, or saturation, without requiring a blood sample. The pulse oximeter clips onto a person’s body part, like a finger. Low levels mean that a person may be a good candidate for supplemental oxygen.

Normal levels of arterial blood oxygen are between 75 and 100 mmHg (milimeters of mercury). An oxygen level of 60 mmHg or lower indicates the need for supplemental oxygen. Too much oxygen can be dangerous as well, and can damage the cells in your lungs. Your oxygen level should not go above 110 mmHg.

Some people need oxygen therapy all the time, while others need it only occasionally or in certain situations. Some oxygen therapy is done at a doctor’s office, and other times people have an oxygen supply in their homes, or a portable oxygen system.

Where to perform oxygen therapy? 

We at chestcare clinic kharghar perform oxygen therapy if you wish to contact us feel free to visit our 
Website : www.chestcareclinickharghar.com  
For Booking Online Appointment : https://goo.gl/aq8r81
Email : chestcareclinickharghar@gmail.com / chestcarekharghar@gmail.com
Phone: 9869357905
Address : shreeji enclave shop no.1 ground floor, near shilp chowk plot 18, sector 13, kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 410210.
Opening Hours : 
Morning :  10:15AM - 1:15PM
Evening : 5:20PM - 10:30PM

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References :

http://patient.info/in/doctor/use-of-oxygen-therapy-in-copd