Put (very) simply, Oxygen is a chemical element that has the symbol O2. It is the third most common element in the universe, after hydrogen and helium. Oxygen makes up more than a fifth of the Earth’s atmosphere by volume. On top of being used by plants and animals for respiration (the breathing process), oxygen is also used in medicine to treat people with breathing problems.
O2, which is vital for life, is found in the air we breathe. Some people with breathing difficulties (like those listed below) can’t get enough oxygen naturally. These people often need supplemental oxygen, which is referred to as oxygen therapy.
Your ability to breathe well is fundamental to all aspects of your life. Below are examples of diseases and disorders that impact your breathing ability and oxygen quality.
Click the icons below to find out more about each, and learn how oxygen therapy can help.
Did you know?
The air around us contains
21% oxygen, 78% Nitrogen, 0.9%
Argon and 0.1% other trace gases.
Did you know?
The air around us contains
21% oxygen, 78% Nitrogen, 0.9%
Argon and 0.1% other trace gases.
Oxygen concentrators using pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology are used widely for oxygen provision in healthcare applications, especially where liquid or pressurized oxygen is too dangerous or inconvenient, such as in homes or mobile clinics.
An oxygen concentrator takes in air and removes nitrogen from it, leaving an oxygen-enriched gas for use by people requiring medical oxygen due to low oxygen levels in their blood.
Oxygen purity refers to the percentage of pure oxygen produced in a sample. For example, 90% oxygen purity in 1 litre per minute
produces 3 times more oxygen than 30% oxygen purity in 1 litre per minute.
Litre Per Minute (l/min or LPM) measures the velocity at which air flows into the sample probe. So, for example, a flow rate of 5 LPM @ 90% purity produces 5 litres of 90% pure oxygen every minute (as the OLV-5 oxygen concentrator).
CPAP is a positive airway pressure (PAP) ventilator in which a constant level of pressure greater than atmospheric pressure is continuously applied to the upper respiratory tract of a person. Applying positive pressure may be intended to prevent upper airway collapse, which occurs in obstructive sleep apnoea, or to reduce the work of breathing in certain respiratory conditions (see above).
An Oxygen cylinder is a pressure vessel for storage and containment of Oxygen at above atmospheric pressure.
High-pressure gas cylinders are also called bottles. Inside the cylinder, the stored contents may be in a state of compressed gas. A typical gas cylinder design is elongated, standing upright on a flattened bottom end, with the valve and fitting at the top for connecting to the receiving apparatus.
In both clinical and emergency-care situations, oxygen concentrators have the advantage of not being as dangerous as oxygen cylinders, which can, if ruptured or leaking, significantly increase the combustion rate of fire. As such, oxygen concentrators are particularly advantageous where oxygen tanks may be dangerous or unfeasible.
Oxygen concentrators are considered sufficiently foolproof to be supplied to individual patients as a prescription item for their homes. Typically they are used as an adjunct to CPAP treatment of severe sleep apnea. There also are other medical uses for oxygen concentrators, including COPD and other respiratory diseases.
Treatment options:
There is no cure for COPD. Managing symptoms to improve quality of life and reduce risks of complications slow the progression of health issues.
Oxygen therapy
With COPD, oxygen therapy is used if you have low oxygen levels in your blood (which is called hypoxia). If your COPD is bad and your blood oxygen levels are low, getting more oxygen can help you breathe better and live longer.
With new technology, you don’t have to stay at home or be in a hospital to access this oxygen.
Treatment options:
Inhalers, concentrators and doctor plans can treat this disease. There is no natural cure for this disease, but your symptoms can be controlled and monitored.
Oxygen therapy
Asthma results in lower oxygen levels: to combat the lack of oxygen, oxygen therapy provides your airways with much-needed help. Oxygen therapy eases shortness of breath in the short term and decreases the long-term risks that oxygen depletion can cause.
With oxygen therapy, your quality of life is drastically improved. On top of this, oxygen therapy can improve mental sharpness, boost stamina and contribute to a good night’s rest.
Treatment options:
Although there are several ways to treat sleep apnoea, there is no cure for the disorder.
Oxygen therapy
is used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by combating hypoxemia (a lack of oxygen in the blood). Hypoxemia results from interruptions in overnight breathing. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is another popular treatment choice.
Oxygen therapy
Low oxygen saturation is typical in patients with terminal cancer, which results in supplemental oxygen frequently supplied to patients. The use of oxygen therapy to treat the side effects of cancer aims to reduce damage to healthy tissue in the patient’s body (possibly caused by radiation exposure). In addition, oxygen therapy is used to aid in cancer treatment and can promote blood vessels, deactivate bacterial toxins, and decrease swelling and inflammation.
About 65% of our bodies are made up of oxygen. Oxygen is found in our bodies’ most abundant and essential molecules, including protein, water and DNA. As far as how much air is used, human beings take in about 550 litres of oxygen per day.
Unfortunately, breathing 100% oxygen for long periods can cause potentially harmful lung changes.
For long-standing sufferers of people with respiratory-related diseases, oxygen therapy means that readily available technology lends itself to supplementary oxygen. This oxygen is found in mobile and portable devices like the ones being sold here. Thus, ordinary people who have difficulty breathing now have access to medical-grade oxygen.