Doctors often prescribe supplemental oxygen to people with respiratory ailments to help them breathe easier. Oxygen concentrators can replace the need for bulky, pressurized oxygen cylinders while providing oxygen-rich air and portability. Let’s look at what an oxygen concentrator is and how it works.
What Is an Oxygen Concentrator?
Individuals with breathing disorders typically have low levels of oxygen in their blood, and oxygen concentrators can help attain the required levels. Oxygen concentrators are medical devices that filter the surrounding air and compress it to deliver medical grade oxygen when needed. These devices come in various sizes from large, stationary concentrators to lightweight, portable oxygen concentrators. While some acute conditions require only short-term oxygen therapy, chronic conditions generally require long-term solutions for replacing the low oxygen levels.
How to Buy One
You can purchase an oxygen concentrator through a pharmacy, but generally, a doctor’s prescription after a thorough medical evaluation is required. Doctors have to advise patients about the correct use of these devices along with the right doses while traveling or at home.
How Do Oxygen Concentrators Work?
Oxygen concentrators work on the principle of gathering oxygen from the surrounding air and delivering it through the unit’s mask or nasal cannula apparatus. These advanced machines follow a simple process which includes:
Air Intake and Filtration
These devices take in air from the room and pass it through a series of filters and sieve beds to clean it of all impurities. The multiple filtration steps also remove Nitrogen and deliver highly purified oxygen.
Compression
After filtration, the machine compresses the air to achieve the required density for medical grade oxygen.
A User Interface for Level Adjustments
Generally measured in liters per minute, your doctor will advise you about your optimum oxygen output required based on your condition as these levels may vary throughout the day. Most concentrators come with an electronic interface that allows you to adjust the settings to receive a pulse dose or continuous stream of oxygen and the concentration of oxygen.
If you show signs of respiratory distress, speak to your doctor about the advantages of an oxygen concentrator. With technological advancements, oxygen concentrators have become ultra-portable and allow an active lifestyle while providing a good quality of life.
