Oxygen Therapy Side Effects

This lack of oxygen can be due to damage to the lungs which limits the distribution of oxygen through the blood (blood oxygenation) among others.

This problem is known as hypoxia.

Oxygen Therapy Side Effects

Health care professionals belief that oxygen treatments, including long term oxygen treatment, are usually quite safe however there have been reports of side effects from some patients. Usually, these are minor and on the few occasions when they do occur, they last for short periods. However, there have been reports in limited cases where oxygen therapy side effects have been more severe.

• • • Among the common reasons that cause these results, one that stands out is due to the handling and taking care of the oxygen therapy equipment that are used to supply supplemental oxygen.
    • • If improperly used, the contamination can occur with the subsequent health problems. Among the things that you should keep a close eye on are the filters and tubes.
  • They must be cleaned periodically and changed according to the oxygen machine manuals.
• One of the oxygen therapies is hyperbaric oxygen therapy. For this type of therapy some patients have reported that a post treatment consequence is that they have felt tired and even nauseous.
• Other reports include ear pain, slight difficulty in breathing and effects on their vision.

Having said that these side effects go away after a short period of time.

• Hyperbaric therapy can cause oxygen toxicity which in extreme cases can provoke pulmonary problems or disorders in the central nervous system.
• There can be psychological effects such as claustrophobia as the patient is located inside a chamber during therapy.
•  A very important note of warning is for COPD patients on home oxygen therapy. As they receive their oxygen therapy at home or during their normal day to day activities (with the help of portable oxygen), the have the ability to modify the oxygen settings and flow. This would be self medicating. In other words changing the flow because they think they are getting to much or too little oxygen. We all know that self prescription is dangerous, but it happens. If you believe, for any reason, that the oxygen prescription you have received needs to be updated or changed, you should refer to your health practitioner.
• Ailments that should not be considered for hyperbaric oxygen therapy include: asthma, upper respiratory tract infections, middle ear surgery (that can affect your balance).
• Home oxygen therapy is not advised for people who refuse to stop smoking. This is simply because:
• • 1. There is a great risk of fire; and
  • 2. Because as they still smoke, this will cancel out the benefit of the oxygen therapy.
• Before starting oxygen therapy they should receive other tests and treatments, for example: inhaled and oral bronchodilators and corticosteroids, treatment for right ventricular failure or for any respiratory infection;
• For psychological reasons, in other words patients who will not continue with the therapy for lack of discipline and motivation. Having said that, to identify this is not a simple matter.

These potential side effects from oxygen therapy occur rarely and in most cases are for short periods of time.

For copd oxygen therapy (defined as receiving additional oxygen for 16 or more hours a day) there are three types of oxygen therapy equipment delivery systems: oxygen cylinders that hold compressed oxygen, oxygen tanks that store liquid oxygen and oxygen concentrators that extract oxygen from ambient air).

Oxygen therapy is also used for a different ailments such as injuries from radiation, burns, strokes, multiple sclerosis and more. Oxygen therapy can be given in hospitals and clinics, in spas with hyperbaric chambers and copd oxygen therapy patients, at home and with portable oxygen machines, as an ambulatory therapy.

Oxygen therapy is a safe procedure, but as with many types of therapies, it can cause side effects.

Oxygen Therapy

The traditional form of oxygen therapy is where the patient receives oxygen through compressed oxygen cylinders, liquid oxygen tanks or oxygen concentrators which are connected to an oxygen mask or plastic tubes.

These apparatuses are usually used in hospitals and also by people who receive home oxygen therapy.

Another method of oxygen therapy which is comparatively new is known as the hyperbaric oxygen therapy where the individual is placed in a pressurized chamber which contains almost 100% oxygen. This helps the body to absorb more oxygen than it does during normal conditions, thus activating the blood vessels and body cells.

The dosage of oxygen that a person requires is determined by the doctor, according to his/her health condition. The dosage of oxygen that has to be given to an individual is based as a result of a series of tests that identify the amount of additional oxygen required, the time required for the treatment and also the frequency in which the therapy has to be administered.