Oxygen Question: Do you need a Oxygen Concentrator?

Your doctor will determine if you need to use oxygen therapy. He or she will assess your condition and write a prescription based on your individual needs, such as how many hours out of the day you will need it, and at which setting. Depending on your oxygen needs and your lifestyle, you and your doctor will be able to decide whether or not you should use an oxygen concentrator.

Not everyone who needs oxygen therapy will benefit from an oxygen concentrator. Some oxygen therapy patients need a higher dosage of oxygen than what some portable models can deliver. In these cases, to be able to have the freedom to leave the house while using oxygen therapy, they would be better off with oxygen tanks.

Freedom and convenience while getting the oxygen therapy you need is one of the main priorities of patients, as well as those who create or sell oxygen equipment. If you don't need as much oxygen, such as no more than 3 LPM (liters per minute) of continuous flow, or 172 ml/min of pulse dose oxygen, you will be able to use a portable oxygen concentrator that delivers these amounts.

There are a few major benefits of using an oxygen concentrator over oxygen tanks. To some oxygen patients, these might even be necessities, depending on your lifestyle. Oxygen tanks are not allowed on commercial flights. If you wanted to go on a flight with your family on vacation, you would not be able to bring them aboard, because they are potentially dangerous in such a small space, at such heights.

Many portable oxygen concentrators are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to be used during a flight. All airlines have their own set of rules, so you should always check with them specifically before you book a flight. All of our portable oxygen concentrators available from American Medical are approved by the FAA.

Another reason you might decided that you need to get an oxygen concentrator, is that it will save you money in the long run. It costs money to have oxygen shipped to your home, so you can refill your oxygen tanks. You have to pay a bigger amount up front when you buy an oxygen concentrator, but they make up for it when you never have to bother with ordering oxygen again. It brings in the air around it, and filters the oxygen to a purity around 93% to 96%, so you can breathe in this higher concentration of oxygen.

Its extremely important that you make sure you are using the same setting at all times, unless your doctor tells you to change the dosage setting. Oxygen concentrators, whether you're using a portable model to take with you, so you can receive oxygen therapy while you bike around the neighborhood, or a stationary model that you only use a couple hours each day, can give you a better quality of life.


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