Most people suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are aware of the
fact that a simple evening walk or attending your son's little league tournament can be a life threatening affair. This is because these individuals' lungs have a difficult time absorbing enough oxygen to perform even the most basic tasks in severe cases. This necessitates that they have a permanent supply of near pure oxygen at all times in order to compensate for the deficit caused by their condition.
There are several modern ways of carrying around oxygen thereby freeing you up for easy mobility and improving your quality of life. Here are some pointers to help you in selecting a suitable option for you or your loved one:
1. Portable oxygen device type:
There are three main types of portable oxygen devices.
Portable Oxygen concentrators; these work by removing the nitrogen content which comprises around 79% of normal air, and leaves nearly pure oxygen for intake by the patient. There are portable variations of this device which operate on battery power or can easily be charged off your car DC charger.
A portable oxygen tank, although the term tank is often used interchangeably with cylinder, is a device that contains liquid oxygen. The advantage of this device is that it contains a lot more oxygen than its counterpart the cylinder, which contains compressed oxygen gas. This is an important factor to take into account when choosing an option. Consider that the tank must be refilled by a qualified professional which may increase the long term cost of using it. And liquid oxygen does evaporate thereby some quantity will be lost.
The third option is getting an oxygen cylinder which contains oxygen gas. These do not last as long as the tanks, but are much easier to operate and provide two options for refill. These are through a qualified supplier or through a fixed unit at home thereby lowering the cost of using them in the long run.
2. Portability
The main reason for getting a portable device is to free up the user to go about their day to day affairs without having to worry about the next fit of shortness of breath. This means that the type of device must suit its user in terms of weight, size and structure so that it can be easily carried around without occasioning the very strain it is intended to prevent.
There are some devices which may be pulled around on trolleys or simply slung over ones shoulders. Take your time to do some research before picking one and be keen to consider the general condition of the patient.
Please note that despite the fact that this article largely concerns itself with the medical uses of portable oxygen, there are several other individuals who may require it for non-medical uses. These include deep sea divers, astronauts, jet fighter pilots and even high altitude mountain climbers.