Oxygen therapy: Using oxygen at home

Oxygen therapy is a way to get more oxygen into your lungs and bloodstream. It is sometimes used for people with diseases that make it hard to breathe, such as COPD, cystic fibrosis, or heart failure. Oxygen therapy can make it easier to breathe. And it can reduce the heart’s workload.

Some people need extra oxygen all the time. Others need it from time to time throughout the day or overnight. A doctor will prescribe how much oxygen you need, based on blood tests. He or she will tell you how much oxygen to use per minute (the flow rate) and how often to use it.

To breathe the oxygen, most people use a nasal cannula (say “KAN-yuh-luh”). This is a thin tube with two prongs that fit just inside your nose. Children and people who need a lot of oxygen may need to use a mask that fits over the nose and mouth.

Your oxygen supply

Oxygen can be delivered to your home in tanks, or cylinders, or it can be produced in your home by a machine called an oxygen concentrator.

• Oxygen in tanks comes in two forms:
  • Compressed oxygen gas.Tanks of oxygen gas come in several sizes. Small tanks can be carried when you leave home. Large tanks are heavy and are usually not moved after they are placed in the home.
  • Liquid oxygen.Oxygen takes up less space in liquid form than as a gas. Compared to tanks of oxygen gas, tanks of liquid oxygen weigh less and hold more oxygen, so they may be a good choice for people who are active.
• Oxygen concentrators take in regular air (which is about 21% oxygen), remove the other gases, and produce oxygen that is up to 95% pure.
  • Most concentrators are about the size of a kitchen garbage can and weigh from 30 lb (15 kg) to 50 lb (25 kg).
  • Concentrators don't need to be refilled like oxygen tanks do, so they may cost less and be more convenient. But unlike an oxygen tank, a concentrator runs on electricity, so you will need an oxygen tank as a backup in case the power goes out.

Your doctor will help you choose the source that fits your needs. A combination may be best. Some people use a concentrator at home, keep a large oxygen tank on hand as a backup, and have small tanks for use outside the home.

Continue to Why use oxygen therapy?

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