Oxygen Concentrator Help

Shortness of breath occurs when oxygen percentages drop into the teens, causing death below seven percent. Ed McCabe, international oxygen expert and author of "Flood Your Body with Oxygen: Therapy for Our Polluted World," describes how our society has allowed pollution to accumulate so much that "our available oxygen commonly drops below 21 percent in the air, depending upon location sampled." Oxygen concentrators help you by increasing oxygen in your lungs and blood. Using oxygen concentrators makes it easier for you to breathe, prolongs your life, and keeps you youthful, healthier, and energized.

Expert Insight

• As a stand-alone unit, people use oxygen concentrators at home, which extract oxygen from the air in the room, containing about 21 percent oxygen, and concentrates it to 90 to 95 percent oxygen, giving it to you at a continuous rate of flow. This means you receive over 450 percent more concentrated oxygen than what you typically breathe, according to Dr. Jeffrey Donatello, owner of York Chiropractic Health Center in Kittery, Maine and author of "Energize Your Brain, Change Your Life: An Introduction to Exercise with Oxygen Therapy (Volume 1)."

Function

• Oxygen concentrators do not need to be refilled, but since they run on electricity, you need a backup oxygen tank in case the power in your home goes out. Your doctor will tell you what oxygen flow level you need to have your concentrator set at--never change this setting without your doctor's permission or you can put yourself in danger. Too much carbon dioxide (CO2) becomes toxic in higher concentrations, causing dizziness, headaches, and then loss of consciousness. Donatello explains "for every molecule of O2 [oxygen] that goes in, a molecule of CO2 must leave the body. If you drive in oxygen too quickly for too long, the CO2 levels will elevate."

Identification

• Each oxygen concentrator comes with instructions for its care. All oxygen concentrators must be kept closed and turned off when not in use. Keep the cannula, the plastic tube with two prongs that fits into your nose, clean by washing it with liquid soap and rinsing it once or twice weekly. Replace the cannula every two to four weeks. Clean the air filter twice weekly according to the concentrator instructions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires you always to place your oxygen concentrator in a well-ventilated area to ensure you get a good concentration of oxygen. The FDA also requires brass oxygen concentrator regulators rather than aluminum ones. Aluminum regulators, which control the oxygen flow, can burn or explode when used with oxygen concentrators.

Effects

• One way to dramatically increase the oxygen in your blood requires getting a prescription to rent an oxygen concentrator and exercising on a treadmill or exercise bike for about 20 minutes while breathing in oxygen. You must get a concentrator that allows you to breath in five to 10 liters per minute. Insert a cannula or wear an oxygen mask connected to the concentrator. Use this form of oxygen therapy with supervision to slow down the aging process and to help heal the body of disease.

Warnings

• Never smoke or allow anyone else to smoke while you use oxygen. Oxygen fuels fires. Place "Oxygen in Use" stickers in plain view on your doors.

  Do not use flammable products while using your oxygen concentrator, such as paint thinner, cleaning fluids, and aerosol sprays.

  Always keep oxygen at least six feet away from candles, space heaters, fireplaces, gas stoves, barbecue grills, or any heat source.

  Do not drink alcohol while using your oxygen concentrator or take sedatives. These cause you to breathe too slowly.

  Call your doctor if you feel very tired, have shortness of breath, or feel like you are not getting enough oxygen.