Your doctor his written you a prescription for oxygen therapy, and you’ve made the decision that you would rather use an oxygen concentrator than oxygen tanks. This is a great idea, since using an oxygen concentrator will end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. Oxygen concentrators come in many shapes and sizes, with different settings and features, so you’re bound to find the one that is right for you.
They’re also very convenient, because all you really need to do is sit down, put the nasal cannula on, and turn it on. No need for refilling tanks or having oxygen delivered to your home, since oxygen concentrators filter the oxygen that comes from the air around it. If you get a portable oxygen concentrator, you’ll be able to go anywhere with it, especially if you get one that is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (approved for use on commercial flights).
There are many options, so it’s easy to get confused and overwhelmed when shopping for an oxygen concentrator. If you need help, your pulmonologist should be able to assist you in finding one that will meet your oxygen needs and your lifestyle needs. You can also contact our staff here at American Medical, and they can help you figure who which oxygen concentrator would be best for you.
Here are some things you will need to consider when selecting an oxygen concentrator:
The first and most important thing, is to make sure the oxygen settings will meet your oxygen needs. Let’s say, you need 3 LPM (liters per minute) of continuous flow. You will need to make sure that whatever oxygen concentrator you get has a setting for 3 LPM continuous flow. If you need to use it all day long, you will need to get a portable oxygen concentrator that offers 3 LPM continuous flow, that also has a good battery life. You’ll also need to get some extra batteries to change out after one depletes, and you will most likely want to get an external battery charger, to charge the batteries separately from the concentrator.
If you only need to use your oxygen therapy overnight, you can get a stationary oxygen concentrator, since you know you won’t be doing much moving around while you sleep. A stationary oxygen concentrator only runs off of AC power, so it will need to be plugged in to work.
If you do a lot of traveling, however, and you need to use oxygen at night, you could use the SimplyFlo, which is only 9 lbs. The SimplyFlo delivers 1 LPM and 2 LPM of continuous oxygen, so you can only use it if you need one of these two doses.
If you need a low dose of pulse dose oxygen, you can choose between several different small portable oxygen concentrators that also offer a long battery life. Whatever oxygen concentrator you choose, has to be able to give you the oxygen dosage you need, cover the battery life for the time you need to use it each day, and match your lifestyle in size and shape as much as possible.
Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more.
Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.
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Scott Ridlhttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/scott/
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Scott Ridlhttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/scott/
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Scott Ridlhttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/scott/
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Scott Ridlhttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/scott/
