Just like any other type of electronic, or piece of medical equipment that you depend on, there are things you should know about the proper safety precautions for your oxygen concentrators. With the approaching hottest months of the year for much of the country, you will need to consider how your oxygen concentrator will fair out in the high temperatures. High heat, and especially flames near your unit, can be extremely dangerous, as well as harmful.
Extreme weather wreaks havoc on communities in many ways, but it can be even more devastating for people with a chronic illness such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Different types of weather will carry their unique challenges, so it is crucial to understand what to expect in various weather conditions when you have COPD to ensure your health and safety.
In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most extreme forms of weather and go over how you can prepare for them if you have COPD. Keep in mind that there might be some overlap between various weather conditions, so you might need to prepare for 2 or 3 different weather extremes at the same time. Also, these guidelines are not meant to be exhaustive when it comes to disaster preparation. Instead, the focus here is to provide specific tips if you have COPD.
If you need both an oxygen concentrator and a continuous positive airway pressure (or CPAP) machine, you might be wondering: What is the difference? While these therapies seem similar and sometimes treat the same disease, they are different in many ways.
In this brief blog post, we will discuss the main differences between an oxygen concentrator and a CPAP machine. We will also discuss some scenarios in which these therapeutic devices might overlap.
When the weather changes, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will most likely notice it as a change in their breathing. Weather extremes can cause COPD exacerbations for different reasons, but even the typical summer heat can create poor conditions for anyone with a respiratory illness.
In this blog post, we will discuss why normal summer heat can be dangerous for people with COPD, and then we will go over some ways to stay safe.
Inogen’s oxygen concentrators are among the top concentrators on the market—and they have accolades to prove it. However, as a consumer, it is still a challenge to understand what makes one concentrator better than another when you are ready to buy one.
In this blog post, I will be discussing the differences between the 3 oxygen concentrators that Inogen offers to help you decide which concentrator fits your needs.
The Inogen One G5 is the latest addition to the family of Inogen’s user-friendly portable oxygen concentrators. With expanded features built on the foundations of the Inogen One G3 and the Inogen One G4, the Inogen One G5 is looking to be a “one-size-fits-all” portable oxygen concentrator that will do well for almost any person who requires supplemental oxygen on-the-go.
In this blog post, I will discuss what is new in the Inogen One G5 and provide my overall review. If you missed my latest review of the Inogen One family of portable oxygen concentrators (which includes the Inogen At Home 5L stationary concentrator), be sure to read that blog post to get a full scope of the differences between each device.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine at home, it is a challenge to continue your CPAP therapy while traveling. Many patients who use CPAP machines might be tempted to leave their devices at home and go without it during their trip. However, there can be serious complications associated with sleep apnea, and it is not recommended to discontinue your therapy, even if it is only for a few days.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious health condition that often leads to a host of other health issues. However, while a significant part of the population is suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, only a small part of that group have been diagnosed.
There are reports from the University of Utah Health division that upwards of 80% of sleep apnea cases are undiagnosed at any given time. The vast majority of people who suffer from sleep apnea are unaware their symptoms add up to a real condition. Before we provide a general overview of obstructive sleep apnea, let us get into definitions.
Severe sleep apnea is a serious form of sleep apnea characterized by very frequent periods of not breathing during sleep. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, or you snore during sleep, you might be at risk for severe sleep apnea.
In this blog post, we will define severe sleep apnea, list the potential complications, and explore options to help you manage it before it gets worse.
Before you buy an oxygen flow meter, there is something to learn about in advance: your breathing pattern can affect the final oxygen dose you receive from your flow meter.
Many patients receiving oxygen therapy aren’t fully aware that various breathing patterns have direct effects on how they set their oxygen flow meter.
Your physician prescribes oxygen at a specific dose, one that is appropriate for your condition. However, even though your doctor has prescribed a set liter flow for you (usually 1–3 liters per minute), many variables affect that liter flow. And some can lead to dramatic shifts in the amount of oxygen you are receiving.
How does this happen? The main problem affecting your therapeutic oxygen level is air dilution.
