Oxygen Concentrator and Oxygen Therapy Safety

Oxygen Concentrator and Oxygen Therapy Safety

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Despite the positive health effects you will get from using an oxygen concentrator or compressed oxygen, there are still some risks and dangers that need to be considered. This is a refresher, since your doctor or medical supply provider will go over all the safety precautions with you, and help you set up at home.

Dryness and infection in airways. You might experience a dryness in your nasal passages or your throat while using your oxygen concentrator or oxygen machine. You can even develop dried balls of mucus in your airways, which are dangerous because they can block your airflow.

Oxygen concentrators come with a built in humidifier that draws moisture from a reservoir that you have to refill. You should only use pure, distilled water in the reservoir to avoid build-up of calcium and bacteria. Regardless, you should clean out the reservoir at least once a week with hot water and a mild detergent to prevent bacterial or mold growth, which will cause a respiratory infection.

If you are still experiencing a drying discomfort in your mouth, throat, nasal passages or lungs, run a humidifier in the room with you while you are receiving your oxygen therapy. You will need to keep this clean as well, by scrubbing it out about every 2 weeks and rinsing it out thoroughly. Again, you should only use distilled water in your room humidifier.

Risk of combustion. Despite what you may have heard, oxygen itself is non-flammable and will not explode entirely on its own. Now, if your oxygen comes into close contact with a fire, even a very small fire such as a candle, it can quickly help fuel the fire and cause it to get out of control.

Stay at least 5 feet away from heat or open flames while you are using your oxygen, that includes people who are smoking or using a gas operated stove. It’s generally a bad idea to be around smokers, anyway. Put up a sign by the entrances of your home to warn people that you are using oxygen therapy.

Stay away from flammable chemicals while you are using an oxygen concentrator. Store your machine in an open room with plenty of ventilation and make sure it is completely off and unplugged while you aren’t using it. Keep any oxygen tanks in an open room and without anything on top of them or crowding them.

Other Dangers and Tips

Liquid oxygen in tanks is frozen at a very low temperature. It’s so cold, that if it comes into contact with your skin, it will cause extreme irritation and burns. This can happen while you are refilling a tank with liquid oxygen, and you aren’t following the proper procedure in doing so.

Anyone using oxygen therapy should make sure they are drinking enough water and staying hydrated. This goes double for someone who is ill or getting over being sick, or someone who has just underwent surgery and is home bound. Be sure you are getting enough water and other liquids (keep caffeinated beverages to a minimum) by filling a 2 liter bottle or pitcher with cold water each day and drinking from that.

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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.

About Scott Ridl:

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.

52 thoughts on “Oxygen Concentrator and Oxygen Therapy Safety

    • My sister in law did the same thing years ago after surgery in the hospital, when hospitals used to allow smoking in private rooms. With the tube in her nose she would smoke through her mouth. Funny back then but today, understanding the dangers NOT.

      • Is there any benefits from putting the types on the pillow close to the patient without wearing it. She refuses to do so.

        • A pulse-dose oxygen concentrator would not work until it detects a breath. And on continuous-flow, the oxygen might not get delivered to the patient in the required volume. Please consult with the healthcare provider to discuss this. We’d also suggest trying a mask instead of a nasal cannula if that would help.

      • Yes. Most concentrators are even approved by the FAA for flights. So travelling in a car is fine for the concentrator.

      • Smoking with an oxygen concentrator is a straight no. Oxygen is an inflammable gas and when it comes in contact with a source of heat it may catch fire. For your safety and safety of others around you, please do not smoke while administering oxygen.
        Also, if a smoke smell is detected inside the machine during repairs, it invalidates the warranty.
        We can quickly answer all your questions over a phone call. Please reach us out at (888) 387-5914. We are open seven days a week.

        • sorry, but oxygen is not inflammable. (look up the definition of inflammable) Flammable and inflammable mean exactly the same thing! Oxygen by itself WILL NOT BURN. What is true is that oxygen supports and accelerates combustion making any flammable (or for that matter “inflammable” since the words have the same meaning) material burn hotter, faster, and more vigorously. In the sense of smoking a cigarette (not recommended), a cigarette smoked with pure oxygen will burn faster and more vigorously and not last nearly as long (waste of a cigarette by most standards, that is if they had a good use to begin with.).

          • Hello Eric, I’m afraid that’s not correct. ‘Inflammable’ means something that easily sets on fire; and not the opposite.

    • The oxygen that comes out of the tubing would be considered an accelerant. I would use caution around an open flame.

      • Hi, we just purchased an air concentrator just to have at hand, since my husband has been a heavy smoker for more than 20 years. Although he has not been diagnosed with any disease , we’d like to know if starting daily oxygene therapies could do him (64) and I (59) any good, and if so, is 2 liters a safe dose to use. Thanks!

        • We cannot give any medical advice; please consult with your physician or health care provider. They are the qualified experts to assess the condition and provide the treatment.

      • My husband just received his oxygen concentrator 5 days ago. The first one filled the house with a cigarette smoking smell so he had the company bring him another. This one has a real strong chemical smell (oily gas car garage); is it supposed to have this type of smell? He set it in the hall closet because of the noise and smell; is that safe? The smell is giving me a headache.

        • That doesn’t sound right. Oxygen concentrators do not have any smoke or chemical smell. Our Oxygen Specialist would be happy to help you out with your requirements. Please give us a call at (888)572-5831.

  1. I’ve just discovered that my husband has been lighting up a cigarette while on his Oxygen Concentrator for the last 3 years. He insists that since nothing has happened that it is safe. Can you please respond with some advice that I can share with him to STOP.
    Is there less of a danger of fire/explosion if using an oxygen concentrator?
    Worried & at risk,
    Wife

    • Smoking is not recommended around the oxygen concentrator. It recommended that it be turned off and you smoke at least 10 feet away from the unit.

  2. When I use my oxygen concentrator my lungs and/or bracial tubes get sore and then get infected. then, I develop sinus infection. What am I doing wrong?

    • Unfortunately, this is something that we recommend that you speak with your doctor about. There may be some other underlying issue that you are dealing with.

  3. Can air quality around the concentrator, such as secondhand cigarette smoke from a neighboring apartment or dust mites contaminants, be filtered into an oxygen concentrator causing even more lung damage and trouble breathing? Also, my concentrator keeps sounding a low beep. What is the problem?

    • The oxygen that you are breathing from your concentrator filters out everything but the oxygen. If you are however breathing from your mouth and not your nose you are going to be breathing anything that is in the air.

      For help with troublingshooting the beeping noise your concentrator is making please contact our customer care center at 877-303-9289. We look forward to helping you.

  4. I live in the same room as someone on an air condenser. The room is really not that well ventilated. After few hours the air in the room seem heavy and has a poor taste/ smell to it. Could there be an issue is the room is not ventilated well enough.

    • Air Conditioner/condenser and Oxygen concentrator are different products. An oxygen concentrator will not change the air in a room or create a smell as they are for a person to use with a cannula in their nose.

  5. My dad is using an oxygen concentrator at night and my mom, who sleeps in the same bedroom, is complaining of waking up with more headaches than usual. Does the oxygen concentrator possibly reduce oxygen levels in the bedroom room for the spouse not using the device, thus possibly resulting in headaches caused by lowered oxygen levels?

    • It is highly unlikely unless the room is sealed with no ventilation. The concentrator does take oxygen from the air in the room but the amount taken does not impact the amount in the room for others. I hope this helps.

      • During the process, the concentrator releases nitrogen plus other byproducts into the air. Is nitrogen in the room a problem for others?

          • Can you please clarify- your answer says ‘this is does pose a risk or issue to others’

          • I’m sure Ed meant, “This doesn’t pose a risk”. Oxygen concentrator captures ambient air, supplies pure oxygen to the patient, and releases the rest of the gases back to the air.
            Nitrogen account for 78% of the normal air. An oxygen concentrator is not producing or adding more nitrogen to the air than there already is. Hope this answers your question.

  6. Can the attached humidifier cause my daddy to get fluid in his lungs? Causing water retention and shortness of breath?

    • Hi. It is not likely. The humidifier only adds a very small bit of moisture to the oxygen. Adding moisture to the oxygen is changing the humidity to the air. So the difference between the moisture in the air in the desert vs the moisture in the air by a lake or forest where there is more humidity. Hope this helps.

      • As its well established that coronavirus is an aerosol. What are the chances (pls provide number with proof) that it would not be able to filter coronavirus or any other virus/bacteria in air while concentrating oxygen and passing onto the subject ?

        • Oxygen concentrators have a particle filter, HEPA filter (some models), and an outlet filter which ensures that the air passes through multiple filtration steps. Unfortunately, we are not aware of any such research that states how likely a virus or bacteria will be filtered out of an oxygen concentrator.

  7. When I change the filters on my husband’s concentor he says there is a taste that makes him sick on his stomach. Is this true?

  8. We have an elderly parent who has a battery operated, portable concentrator. When we plug into the car power, the oxygen runs for a few minutes, then either shuts down or switches to battery power. It will not run on the car plug. One of the reasons we bought was under the impression the unit would run while plugged into the car and save battery time.

    • Hi Pete, All the portable oxygen concentrators are designed to work on DC power. However, please refer to the user’s manual to see what settings your oxygen concentrator can support on DC power (car plug).

    • There should be no odor from the home oxygen concentrator; oxygen is odorless. Please contact your equipment provider to arrange repairs.

  9. My husband sleeps with an oxygen concentrator. For the longest time I have woken up every morning feeling like I was hung over with the worst headache, nausea, fatigue…just awful. This feeling would go away around 1pm everyday, causing me to call in sick often. In addition, our small dog (who slept with us) was throwing up a clear liquid every morning, we couldn’t figure it out. The bedroom door and windows were always closed in the room at night. We blamed the headaches on the weather because that’s what seemed to be what caused the headache, also that is when we closed the windows at night. Once I made the connection that the air in the room was not being ventilated (it was much warmer, even though the heat was off in the whole house at night) I started keeping doors open and fans on, immediately my headaches dramatically improved and the dog stopped vomiting. Although I do wake up feeling better than before and our dog is doing better, I continue to get headaches in that room. I think it needs to be ventilated even more (open windows) as the headaches only seem to show up now during winter months. My next move is to try sleeping in a room without the concentrator. I truly believe the oxygen concentrator is the root of my problem and would like to see this be researched more in depth.

    • Hello Yvonne, thanks for sharing your experience. What oxygen concentrator does your husband have and what’s the liter flow?

  10. Hello my oxybliss CONCENTRATOR is producing less oxygen and there is no error on screen it shows blue light like always. I ket in an open ventilated area.

    Please advise 🙏 urgently in this pendamic

    • Sorry, we do not deal with that brand but can suggest you the following:
      1. Check the air inlet filter on the device. Ensure that they are clean.
      2. Keep the unit at least 6-8 inches away from wall, furniture, and curtains.
      3. Ensure that the nasal cannula is not kinked.
      4. Check whether the oxygen flow meter is set properly.

  11. I’m a cleaner and one of the clients is on oxygen Is it okay to still use cleaning products not need him, so like a couple of metres away?

    • Thanks for your question and for taking care of your clients on Oxygen Therapy. If any of the products are inflammable keep at least 8 feet (2.5 meters) distance. Ensure that the area is properly ventilated so that it reduces the chance of odor. Also, keep checking with the patient, if they are comfortable during the process.

  12. this is a question, not a reply. . . does an oxygen concentrator, running full time, reduce the ambient oxygen to nitrogen percentage? I have a parrot, and i am concerned he is being ill effected. thank you.

    • An oxygen concentrator works by extracting oxygen from the surrounding air and delivering it in higher concentrations to the user. However, it does not significantly reduce the ambient oxygen to nitrogen percentage in the room. The concentrator pulls in air from the environment, removes nitrogen and other gases, and then delivers oxygen-enriched air to the user through a nasal cannula or mask.

      The concentration of oxygen in the room air remains relatively stable, as the concentrator only removes a small fraction of the air in the room at any given time. Also, the user doesn’t absorb all the oxygen supplied by the concentrator and it gets back to the room. Therefore, the ambient oxygen to nitrogen ratio in the room should not be significantly affected by the operation of an oxygen concentrator.

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