Oxygen therapy is one of the leading treatment options for lung disease such as COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis as well as lung cancer.
Oxygen therapy can be delivered through the standard cumbersome oxygen tank, liquid oxygen, or through a portable or home oxygen concentrator.
All three options are viable but only one option will allow you to travel and move around with ease.
Portable oxygen concentrators are FAA approved to be used during air travel and no other oxygen delivery system is as light-weight and mobile as a portable oxygen concentrator. Owning a portable oxygen concentrator will not only help with the treatment of your lung disease but it will also give you the ability to get back to doing the things you love and so much more!
3 Solutions Attributed to Portable Oxygen Concentrators
Relieves Depression
Depression is a common side effect in patients diagnosed with a lung disease, much of the depression can be attributed to recently learning and coping with the diagnosis, and in patients who have been diagnosed for years slowly become more and more depressed due to symptoms felt, poor diet, lack of exercise, and overall lack of socialization.
Those four things can deeply impact the overall mindset and well being of a patient. Patients who have recently been diagnosed hear the phrase "lung disease" and instantly believe their lives are over.
They can live a high quality of life even with their diagnosis, but must adjust everyday routines to be disease friendly.
Portable oxygen concentrators allow patients the freedom to attend that weekly book club, grab dinner with friends and family, or any other social event they desire while still receiving treatment!
Exercising is a great way to alleviate stress and boost overall happiness, exercising can finally be a possibility with the help of an oxygen concentrator!
With mobility an option patients no longer have to be confined to their homes left to sulk, but instead can attend regular social outings like they once did.
Portable oxygen concentrators will especially help out patients that live alone and often feel lonely, now they will be able to attend disease related support groups and interact and share personal stories with people alike.
Ability to Travel
Industry standard oxygen tanks and liquid oxygen are highly combustible and multiple are needed in order to supply the sufficient amount of oxygen to the patient, which is why airlines do not allow tanks nor liquid oxygen on-board or to be used at all for that matter.
All our portable oxygen concentrators are FAA approved to be taken on board and to be used during the flight.
Patients must be sure that their portable oxygen concentrator has 150% of the flight time in battery life as this is a federal requirement.
Always make sure to have a prescription for the medical grade oxygen, in addition to a note from your doctor saying you are medically cleared to fly.
Drive and Be Secured for Oxygen
As said previously oxygen tanks are highly explosive, and that explosiveness can be morbidly dangerous for motorists if a patient were to get into a car accident.
In addition to the combustibility once oxygen tanks are empty they are useless until refilled, but with portable oxygen concentrators patients can power and for certain concentrators even charge the batteries while on the go!
Simply plug the unit into the cigarette lighter(standard in most cars) through the DC power cord, this is ideal for long road trips or for times that charging the battery was spaced.
Specific flow restrictions may be present for certain units when powering the machine through the DC cord, and always remember to keep the car started when powering a portable oxygen concentrator or risk having the car battery die.
+Caleb Umstead