Respiratory therapists provide many different therapies, depending on what is needed at the time of diagnosis. One therapy that is designed to provide patients with oxygen at a incredibly higher level than the normal amount of oxygen is called oxygen therapy. It is known that the oxygen at sea level contains about 1/5th of the oxygen, the rest of the air is made up of nitrogen and other gases. Being that oxygen is vital for breathing and vital for our cells, we use the oxygen and filter out the other gasses that are not needed.
Low Oxygen Levels
We have found that those individuals that suffer from various lung ailments do not obtain enough of the oxygen that is needed in their blood stream to suffice their cells. As a result to this many find themselves out of breath and very tired. Low blood oxygen levels are not always the case, and one should always seek help from a professional to truly diagnose the condition and what could be the appropriate remedies. Anyone dealing with a shortness of breath, can really have their lives compromised and the proper treatments can make all the difference in their life.
In treating people with lung problems as a result of low oxygen levels, first response would to to find out why they are low, and to design a plan. When dealing with the elderly, in many cases, their problems are chronic, and unfortunately, their problems will continue to worsen over time. It is possible, however, to use the help of oxygen therapy, to make them as comfortable as possible, and to maintain somewhat of a good quality of life.
Treatments
For those that are in need of long term oxygen therapy, the doctor and the respiratory therapist would work together to assess and design a plan for the patient. Determining how much extra oxygen is needed for how long and how much per day. The test for this procedure is not comfortable, but the results are necessary to proceed with treatment. Treatment is usually the oxygen concentrator that takes in the air and filters the oxygen so that it is purer to inhale, and since it is the air that we all breathe, there is no worry of running out of it, as with the compressed oxygen, which can also be very cumbersome and annoying to try and move around.
The good news for those needing to have a portable oxygen system is that now days the manufacturers are making them more and more portable friendly, which keeps in mind that those needing these treatments can still have a busy and productive life.