Benefits of Oxygen Therapy

As everybody knows, the oxygen in the atmosphere is an integral part of making sure that we stay alive. Every single living organism needs to breathe in oxygen, to make sure that his biological, natural and physiological functions work in a healthy and faultless manner. However, there might be cases---especially in cases of lung damage or heart attacks---when the lungs find it rather difficult to get the exact amount of oxygen required by a body to perform its duties well. That is where the idea of oxygen therapy comes in. Oxygen therapy means giving the body the required amount of oxygen it needs to function properly.

Hypoxemia

Hypoxemia is the technical name given to a lack of adequate oxygen in your blood. The brain begins to shut down because there is not enough oxygen to reach it. In these instances, oxygen therapy is used on the patient, administering calculated amounts, so that the blood supply, brain and other organs of the body can get the necessary oxygen.

Hypoxemia

Hypoxemia is the technical name given to a lack of adequate oxygen in your blood. That means the body is definitely not going to function properly. The brain might decide to shut down, because there is not enough of oxygen reaching it. Under such cases, oxygen therapy is going to be of extreme benefit to the patient. With a regular oxygen dosage, the blood supply, brain and other organs of the body can get the necessary oxygen after calculated amounts of oxygen to the patient are administered by the doctors.

Shortness of Breath

There might be a time when a patient finds himself "gasping" for breath. This is due to a decrease in the level of oxygen in the blood. This is the time when the patient is going to need a supplemental amount of oxygen, to raise the oxygen level. Under such circumstances, oxygen therapy is going to benefit the patient immensely. Oxygen therapy also is extremely beneficial when a patient is suffering from a respiratory problem. It is also seen when the heart is overtaxed, and that is why heart patients are often given supplemental doses of oxygen, when required.

Relief From Headache and Nausea

Some of the reasons why people begin to suffer from headaches is because they are breathing in the stale atmosphere brought upon by a carbon dioxide buildup in an enclosed room. Apart from opening the window and taking deep gulps of (supposedly) fresh air, one is going to find that a little bit of oxygen therapy is extremely beneficial for relief from headache and an increased clarity of the thought processes. One might even feel nausea in an enclosed area or space, especially if it happens to be air-conditioned, with no fresh air conduit. A little bit of oxygen therapy is going to get rid of that nauseated feeling.

Succours Lung Disease Sufferers

A person who is suffering from lung disease may have increased chances of heart failure, due to the added strain on the heart with not enough oxygen reaching the heart via the lungs. Here is where one can see a clear benefit of oxygen therapy. Not only is the patient's heart going to get enough of oxygen to keep functioning regularly, but his ailing lungs are also going to be relieved from their hard job of trying to work properly.

Long-Term Benefits

Using oxygen therapy for a longer period of time is being reveiwed by medical practitioners and doctors because of some accrued benefits. These benefits include: 1) Less time in the hospital as doctors have found that oxygen therapy reduces the period of stay of a patient in the hospital. 2) Reduced strain on the heart. If the heart happens to be strained due to circumstances like heart attack, sickness and other ailments, a calculated oxygen therapy is going to be very helpful in reducing the strain on the patient's heart. And 3) oxygen therapy aids air travel. Many people find it very difficult to travel by air, because of the decompressed atmosphere, as well as the paucity of oxygen. The FAA has approved oxygen concentrators that are portable. These not only help people travel by air without any breathing problems, but also help in the reduction of stress and anxiety brought about in these people, when in the air.