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What Is Supplemental Oxygen?

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If you have trouble breathing frequently, there's a good chance you need supplemental oxygen. Supplemental oxygen is provided to you from some type of container. You need oxygen because it's essential for a variety of basic body functions. It fuels your muscles and allows you to move around without any problem. It also helps brain function and, most importantly, keeps your lungs healthy and your heart pumping. However, if you have trouble getting enough of it into your system for any reason, you will likely need to get supplemental oxygen in order to maintain the basic functions of your body.

How to Tell If You Need Supplemental Oxygen

There are some pretty obvious situations that would require you to get supplemental oxygen. If you just got done running a long run and you're having trouble breathing, you may need it. If you were just in an emergency situation that cut your body off from oxygen for any period of time, you may need supplemental oxygen, too. But there are some situations that aren't so obvious. And the only way to tell if you need supplemental oxygen is to have the levels of it in your body checked. Elderly people often can't get enough oxygen into their body because they lose full function of certain body parts that make breathing natural. Because of this, they need to get supplemental oxygen and stay away from any activity that could put them in danger of running out of it.

How to Use Supplemental Oxygen

Today there are more ways than ever to get supplemental oxygen. There are many companies that offer supplemental oxygen containers and different types of equipment that allow you to take it in right in the privacy of your home. If you're insured, your insurance company will likely cover this treatment. Modern technology has also made it possible for you to get supplemental oxygen equipment that lets you maintain a relatively normal life both in and outside of your home.

Taking Care of Your Body

Oxygen is extremely important to your body. So if you're ever required to take supplemental oxygen, make sure that you take the situation seriously. Be careful with your equipment and don't leave it near any sources of heat. Additionally, do not stand or sit near smokers and don't smoke yourself, as this will put an extreme strain on your body. Don't partake in any physical activities that could cause you to struggle to breathe. If you need supplemental oxygen as the result of completing some physical activity, give your body the rest it needs to recover. It can take a few days for the levels in your body to get back to normal.

Taking supplemental oxygen can help your body to get what it needs. It can then work to allow your body to resume normal functions and get you back to feeling your best.

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