Oxygen concentrators work in the same way as an oxygen cylinder or tank. An oxygen concentrator is a medical device that concentrates oxygen from ambient air.

Atmospheric air is about 79 percent nitrogen and 20 percent oxygen, and other gases make up the remaining 1 percent. They suck in air from the environment, remove unwanted gases, concentrate oxygen, and then blow it through a tubing so patients can breathe pure oxygen.

How to set the oxygen level on a concentrator?

• Position the machine 1 to 2 feet (0.30 to 0.60 m) from the wall and furniture. The machine needs to extract oxygen and release exhaust gases, so it needs a lot of space.
• Attach your humidification bottle if one is prescribed.
• Connect your oxygen tubing to the humidification bottle or adapter.
• Make sure your air filter is in place. Your oxygen concentrator has an air intake filter that removes particles and allergens from the air.

How to use oxygen concentrator?

How to turn on your oxygen concentrator?

• Turn on your oxygen concentrator at least 15 minutes before using it.
• Plug into a grounded outlet that is not in use.
• Your oxygen concentrator should be the only item plugged into that outlet, as it will consume a lot of power.
• Switch the start button to the “on” position.
• Hear the alarm.
• Your oxygen concentrator should sound an alarm when it is turned on.
• This is to make sure it doesn’t accidentally turn on when it shouldn’t.

How to adjust the oxygen flow in the oxygen concentrator?

• Locate the control knob or turn on your oxygen concentrator.
• Turn the knob or switch until it points to your prescribed number.
• Your doctor will prescribe the proper amount of oxygen for you.
• If you are not sure which setting to use, call your doctor for clarification.

How to put on the mask or nasal cannula?

• Check your tubing to see if it is kinked or bent.
• These can interrupt the flow of oxygen, so they need to be stretched.
• Place your mask on your face for low oxygen levels.
• Make sure there are no gaps around the edges of the mask.
• Place your nasal cannula up into your nostrils for high oxygen levels.
• Breathe through your mask or nasal cannula.
• Breathe as you normally would, allowing the machine to supplement its oxygenation.
• Use the machine for as long as your doctor recommends.

Oxygen concentrator flow rate

With many of the home and portable concentrators on the market, the oxygen flowing through the device is typically measured in liters per minute, although there are some that provide milliliters per minute.

Normally, continuous flow oxygen concentrators provide liters per minute, while pulse concentrators use milliliters per minute of oxygen in pulsed doses.

Those requiring oxygen therapy will receive a prescription from their physician informing them of their oxygen flow needs, such as 2.0 liters per minute, which is a common prescription.

However, the exact amount you need can vary. Recipes can vary between 1 liter and 10 liters per minute in most cases.

What type of oxygen concentrator do you need?

Just because you need to have a flow rate of 2.0 liters per minute does not mean that you necessarily have to have a continuous flow concentrator.

There are also pulse flow options that may work for you. You just need to make sure to talk to your doctor about your specific needs to make sure you’re getting just what you need.

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An oxygen concentrator is a medical device used to supply oxygen to people who are short of breath.

An oxygen concentrator uses nearby air to filter oxygen and is the best solution for supplying oxygen in the home.

People whose blood oxygen concentration is lower than normal often require an oxygen concentrator to replace that oxygen.

What is oxygen concentrator machine?

It is a way to obtain additional oxygen in the body, it is through the use of an oxygen concentrator at home that we can move freely.

Oxygen concentrators are medical devices that must be sold and used only with a prescription.

Why do we need an oxygen concentrator machine?

To survive, we need oxygen to go from our lungs to the cells of our body. Sometimes the amount of oxygen in our blood can drop below normal levels.

Asthma, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the flu are some of the health problems that can cause oxygen levels to drop.

When levels are too low, we may need to take in extra oxygen, known as oxygen therapy.

What is the use of oxygen concentrator?

There are many reasons to use an oxygen concentrator, and doctors may recommend oxygen therapy to their patients for various medical conditions. Generally, your lungs absorb oxygen from the air and transfer it into the bloodstream.

If you recently had blood tests or pulse oximetry to assess your oxygen saturation levels and were found to have low oxygen levels in your blood, your doctor may recommend short-term or long-term oxygen therapy.

You should not use an oxygen concentrator at home unless it has been prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Giving yourself oxygen without first consulting a doctor can do more harm than good. You may end up taking in too much or too little oxygen. Deciding to use an oxygen concentrator without a prescription can lead to serious health problems, such as oxygen toxicity caused by getting too much oxygen.

Oxygen therapy at home

Find out if you really need oxygen therapy by consulting with your healthcare provider. If you do, your healthcare provider can determine how much oxygen to take and for how long.

You are probably wondering what an oxygen concentrator is used for.

Acute conditions often require short-term oxygen therapy. These conditions usually occur for a short period of time.

They can have a sudden onset of symptoms compared to chronic conditions in which things happen gradually.

However, some respiratory or chronic conditions require long-term oxygen supplementation.

Although oxygen makes up about 20 percent of the air around us, breathing in high concentrations of oxygen can damage your lungs. On the other hand, not getting enough oxygen in the blood, a condition called hypoxia, could damage the heart, brain, and other organs.

How to set oxygen level on concentrator?

How are my oxygen levels controlled at home?

Oxygen levels are monitored with a small device called a pulse oximeter.

Pulse oximeters are usually attached to the tip of a finger. The devices use rays of light to indirectly measure the level of oxygen in the blood without having to draw a blood sample.

Oxygen Concentrator + Pulse oximeter

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Salter Labs bubble humidifiers feature diffuser ports, at the bottom of the humidifier’s inner tube, to increase overall humidity and reduce noise during use.

Maximum or minimum water level markings are permanently etched on the clear bottle, and an easy-grip quad wing nut connector adds user-friendly touches to this premium bottle design.

Oxygen Concentrator Humidifier Kit

Humidifier for applications that require flows from 6 to 15 LPM. Quiet operation is ideal in any setting: hospital, hospice, or home care.

The relief valve will audibly alert to potential downstream occlusions and automatically reset and continue gas flow.

A unique 360-degree rectangular hole diffuser provides superior gas hydration and quiet operation with very low resistance.

Especially suitable for improving gas hydration for new generation oxygen concentrators.

It can be used with patients who require high flows delivered through masks or nasal cannula.

Salter Labs disposable humidifiers are single-patient products designed and manufactured for long-term durability and complete patient satisfaction.

In addition to being a durable, high-performance unit, this humidifier is also cost-effective, easy to use, and compatible with a variety of oxygen sources.

The Salter Labs bubble humidifier is easy to grip, it reduces the chance of cross-threading, and the audible alarm actually reduces the likelihood of concentrator damage.

In addition, the easy-to-read maximum and minimum markings are permanent. Also, this humidifier accommodates a variety of patient situations as it can be used with concentrators, liquids, tanks, and wall outlets.

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Use sterile distilled water whenever possible to reduce the possibility of contamination and fouling. If you use distilled water, remove the bottle from the humidifier every 7 days, wash it with mild soap and water, and rinse well.

If using boiled tap water, remove bottle from humidifier every 3 days, wash with mild soap and water, rinse well, and air dry. If the humidifier shows scale, damage, or wear, replace it immediately. For complete instructions, review the documentation that came with your humidification kit.

How often to change oxygen humidifier water?

A common compliance issue is when patients or caregivers add distilled water to the humidifier bottle by “topping off” the container. Teach the patient to change the distilled water daily.

Empty the humidifier bottle, wash inside and out with soap and water, rinse with a disinfectant, then rinse with hot water; then refill the humidification bottle with distilled water.

Note that some manufacturers’ directions for use require that the humidifier bottle be rinsed daily with a solution of 10 parts water and 1 part vinegar as a disinfectant.

Avoid touching the inside of the bottle or cap after it has been cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination.

Oxygen humidifier bottle instructions

Oxygen is a dry gas and a humidifier bottle may be used to help alleviate a sore, dry or bloody nose. The oxygen picks up humidity by flowing through a water bottle connected to the concentrator or liquid system.

1. Fill the humidifier bottle with distilled water to the maximum fill line. Don’t overfill.
2. Put the cap of the humidifier on the bottle. Gently tighten making sure to screw cap and bottle on tightly. Avoid cross threads as this will cause a leak.
3. Depending on the machine you have, connect the inlet nut to the oxygen outlet or humidifier adapter on the oxygen system and hand-tighten. If the inlet nut or adapter is cross-threaded, oxygen will leak.
4. Test the humidifier for leaks by adjusting the flow rate to 4 liters or more and blocking the humidifier outlet. The safety valve should “pop” or “hiss” within 15 seconds. If not, check the bottle and cap to make sure they are tight and repeat the test.
5. Once the humidifier bottle is positioned correctly, connect the extension tube to the humidifier outlet and adjust the flow rate to the prescribed level.

How to clean oxygen humidifier bottle?

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Designed for long-term durability and complete patient satisfaction, the Safety Valve Bubble Humidifier Bottle provides reliable and cost-effective humidification for oxygen therapy users.

Bubble humidifiers are safe and easy to use, maximizing humidification while ensuring quiet operation and reducing system backpressure.

Bubble humidifiers feature diffuser ports, at the bottom of the humidifier’s inner tube, to increase overall humidity and reduce noise during use.

Water level markings, maximum or minimum, are permanently engraved on the transparent bottle; and an easy-grip quad wing nut connector adds user-friendly touches to this bottle design.

The bubble humidifier bottle has an audible 6 PSI discharge pressure alarm to warn of any obstruction in oxygen flow and help reduce the chance of damage to the concentrator due to water occlusion.

Bubbler for oxygen concentrator

Some people with COPD require oxygen at home. The most common delivery device for this is a nasal cannula. The cannulas have tips that go into your nostrils and allow you to inhale a low flow of oxygen. This low flow usually does not cause any problems, although it can sometimes cause discomfort.

The treatment here is to add moisture to the inhaled oxygen. This can be easily accomplished by using a bubbling humidifier.

So what are bubbling humidifiers? How do they work? do you need one?

What are bubblers?

Bubblers are a type of humidification device. Before, they were glass bottles that broke and needed to be washed. Today, bubblers are made of plastic. When the water runs out, they can be thrown away and a new one can then be added to the system. They are generally considered an inexpensive way to humidify inhaled oxygen.

The appearance of bubblers can vary depending on the company that makes them, but the overall design is similar regardless of brand.

They are small plastic containers. They are about the size of a small tissue box that you can hold in one hand. Above them is an adapter so they can be connected to an oxygen flow meter.

Bubble Humidifier How to use?

In the hospital, the oxygen flow meter will be fixed to the wall. In your home, the flow meter will be connected to tanks or your oxygen concentrator.

The bubbler is connected to the flowmeter. On the side of the bubbler is an attachment for the nasal cannula tube.

The concept is quite simple. The oxygen flow travels to the bubbler through a small tube that guides the oxygen to the bottom of the bubbler.

Here, oxygen enters the water to cause gas bubbles to rise to the surface of the water.

As the gas travels, it picks up water, thus increasing the humidity of the molecule. The humidified oxygen molecules then travel through the oxygen tubing to your nose for you to inhale.

So, in this way, the bubblers moisten the inhaled oxygen. The goal here is to prevent the nose from drying out. This can prevent nasal irritation caused by inhaling oxygen.

Oxygen Concentrator Humidifier Kit

Each hospital has its own policy regarding bubblers. The same goes for providers of home oxygen equipment. Some will automatically provide you with a bubbler, while others will only provide one if you ask.

To reduce the risk of infection for patients, it is necessary to eliminate all potential sources of respiratory pathogens.

Oxygen humidifiers are commonly used in hospitals, because the oxygen used is a dry and irritating gas that, if poorly humidified, causes lesions in the respiratory mucous membranes.

Oxygen humidifiers are devices used to humidify supplemental oxygen. In dryer climates or for other circumstances that would cause the oxygen you breathe to be a little too dry; we carry the right humidifiers for a supplemental oxygen concentrator.

Now you can have the comfort of perfectly humidified air while you travel into drier climates. Our selection of Oxygen Humidifiers and Humidifier Kits provides long-lasting moisture for utmost user comfort during oxygen therapy, especially in drier climates.

Shop Online and Save on Top-selling Humidifier Products such as the Salter Labs High Flow Bubble Humidifier Bottle, Respironics SimplyGo Humidifier Kit, Salter Labs High Flow Bubble Humidifier Bottle, and more.

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Traveling with oxygen has become much easier with the development of portable oxygen concentrator for travel (POCs).

These devices are battery-powered, can be recharged, plugged into a wall or car cigarette lighter, and can be carried on airplanes.

There are several makes and models, with different characteristics, so it is important to choose the one that is best for you, which provides enough oxygen to maintain your saturation at 90 percent or more at rest and with activity.

POCs can be rented or purchased from various oxygen providers.

Oxygen for travel

Some people can become hypoxemic while traveling or living at high altitudes, hypoxia is a term to describe a lack of oxygen in the blood.

A simple pulse oximeter reading while at high altitude, at rest, and during activity, can determine if oxygen is needed at altitude.

Some labs may perform an altitude simulation test to determine your oxygen saturation at altitude.

This test involves breathing in a mixture of 16 percent oxygen, which is equivalent to the amount of oxygen in the air at 8,000 feet, and then taking a pulse oximeter reading.

Portable oxygen for travel

Traveling with portable oxygen in a car or other mode of transportation can seem difficult.

Before you start planning any type of oxygen trip, you will first need to get permission from your doctor to travel.

You may also need to sign a letter for the airline, train, bus, or cruise line you are traveling with.

Once you have obtained a doctor’s clearance to travel, you will need to be aware of the regulations and restrictions for traveling with oxygen.

Whether you’re traveling by car, bus, or plane, there will be some rules to follow and practical things you can do to make traveling on oxygen as easy as possible.

Oxygen for travelling by air

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that anyone traveling on oxygen present a letter from their physician stating their need. The FAA has approved two types of portable medical oxygen devices and allows airline passengers to carry them on the plane.

The two oxygen devices work by filtering nitrogen from the air and supplying concentrated oxygen to the user. Because the devices do not carry compressed oxygen, they are not considered dangerous to flight safety.

If you are traveling by plane, check with your oxygen supply company to see if they carry one of the two portable oxygen devices. You will need a physician’s order for portable oxygen.

Some airlines may not allow passengers to carry FAA-approved devices and instead require passengers to use oxygen on board the airline.

Others may allow passengers to use their own oxygen on the runway, but switch to the plane’s oxygen once on board. Be sure to check with your airline before your flight to find out what their rules and restrictions are.

Traveling with oxygen by car

If you are traveling by car and your vehicle is large enough to carry your oxygen concentrator, you can take it with you and use it whenever and wherever it has electrical outlets.

Talk to your oxygen provider about how much backup oxygen you will need. They can also help you arrange oxygen pickup from another source at your destination if you are unable to bring your concentrator.

You’ll also want the number of an oxygen provider at your destination anyway in case you have a malfunction or other oxygen emergency.

It is important to store your oxygen out of direct sunlight and away from any heat source.

Traveling with oxygen by cruise ship

If you are dependent on oxygen or require oxygen therapy, you must supply your own oxygen, and meet certain requirements prior to boarding the ship.

Guests taking an oxygen cylinder or concentrator while on tour should provide in advance the dimensions of the device to accessible shore excursions.

Traveling with oxygen on airlines

Air travel exposes people to lower air pressure and lower than normal oxygen levels.

For most people, these changes are not noticeable. However, for patients with certain underlying lung conditions, small atmospheric changes can have significant and potentially serious effects.

Commercial airlines must provide a cabin pressure altitude of no more than 8,000 feet altitude.

Your pulmonologist can determine if air travel is safe for you. Your pulmonologist may request an altitude simulation test to help determine your ability to fly safely at this cabin pressure.

The only oxygen equipment allowed on an airplane is the portable oxygen concentrator (POC).

If you need oxygen in flight, you must carry a portable oxygen concentrator and inform your airline in advance.

They may require a letter from the doctor to verify the need for the POC on the plane. If you don’t have a POC, you can rent one for travel, either through your oxygen supplier or through websites.

Airplane cabin pressure effects on body

Exposure to low air pressure in flights.

The effects of increased altitude and associated reductions in air pressure can result in an expansion of air or gas trapped within the body. Trapped air or gas can be located in places that include:

• Nasal sinuses
• Tubes inside the ear
• Abnormal pockets within the lung
• Internal organs in the abdominal cavity

As atmospheric pressure drops, the trapped air expands. This explains the “ear noise” that most travelers are familiar with. When air is trapped in the chest, the expansion of the gas can be life-threatening.

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