Which finger is best for pulse oximeter?

As per the studies, your right hand’s middle finger shows the best results. Make sure to take off any nail polish and avoid using cold fingers as the readings may not show correctly. It can also be attached to the ear lobes or toes.

Which finger pulse oximeter is the best?

You may not recognize the name, but you’ve likely seen a pulse oximeter before (probably in a doctor’s office or hospital).

Just like a thermometer reads your temperature, a pulse oximeter, a small rectangular device that you attach to your finger, reads your blood oxygen levels and heart rate.

But unlike a thermometer, which many people already have in their homes, pulse oximeters are not a mainstay in many medicine cabinets.

Which finger is best for pulse oximeter?
Which finger is best for pulse oximeter?

Best pulse oximeter for cold fingers

However, you can change all that.

“Everyone is trying to avoid leaving home, especially to go to the doctor,” said an ER doctor, adding that people with mild symptoms are often urged to stay home and consult their doctors through of telemedicine.

But sometimes it is difficult to distinguish milder symptoms from those that require emergency medical attention; that’s where a pulse oximeter can come into play.

“Many doctors have been advising patients, especially those with worrisome symptoms or chronic illnesses such as heart or lung problems, to buy a pulse oximeter at home to monitor their oxygen levels without having to go to the doctor.”

Normal pulse ox with pneumonia

It is in cases like these that a pulse oximeter can help. “Detection of pneumonia by generalized pulse oximetry, whether people monitor themselves on home devices or go to clinics or doctors’ offices, could provide an early warning system for the types of respiratory problems associated with pneumonia”

All patients who test positive for pneumonia, and even patients who show symptoms but have not been tested, should have a pulse oximetry check for two weeks, as this is normally when pneumonia can develop.

How do you use a pulse oximeter at home?

Turn on the probe and within a few seconds, the device will collect accurate information and show readings of blood oxygen saturation levels and pulse rate. Once the reading is noted, the probe can be removed and it will shut down automatically.

More on this story

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Normal pulse rate in Oximeter

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Pulse oximeter Normal Reading

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