Oxygen Concentrator on Rent or Buy

What is an Oxygen Machine / Oxygen Concentrator?

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As per a very simple definition, as provided by Wikipedia,

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"An oxygen concentrator takes in air and removes nitrogen from it, leaving an oxygen enriched gas for use by people requiring medical oxygen due to low oxygen levels in their blood"

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In general Oxygen Concentrators is a type of Medical Device that helps in delivering oxygen to patients with respiratory disorders, for example, Asthma, breathing problems coming with climate change, COPD, Pneumonia, etc. On the other hand, people with low oxygen concentration in their bloodstream require assistance to manage breathing through Oxygen Concentrators.

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There was a time when the only available source for patients having breathing problems was through the bulky oxygen tanks. However, these too being very effective, the only problem was the regular visit of the suppliers to replenish the oxygen tanks regularly.

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One should remember that these are not available for over the counter purchases. Get a doctor's prescription for easy buy. A doctor must prescribe it after they’ve completed a thorough medical evaluation. Further, the doctor gives all the direction for its effective usage.

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Acute Conditions Requiring an Oxygen Concentrator

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Some chronic conditions requiring long-term oxygen concentrator uses are:

A few examples of acute conditions where you would need the use of an oxygen concentrator for short-term oxygen therapy are:

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1. Asthma

2. Pneumonia​

3. CoPD 

4. Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)​

5. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)

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​How Does an Oxygen Concentrator Work?

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The process is as under:

1. Compressing air as the cooling mechanism keeps the concentrator from becoming overheated

2. Taking air in from its surroundings

3. Using an electronic interface to adjust delivery settings

4. Removing nitrogen from the air through sieve beds and a filter

5. Delivering purified oxygen through a mask or nasal cannula​

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Oxygen Concentrator V/s Oxygen Cylinder

Oxygen concentrators that can "make" their own oxygen have become more popular and widely used than old-fashioned oxygen Cylinders.

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Oxygen Concentrators can provide with certain benefits of:

• Cost-effectiveness

• Does not require refilling

Oxygen Cylinder benefits:

• No Electricity Required to Operate

• Purity - upto 99%

• Flow - Can be adjusted to very high levels of 40 L PM

Nutshell, for non-critical cases with low oxygen flow requirement (2Lpm or less), just oxygen concentrator is sufficient, but in All other cases, its best adviced to use Oxygen cylinder as a backup with Oxygen concentrator.

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What Key Features to check before buying Oxygen Concentrator?

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1. Oxygen Flow : Output of concentrated Oxygen, measured in Liter per minutes ​

2. Nebulizer : Typical add-on for the patients having breathing issues ​

3. Oxygen Purity : Very important to have 93% or more. Do check! ​​

4. Battery Backup : For those times of power cuts.​

5. Portability : Can be carried outdoors, is lightweight, portable with backpack, has battery backup​

6. Touch Panel : Ease of operation ​

7. Noise Level : Decibel level for Philips Oxygen machine being the best

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How to Use an Oxygen Concentrator?

 If you don’t know how to use an oxygen concentrator yet, you may think it’s difficult. However, the process is so simple that anyone can do it. You just need to set up the machine properly, turn it on, and adjust it to the prescribed flow rate before putting on your mask or nasal cannula. 

There are just a few things to keep in mind. Remember to:

• The oxygen concentrator must be a foot or two away from furniture

• Start the machine 15 to 20 minutes prior to the use so that it can distribute an accurate concentration of air

• Smooth out any bends in the tubing before beginning the treatment

• If you want low levels of oxygen, you can use the mask. However, for high levels, insert the nasal cannula.

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