Portable Oxygen Systems - Tips To Help You Chose

For the many people who need extra oxygen the last few years have brought many new designs and models in portable oxygen systems. Being able to maintain an active life style is very important to those who depend on supplemental oxygen - and this is one area that can be affected.You have to take into account a few things when choosing an oxygen delivery system.

• Are you on oxygen 24/7? While exercising? During the day/  At night? 
• How active a life do you lead? 
• The amount of pure oxygen you receive.

When the time comes to chose your oxygen delivery system make sure you are guided by your doctor and that your particular lifestyle is taken into account. Once you have your oxygen units you go through a process of learning to use it and adjusting.  It usually doesn't take very long although it will vary between individuals.  The thing is that once you get used to it, you will probably resist any changes, so it is always better to take your time before committing to a particular system or combination of oxygen delivery  units.The 3 Different Oxygen Delivery Systems:. These three all have portable alternatives that are designed to help you be mobile and maintain your activity level.And they are:POC's : Portable Oxygen Concentrators - An oxygen concentrator is a machine, electrically powered, that extracts oxygen from ambient air, concentrates it at 100% and then delivers it to the patient either though a cannula or an oxygen mask (much like the other systems). The portable ones are smaller and lighter.  As they are electrically powered this is by plugging into the wall socket (or car lighter adapter), as well as with rechargeable batteries.  This versatility is making them very popular with the additional advantage that most brands are looking to increase the battery duration.   Compressed Oxygen -Portable Oxygen Cylinders.  The second type of oxygen delivery system stores compressed oxygen in a cylinder.  Portable cylinders are smaller and lighter and therefore easier to manipulate.  Portable cylinders weigh from 4lbs to around 8 lbs. They are very practical for short periods of time (in the house, for example). As oxygen is stored in the cylinder, the oxygen will last depending on the size and amount of compressed oxygen and the flow and delivery rate. These cylinders are refillable.   Portable Liquid Oxygen Tanks - Oxygen has the physical property of turning liquid at lower temperatures. Liquid oxygen tanks keep a reservoir of liquid oxygen (which by the way means a much greater amount of oxygen is stored than if kept in its gaseous state), which is then delivered at the appropriate setting as a gas (obviously the tank has a gas small gas storage part). There small units available that can deliver oxygen for many hours.