You and Oxygen Therapy

Animation - Using Your Stationary Oxygen Concentrator

If you have a lung problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis, you might have low oxygen levels. If so, you may need oxygen therapy to help you breathe better and do the things you want and need to do. Oxygen therapy is given using special equipment. This animation tells you about using a stationary oxygen concentrator. A stationary oxygen concentrator is a machine that turns room air into oxygen. You breathe in the oxygen through a tube that connects from the machine to a device you wear in your nose or over your nose and mouth. A stationary concentrator is also called a home or standard oxygen concentrator. It stays in one place but has wheels so it can be moved inside the home. It plugs into the wall and runs on electricity.
Watch to learn how stationary oxygen concentrators work, their parts, and how to use them effectively and safely. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have questions about your oxygen therapy prescription and using your oxygen equipment.

Slide Show - Using Your Stationary Oxygen Concentrator

If you have a lung problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis, you might have low oxygen levels. If so, you may need oxygen therapy to help you breathe better and do the things you want and need to do. Oxygen therapy is given using special equipment. This slide show tells you about using a stationary oxygen concentrator. A stationary oxygen concentrator is a machine that turns room air into oxygen. You breathe in the oxygen through a tube that connects from the machine to a device you wear in your nose or over your nose and mouth. A stationary concentrator is also called a home or standard oxygen concentrator. It stays in one place but has wheels so it can be moved inside the home. It plugs into the wall and runs on electricity.
Click through to learn how stationary oxygen concentrators work, their parts, and how to use them effectively and safely. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have questions about your oxygen therapy prescription and using your oxygen equipment.

Animation - Using Your Portable Oxygen Concentrator

If you have a lung problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis, you might have low oxygen levels. If so, you may need extra oxygen, or oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy is given using special equipment. This animation tells you about using a portable oxygen concentrator. A portable oxygen concentrator is small and usually light enough to carry. It can help provide you with extra oxygen (oxygen therapy) while you are outside of the house. It is powered by a battery so it can be used while away by plugging into power outlets. Watch to learn how portable oxygen concentrators work, their parts, travel tips, and how to use them effectively and safely. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have questions about your oxygen therapy prescription and using your oxygen equipment.

Slide Show - Using Your Portable Oxygen Concentrator

If you have a lung problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis, you might have low oxygen levels. If so, you may need extra oxygen, or oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy is given using special equipment. This slide show tells you about using a portable oxygen concentrator. A portable oxygen concentrator is small and usually light enough to carry. It can help provide you with extra oxygen (oxygen therapy) while you are outside of the house. It is powered by a battery so it can be used while away by plugging into power outlets. Click through to learn how portable oxygen concentrators work, their parts, travel tips, and how to use them effectively and safely. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have questions about your oxygen therapy prescription and using your oxygen equipment.

Animation - Using Oxygen Tanks

If you have a lung problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis, you might have low oxygen levels. If so, you may need extra oxygen, or oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy is given using special equipment. This animation tells you about using an oxygen tank, also known as an oxygen cylinder. An oxygen tank is a metal cylinder filled with compressed oxygen. Oxygen tanks come in both large and small sizes. The large ones usually stay in one place, such as your home. The smaller ones are portable. You can roll them around with you or even carry them in a backpack. Watch to learn how oxygen tanks work, their parts, and how to use them effectively and safely. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have questions about your oxygen therapy prescription and using your oxygen equipment.

Slide Show - Using Oxygen Tanks

If you have a lung problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis, you might have low oxygen levels. If so, you may need extra oxygen, or oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy is given using special equipment. This slide show tells you about using an oxygen tank, also known as an oxygen cylinder. An oxygen tank is a metal cylinder filled with compressed oxygen. Oxygen tanks come in both large and small sizes. The large ones usually stay in one place, such as your home. The smaller ones are portable. You can roll them around with you or even carry them in a backpack. Click through to learn how oxygen tanks work, their parts, and how to use them effectively and safely. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have questions about your oxygen therapy prescription and using your oxygen equipment.

Animation - Using Oxygen Safely

If you have a lung problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis, you might have low oxygen levels. If so, you may need extra oxygen, or oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy is given using special equipment (stationary oxygen concentrators, portable oxygen concentrators, and oxygen tanks). This animation tells you about using oxygen safely, including keeping a backup source of oxygen in case of emergency, travel tips, fire prevention tips, safe storage, and more. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have questions about your oxygen therapy prescription and using your oxygen equipment.

Slide Show - Using Oxygen Safely

If you have a lung problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis, you might have low oxygen levels. If so, you may need extra oxygen, or oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy is given using special equipment (stationary oxygen concentrators, portable oxygen concentrators, and oxygen tanks). This slide show tells you about using oxygen safely, including keeping a backup source of oxygen in case of emergency, travel tips, fire prevention tips, safe storage, and more. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have questions about your oxygen therapy prescription and using your oxygen equipment.

Expert Video - What are the overall goals of oxygen therapy?

Jerry Krishnan, MD, PhD, of the University of Illinois at Chicago, explains the overall goals of oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy provides you with extra oxygen to help your lungs deliver the right amount of oxygen for the other organs in your body to function at their best. If you have a lung problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis, you might have low oxygen levels and need extra oxygen. Dr. Krishnan explains how oxygen therapy can help you breathe better and do the things you want and need to do, and the importance of talking to your doctor to determine whether oxygen therapy can help relieve symptoms of not getting enough oxygen.

Patient Video - Jean's story: How did you get started using oxygen therapy?

Patient advocate, Jean, was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2000 and has been using oxygen off and on since 2002. When she first found out she needed oxygen therapy, she was not experiencing shortness of breath or symptoms. However, her doctor insisted that she start using oxygen therapy after a pulse oximeter test revealed low levels of oxygen in her blood. Jean also describes what it was like when she first started using oxygen.

Patient Video - Karen's story: How has oxygen therapy helped to improve your health?

Patient advocate, Karen, shares how she has used oxygen therapy to improve her health. Karen has used oxygen therapy for many years for her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and uses it when sleeping, on exertion, at altitude, and during exercise.

Patient Video - Jean's story: What benefits have you experienced using oxygen therapy?

Patient advocate, Jean, discusses the benefits she has experienced since she started using oxygen therapy for her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Oxygen therapy has made it easier and more comfortable for her to walk and has helped her feel better and manage her shortness of breath while moving around.

Patient Video - Karen's story: What benefits have you experienced using oxygen therapy?

Patient advocate, Karen, discusses the biggest benefits she has experienced from using oxygen therapy for her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She can climb stairs while using her oxygen therapy, goes on shopping trips with her friends, and enjoys many other significant improvements in her quality of life that she was not able to have before.

Patient Video - Jean's story: What challenges have you experienced using oxygen therapy?

Patient advocate, Jean, talks about some of the challenges she has experienced over the years using oxygen therapy for her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She strongly believes there is no reason to be embarrassed about wearing oxygen in public and shares strategies for overcoming challenges. She talks about her weight loss journey which significantly improved her health, and shares advice in the hope that it will help other people who are new to using oxygen therapy.

Patient Video - Karen's story: What challenges have you experienced using oxygen therapy?

Patient advocate, Karen, talks about some of the challenges she has experienced using oxygen therapy for her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She shares advice in the hope that it will help other people who are new to using oxygen therapy.

Expert Video - What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?

Learn what chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is, how it starts, and how it affects your lung function from expert Dr. Jerry Krishnan of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Krishnan also explains how long it takes to develop COPD, and how many people may have COPD without even knowing it. Learn what causes COPD, when it can be genetic, and how your doctor can help you explore options for breathing better.

Expert Video - Why might someone with COPD need oxygen therapy?

Jerry Krishnan, MD, PhD, an expert on lung disease from the University of Illinois at Chicago, explains how having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can make it hard to get enough oxygen into the bloodstream and why oxygen therapy can help. He talks about activities that might require oxygen therapy, oxygen during sleep, and the importance of early COPD diagnosis. Dr. Krishnan also explains why improving the air you breathe can help slow COPD and help you be as healthy as possible.

Expert Video - How does someone with COPD know if their oxygen therapy is “working” for them?

Is your oxygen therapy helping your COPD? Dr. Jerry Krishnan of the University of Illinois of Chicago explains how you can tell and why shortness of breath doesn't tell the whole story. He explains the two main ways to measure the amount of oxygen in your blood (pulse oximeter and arterial blood gas), how skin color can affect the results, and which gives the most accurate results. Dr. Krishnan explains where to place a pulse oximeter on your body and why an arterial blood gas test is the gold standard to determine whether your oxygen level is low.

Expert Video - What signs or symptoms should someone with COPD monitor? What might trigger calling for help?

Jerry Krishnan, MD, PhD, of the University of Illinois at Chicago describes warning signs to monitor when you have COPD, such as coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Is your cough, breathing difficulty, or another symptom getting worse? Learn what lung specialist Dr. Krishnan says about the right time to contact your doctor or other health care provider as well as danger signs that should lead you to call 911.

Expert Video - If a person needs oxygen after hospitalization, will they always need to use oxygen?

Jerry Krishnan, MD, PhD, explains whether going home from the hospital after a COPD attack means you will always need oxygen therapy. Based on studies, patients can typically stop using oxygen therapy at 30, 60, or 90 days after leaving the hospital, however, about 50% of patients will still need oxygen therapy after 90 days. Dr. Krishnan says it is difficult to predict and explains how a respiratory therapist, visiting nurse, or other health care provider can help you manage your breathing and determine if you need to keep using supplemental oxygen.

Expert Video - What other conditions require oxygen therapy, other than COPD?

You may need supplemental oxygen even if you don't have COPD. Or you may have COPD and need oxygen therapy for reasons besides a flare-up. Dr. Jerry Krishnan of the University of Illinois at Chicago explains how pneumonia can lead to a need for oxygen therapy and who may need oxygen as part of COVID treatment. He also discusses other types of lung disease and heart problems that could require oxygen therapy and the ways to know if you need supplemental oxygen.

Expert Video - What are some general health tips for people on oxygen therapy?

How can you stay well when you have lung disease and use oxygen? Susan Jacobs, RN, MSN, FAAN, discusses the importance of avoiding infections, keeping up with vaccinations, and more. Learn what a healthy weight and nutritious diet for COPD and other lung conditions are, how to reach your doctor and other health care team members, and who should be on your personal support team.

Expert Video - Which in-person or online support groups can help people on oxygen, and their caregivers?

Susan Jacobs, RN, MSN, FAAN, reviews online support groups available through many organizations for lung disease, COPD, and pulmonary fibrosis. She also discusses available support groups in person, by phone, and in languages other than English. Are you a support person for someone using oxygen therapy? You may not consider yourself a caregiver, but family and friends of people who use oxygen can benefit from caregiver resources.

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