Unless there are special circumstances, it is best not to use an oxygen concentrator to inhale oxygen while sleeping. Only people who are hypoxic need oxygen. If you do oxygen therapy at home, you need to look at two indicators: blood oxygen partial pressure and blood oxygen saturation. Only people whose blood oxygen partial pressure is lower than 60 mmHg or whose blood oxygen saturation is lower than 90% need supplemental oxygen. If there is no hypoxia, there is no need for oxygen.
Blindly inhaling oxygen will cause side effects. If healthy people inhale high-flow oxygen in a short period of time, it will cause oxygen poisoning, which is manifested by symptoms such as burning sensation behind the sternum, dry cough, nausea and vomiting, irritability, and difficulty breathing. High oxygen concentrations can cause lung tissue damage, and unsterilized oxygen masks or tubes can also increase the risk of respiratory infections.
If oxygen is to be inhaled, blood oxygen partial pressure and blood oxygen saturation tests must be performed beforehand.
Oxygen concentrators have certain effects on people suffering from hypoxia, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, bronchiectasis, gas poisoning and other diseases. When patients develop hypoxemia, oxygen therapy is needed to relieve symptoms. Home oxygen therapy can indeed change the course of COPD, but it must comply with the indications and be performed under the guidance of a doctor.
