Home oxygen therapy
Oxygen is given to some people at home who are living with a lung condition and have persistently low blood oxygen levels.
Oxygen therapy can also help people with a range of health conditions. The most common is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Others include severe long-term asthma and people with heart failure.
People who need home oxygen therapy can have different requirements. Some people may only need treatment for short periods during the days when walking about, whilst others may need it for longer periods both day and night.
Home oxygen therapy is not a treatment for breathlessness, although it will help reduce breathlessness for people with low blood oxygen levels. Its main aim is to reduce strain on the heart, which can help prolong life expectancy. It can also reduce tiredness and make it easier to carry out activities that may otherwise be difficult.
Before you are prescribed home oxygen therapy, you must first be referred for by a healthcare professional for an oxygen assessment.
Oxygen assessments can include several tests, such as blood and sometimes exercise or walking tests. If oxygen home therapy is suitable for you based on these tests, you will be assessed by another health care professional who will prescribe you the right amount and make the necessary arrangements.
Your local respiratory service may be responsible for your oxygen assessment, depending on where you live.
Find out more about home oxygen therapy on the Asthma+Lung UK website.