COPD Treatment: What Should Every Patient Know About Oxygen Therapy?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is marked by persistent coughing, excess sputum production, and of course the ubiquitous shortness of breath. In the earlier stages, bronchodilators and sometimes steroids can usually effectively manage this symptom. As COPD progresses, however, you may require oxygen therapy to maximize your quality of life. 

What can oxygen therapy do for COPD patients?

Oxygen therapy has a rather obvious purpose — it helps make up for the oxygen you are lacking by giving you more. This can really help people in the later stages of COPD feel better, by: 

• Reducing shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Giving you more energy
• Allowing you to sleep more easily
• Improving your mood
• Increasing your cognitive abilities, since a lack of oxygen interferes with them
• In some cases, improving kidney function (which can be reduced by low oxygen levels)

Research has revealed that supplemental oxygen therapy, used 15 hours a day or more in a home setting, doesn't just allow COPD patients to have a better life now, but also increases their lifespan. This kind of therapy is suitable for COPD sufferers in the severe stages who have low levels of oxygen in their blood.

How do you know if you need oxygen therapy?

Supplemental oxygen therapy is there to help people whose blood oxygen levels are deficient, meaning they're not getting enough oxygen. Though increased shortness of breath can be a symptom, tests have to be carried out to determine what your blood oxygen levels are. These tests are an arterial blood gas test and a pulse oximetry test.

Your doctor may recommend oxygen therapy if you have a low oxygen saturation level, if you have slightly higher oxygen saturation levels but suffer from other conditions such as pulmonary hypertension or left-sided heart failure, or if your oxygen saturation levels plummet while you're sleeping or exercising. You may also benefit from oxygen therapy if it relieves severe dyspnea and allows you to lead a more active life.

How do COPD patients use supplemental oxygen?

Oxygen therapy can be delivered in a hospital, at home, and even on the go with the help of a portable device. 

Options include: 

• A nasal cannula, which delivers your oxygen to you through tubes that go into your nostrils, and which are attached to an oxygen tank.
• A facemask is suitable for patients who cannot use nasal tubes, or who require larger amounts of oxygen.
• In rarer cases, a surgery to make an opening in the windpipe can be performed. An oxygen tube is then inserted here, in a procedure known as transtracheal therapy.

This oxygen can be offered in different forms, such as compressed oxygen gas, oxygen concentrators, and liquid oxygen.

How much oxygen will you need?

Your blood oxygen tests will determine how much oxygen you need, and your doctor will discuss your oxygen flow rate (how many liters of oxygen your therapy gives you each minute) with you. It will not be the same under all circumstances — your needs at rest aren't the same as those while you exercise or sleep.  

Do I need short-term oxygen therapy or long-term oxygen therapy?

Short-term oxygen therapy can help COPD patients who have low oxygen levels temporarily, because they are suffering from a respiratory infection or a COPD exacerbation. Once the complication passes, they will no longer need supplemental oxygen. Other patients won't need oxygen therapy all the time, but only while they are engaged in strenuous activities. 

Long-term oxygen therapy, in which a COPD patient is on supplemental oxygen for most or all of the day, is usually reserved for the more severe stages of COPD. In this case, oxygen can be delivered to your home, and you can also use special portable oxygen systems for when you're out and about. 

What differences will you notice once you start oxygen therapy as a COPD patient?

You can expect to feel less short of breath, as well as: 

• Having more energy, allowing you to be more active
• Sleeping more easily
• Increased mental focus and a better mood
• An improved sex life
• A reduced risk of heart failure

All in all, oxygen therapy can improve as well as prolong your life. 

Warning: Oxygen therapy also carries some risks

While oxygen therapy is very safe as long as it's carried out according to your doctor's instructions, some people experience side effects. These can include soreness and dry skin around the area where their mask is, dry nostrils, occasional nosebleeds, and headaches. If this happens to you, talk to your doctor about your options. Using a humidifier, changing the way in which you apply your mask, and decreasing your supply of oxygen may all help — but only under medical supervision!

Pure oxygen is also highly flammable, so take fire safety extremely seriously. Do not go anywhere near an open flame (including people who are smoking) — always put a minimum of five feet between you and that kind of thing. Do not use supplemental oxygen in enclosed spaces unless your doctor says it's OK. Not all airlines allow supplemental oxygen onboard, for instance, and you may need special permission.