Chest Information

• Home
• About Us
• Chest Information
  • Understanding Your Lungs
  • Specific Chest Conditions
  • Tests And Investigations
  • Treatments
    • Drug Treatment
    • Inhalers
    • Nebulisers
    • Oxygen Therapy
      • Oxygen Equipment
      • Long–Term Oxygen Therapy
      • Safety Issues
      • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Living With Your Chest Condition
  • Where To Get Help
  • Chest Glossary
  • Chest Links
• Heart Information
• Stroke Information
• Advice Line
• Publications and DVDs
• Community Support
• Fundraising
• Education, Training and Funding Applications
• Voices Scotland
• Research
• Volunteering
• Health Professionals
• Stroke Chat Scotland

You are in: Home > Chest Information > Treatments > Oxygen Therapy >

Oxygen Therapy

• The need for extra oxygen
• Receiving oxygen therapy
• Short, long-term and continuous oxygen therapy
• Who prescribes oxygen?

Please call our Advice Line on 0845 077 6000 if you would like more detailed information about oxygen therapy.

• Please note: the provision of oxygen therapy in Scotland is currently under review. A new nationally coordinated service is being set up to provide a more efficient service.

The need for extra oxygen

Air is made up of a mixture of gases, 21% being oxygen. By breathing in air (inhalation), oxygen is brought into your lungs, through your air passages, and transferred to your blood stream to be sent all round your body.

• If there is a blockage in your air passages for any reason, your alveoli (air sacs) may not be able to provide enough oxygen to your body.
• In some chest conditions your air sacs may have been damaged so, although enough oxygen is present, it is harder for the gases to pass into and out of your lungs.

Both of these situations can result in low oxygen levels in your blood. This acts as a trigger, telling your body to make more effort to breathe in order to get more oxygen.

The effort involved in trying to obtain extra oxygen can result in tiredness and breathlessness, particularly after coughing or activities such as walking. As well as breathlessness low oxygen levels can affect other parts of your body, e.g. your heart, causing ankle swelling and fluid retention. It can also cause poor concentration, sleepiness and irritability.

For some people with chest problems breathing air with a higher concentration of oxygen can help reduce some of the symptoms caused by a lack of oxygen.

• Severity of breathlessness is not a reliable way of deciding if oxygen therapy will be helpful for you. Oxygen therapy will not necessarily relieve breathlessness.

Back to top

Receiving oxygen therapy

• Receiving additional oxygen is called oxygen therapy. You must be individually assessed to find out if you will benefit from oxygen therapy.
• Some people may need only a small additional amount of oxygen, and could be harmed by getting too much oxygen.

Oxygen therapy can improve your energy levels and increase your level of activity. It may also prevent or reduce some of the complications of living with a chest condition.

You should have regular reviews to ensure that:

• Your oxygen levels are high enough.
• You are using your oxygen correctly and often enough.
• You still need to use oxygen.

Back to top

Short, long-term and continuous oxygen therapy

Oxygen therapy may be needed:

• Only for short spells if your oxygen levels are low.
• For a significant part of the day to have the desired benefits: this is called long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT).
• 24 hours / day: this is known as continuous oxygen therapy. If you need to take a break from using your oxygen try to do so when you are awake and resting quietly, not while sleeping, walking or doing any activities.

Back to top

Who prescribes oxygen?

GPs can only prescribe oxygen cylinders for short-term use. The need for longer-term oxygen therapy must be assessed by a specialist respiratory (chest) doctor at hospital. He / she will look at your recent lung function tests and blood oxygen levels.

If you have just been discharged from hospital you may not be prescribed longer-term oxygen therapy straight away. You will have a review, about a month or so later, when your condition is more stable. This will allow a proper assessment of your long-term oxygen requirements.

Health Facilities Scotland organise oxygen in your home. When they receive the prescription for oxygen from your doctor they will put into place whatever oxygen requirements you have.

• Your oxygen must only be used at the flow rate the doctor has prescribed.
• Never change the flow rate unless instructed by a doctor.

You will not be prescribed oxygen therapy at home if you smoke as there is a risk of severe facial burns and combustion.

Back to top