Firstly, blood oxygen levels are the amount of oxygen circulating in the blood. Moreover, oxygen is needed to nourish all the cells in the body and the blood acts as the primary means of delivering oxygen to the cells from the lungs. Therefore, low oxygen levels in the blood can lead to health issues, which is why monitoring your blood oxygen level is critical to good health.
What is the Difference Between Blood Oxygen and Oxygen Saturation?
While blood oxygen content (O2CT) measures the amount of oxygen in your blood, oxygen saturation (O2Sat) measures how much hemoglobin in the blood is carrying oxygen. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to all parts of the body. In fact, oxygen saturation measures oxygen distribution through the blood, or how well your body’s cells receive oxygen. You can measure both blood oxygen and oxygen saturation using a pulse oximeter.
What Are Unsafe Blood Oxygen Levels?
While the safe blood oxygen levels range between 95 and 100 percent, a blood oxygen level reading below 88 percent is considered low and unsafe. Moreover, any heart or respiratory illnesses are responsible for low blood oxygen levels and require immediate medical attention.
Low Oxygen Levels in Blood
Consistently low blood oxygen levels can lead to headaches, shortness of breath, coughing, and confusion. Therefore, without a healthy supply of oxygen through the blood, the body’s performance becomes compromised and weakened.
What Causes Blood Oxygen Levels to Be Low?
Several health conditions can reduce blood oxygen levels including:
- Asthma
- Heart disease
- Anemia
- COPD
- Emphysema
- Pneumonia
- Sleep apnea
High altitudes and some medications can also temporarily cause dips in blood oxygen levels.
Tips to Maintain Safe Oxygen Levels Through Oxygen Therapy
Maintaining safe blood oxygen levels is critical especially if you suffer from a respiratory illness. Oxygen therapy along with some easy tips helps keep blood oxygen levels in a healthy state.
- Pace yourself. If your breathing is weakened by a respiratory illness, taking things slow can help keep your blood oxygen levels in check.
- Check your levels with a pulse oximeter. No doctor required. Pulse oximeters give you a quick and easy readout of your blood oxygen levels in real time.
- Practice breathing exercises. Breathing techniques are proven to improve blood oxygen levels. Similarly, practicing these methods regularly can help maintain healthy blood oxygen.
- Use oxygen therapy. Supplemental oxygen prescribed by your doctor immediately improves your blood oxygen level. Oxygen concentrators are especially helpful as they convert ambient air into pure oxygen, so you never need to replace oxygen tanks.
Where to Find Oxygen Concentrators?
Once you have a prescription, you can shop for oxygen concentrators at The Oxygen Concentrator Supplies Store. You can find one that is perfect for your respiratory condition and lifestyle.
If you need help selecting an oxygen concentrator, our knowledgeable customer care team is here to answer any questions. Give us a call at 888-941-1688 or email us at contact@oxygenconcentratorsupplies.com. Let us help you find an oxygen concentrator that best fits your needs.
This post was originally published on September 15, 2021 and updated on August, 28, 2023.
