Oxygen Therapy Side Effects

Oxygen therapy is provided to people who suffer from the problem called hypoxemia where the body does not receive enough blood from the lungs. This condition causes the person to experience shortness of breath and with the help of oxygen therapy, the supply of oxygen in the body is increased, thus helping the person to breathe properly. Other illnesses that are treated with the help of oxygen therapy includes decompression sickness, radiation injury, thermal burns, exceptional blood loss, carbon monoxide poisoning, etc. Even people suffering from diseases, like, cerebral palsy, stroke, autism, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, etc. are recommended to undergo this therapy. Other than hospitals, oxygen therapy is also provided in certain spas because it is an effective tool to increase immunity and promote overall health of the person. Though this therapy is considered to be safe, there are still certain oxygen therapy side effects which may range from mild to severe. However, before we move into its side effects, let us try to know more about oxygen therapy.

Oxygen Therapy

The traditional form of oxygen therapy is where the patient receives oxygen through compressed oxygen cylinders, liquid oxygen tanks or oxygen concentrators which are connected to an oxygen mask or plastic tubes. These apparatuses are usually used in hospitals and also by people who are recommended home oxygen therapy. Another method of oxygen therapy which is comparatively new is known as the hyperbaric oxygen therapy where the individual is placed in a pressurized chamber which contains almost 100% oxygen. This helps the body to absorb more oxygen than it does during normal conditions, thus activating the blood vessels and body cells. The dosage of oxygen that a person requires is determined by the doctor, according to his/her health condition. The dosage of oxygen that has to be given to an individual is determined based on the amount of oxygen required, the time required for the treatment and also the frequency in which the therapy has to be administered.

Side Effects of Oxygen Therapy

Health professionals are of the opinion that oxygen therapy is a very safe treatment method, however, there have been reports of side effects from several patients. Most of the times, these side effects are very minor and do not last for a long time. Nevertheless, there have been cases (though very rare) where oxygen therapy has led to severe side effects.

• One of the common causes of oxygen therapy side effects is due to the equipment used for oxygen supply. Many times, due to improper handling of the equipment, the oxygen supply gets contaminated which can cause several health problems and possible death too. Also, if the filters are not cleaned or if the breathing tubes are not changed regularly, this can cause patients to inhale oxygen that is polluted by air borne particles.
• People who have undergone hyperbaric oxygen therapy have complained about feeling tiredness and nausea after the treatment session. They may also experience temporary vision problems and sometimes slight difficulty in breathing after undergoing this therapy. Severe pain in the ear and sinus problem are also known to occur due to increased pressure in the oxygen chamber. However, these side effects are not permanent and do not stay for a long time.
• One of the serious hyperbaric oxygen therapy side effects is caused due to oxygen toxicity which can cause pulmonary and central nervous system disorders as well as seizures. Some people have also reported to have experienced a feeling of claustrophobia in the oxygen chamber.
• Home oxygen therapy side effects can be caused when the individual tries to alter the flow of oxygen by himself. This has to be avoided completely and if you think that the oxygen supply that you are getting is not adequate, your health professional should be contacted who in turn will inform the home care supplier to change the oxygen flow rate.
• Another cautionary measure for people using home oxygen therapy is to keep the oxygen equipment at a distance not only from heat sources including gas stove, candle flame, etc., but also from hair sprays, aerosol cans, etc. because these are inflammable.
• Apart from this, severe oxygen therapy side effects can be experienced by people who have health problems, like, asthma, upper respiratory tract infection, middle ear surgery, etc. and hence they should stay away from this treatment method. Even pregnant women should not be given this therapy as this can cause harm to the mother as well as to the fetus. Other than this, the condition of people who have high fever or some kind of viral fever may worsen due to oxygen therapy.

These oxygen therapy side effects are very rare and most likely do not cause any permanent damage. However, being aware of the possible side effects will help individuals in preventing or controlling the causes that trigger them.