Acute Conditions Requiring an Oxygen Concentrator

A few examples of acute conditions where you would need the use of an oxygen concentrator for short-term oxygen therapy are:

Asthma: This condition is where your airways become inflamed and begin producing a lot of mucus, which makes it harder to breathe. While there are a number of pharmaceuticals that can treat and control asthma, an oxygen concentrator can pump high levels of oxygen into the bloodstream of the patient while they’re having or have already had an asthma attack.

Pneumonia: Pneumonia is an infection where you develop inflammation in either one or both of your lungs’ air sacs and in many cases, fill them up with fluid. Many pneumonia patients have been prescribed oxygen therapy and have seen good clinical outcomes.

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS): RDS is a breathing disorder mostly affecting newborns, particularly those who are born six or more weeks before their delivery date. Newborns suffering from RDS don’t create enough surfactant (a lung coating liquid), causing their lungs to collapse and making them work harder to breathe. Oxygen therapy using oxygen concentrators help pump oxygen into the babies’ blood stream and lungs to reduce further complications.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD): Newborns suffering from RDS also have a higher risk of developing BPD. This is a severe lung condition requiring long-term breathing support.

In some cases, after surgery, you may need oxygen for a short period of time.