Oxygen is essential for life.  Oxygen Therapy assists in healing of influenza, viral respiratory issues, pneumonia, pulmonary thromboembolism, pulmonary fibrosis, shock, severe shock, sepsis, anaphylaxis, wounds, fights infection, and in such conditions as low arterial Oxygen (P₃O₂) which is usually associated with low arterial carbon dioxide (P₃CO₂) caused by stress and anxiety induced hypoventilation.  In acute severe asthma, the arterial carbon dioxide (P₃CO₂) is usually subnormal but as asthma deteriorates it may rise steeply (especially in Children).  These patients usually require high concentrations of Oxygen and if the arterial carbon dioxide (P₃CO₂) remains high despite other treatments, intermittent positive pressure ventilation may be required.

Benefits of Oxygen Therapy:

Oxygen Therapy has been found to be helpful in the treatment of:

• Acute Lung Issues
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Advanced Cystic Fibrosis
• Severe non-cystic fibrosis (bronchiectasis)
• Severe kyphoscoliosis or severe ankylosing spondylitis
• Severe lung scaring caused by tuberculosis
• Musculoskeletal disorders with respiratory weakness especially if on home ventilation
• Overdose of opioids benzodiazepines or other drugs causing respiratory depression
• Viral Respiratory Illnesses
• Influenza
• Recovery from the above
• Wounds: such as diabetic ulcers
• Tissue Damage and tissue death due to radiation
• Flesh Eating Bacteria
• Carbon monoxide Poisoning
• Decompression Sickness
• Acute Arterial ischemia
• Skin Graft Rejection
• Sleep Apnoea
• Air and Gas Embolism
• Severe Anaemia

What is Oxygen Therapy:

Oxygen Therapy is the use of Supplemental Oxygen to treat a variety of medical conditions.  There are two types of Oxygen therapy, Hyperbaric and Normobaric Therapy.

Normobaric Oxygen Therapy is Supplemental Oxygen administered at the same pressure as our atmosphere (1atm) depending on the medical condition Oxygen is delivered at between 40 to 100% concentration.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is Supplemental Oxygen administered at 100% concentration, at a higher than atmospheric pressure, within a high pressure whole body chamber (Hyperbaric Chamber), providing therapy to all of the tissues of the body.  WE DO NOT OFFER HYPOBARIC OXYGEN TERAPY, however there are a number of centres around the UK who specialis in Hypobaric Oxygen Therapy and have the specialised pressure chambers.

We are offering Normobaric Oxygen Therapy, using an advanced technology Oxygen Concentrator capable of delivering up to 7-litres per minute at variable concentrations of 30% to 90%.  The Oxygen Concentrator uses a high quality multi stage input filter, high efficiency, dual cylinder oil free compressor and a multistage molecular sieve to separate Oxygen from the atmosphere and expels the Nitrogen and other gasses back into the atmosphere.

How Oxygen Therapy Works:

Blood is made up of 4 components: Plasma, Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells and Platelets.  Oxygen is transported around the body by Red Blood Cells that contain the protein haemoglobin.  Haemoglobin is an iron-containing protein that Oxygen can bind to.

Normobaric Oxygen Therapy is used in conditions of hypoxaemia, it increases alveolar Oxygen tension and decreases the demands made on the body in breathing.  The Concentration of Oxygen required depends on the condition being treated.  Oxygen is administered to achieve a normal or near normal Oxygen saturation Level of between 94 – 99%.

Several long-term critical studies show that Normobaric Oxygen Therapy has been beneficial in:

• Reducing Anxiety
• Benefitted Resilience in Exercise and Activity
• Improved Sports Performance
• Increased Energy Levels
• Improved Mood
• Improved Concentration
• Reduces Stress
• Provides Relief for Headaches and Migraine
• Improving Quality of Life
• Prolonging Lifespan
• Improving Sleep Quality

Contraindications of Oxygen Therapy:

Before undertaking Nonmobaric Oxygen Therapy patients must be inspected for pneumothorax, which is caused by the build-up of air in the space between the chest wall and the lungs.

No naked flames within a 2 metre of the treatment area whilst the treatment is in progress. The oxygen concentrator removes oxygen from the surrounding air and following respiration in the human body, the oxygen is returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

Acute Lung Failure:

Is a Condition that is caused by laboured inhaling, caused by low blood Oxygen levels.  Tests have shown that a significant recovery  may be achieved in nearly all cases studied.  Tests have indicated that Normobaric Oxygen Therapy  has cleared the upper airways improving lung function, and reduced pressure on the heart and lungs.

COPD:

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD.  Is a group of progressive lung diseases.  The most common are emphysema and chronic Bronchitis.

The top cause of COPD is smoking: long-term exposure to chemical irritants can also lead to COPD.  It is a disease that usually takes a long time to develop.

There is no cure for COPD, but treatment may help ease symptoms, lower the chance of complications and generally improve the quality of life.

COPD makes it harder to breathe. Symptoms may be mild at first, beginning with intermittent coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, excessive sputum production and shortness of breath.  As it progresses, symptoms can become more constant to a point where it can become increasingly difficult to breathe.  Some people with COPD have acute exacerbations, which are flare-up of severe symptoms.

Bronchitis:

Causes inflammation and narrowing of the bronchial tubes, which allows mucus to build up and causes difficulty in breathing.

Emphysema:

Slowly destroys air sacs in your lungs, which interferes with exhalation air flow.

Cystic Fibrosis:

Is a genetic Condition caused by the lack of the CFTR gene.  People with Cystic Fibrosis suffer from heart and lung issues.

Asthma:

Is an obstructive Condition of the airways in the lungs and can cause low blood Oxygen (hypoxemia) leading to severe health complications.

Stroke:

Ischemic Stroke is caused by a blood clot in the blood vessels that decreases blood flow to the brain and leads to cell death.  Normobaric Oxygen Therapy yields good results when administered within the first few hours following a stroke.

Pneumonia:

Is an infection in one or both lungs, bacteria, viruses and fungi are the biggest cause of pneumonia.  The infection causes inflammation in the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs; the alveoli fill with fluid or puss and prevent the absorption of Oxygen.

Pneumonia is a contagious disease; both viral and bacterial pneumonia can be spread to others through inhalation of airborne droplets from sneezes and coughs.  It is also possible to contract these types of pneumonia by coming into contact with surfaces or objects that are contaminated with pneumonia-causing bacteria or viruses.  Fungal pneumonia is contractible from the environment, usually damp mildew or mouldy environments; it is unusual for this type of the pneumonia to transfer from person to person.

Pneumonia symptoms can be mild to life threatening, they include phlegm (mucus) producing coughing, fever, sweating and chills, shortness of breath whilst doing normal activities and even when resting, chest pain that is worse when breathing and coughing, tiredness or fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting and headaches.

Bacterial Pneumonia:

The most common causes are: Streptococcus, Mycoplasma, Haemophilus Influenza and legionella pneumophila.

Viral Pneumonia:

Respiratory viruses are often the cause of pneumonia, including: Influenza (flu), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Rhinovirus (common cold).

Fungal pneumonia:

Fungi from the soil or bird droppings are a common cause of pneumonia, they often effect people with weakened immune systems, Fungi include:  Pneumocystis Jirovecii, Cryptococcus Species, Histoplasmosis species.