Oxygen therapy is a medical treatment that provides extra oxygen to people who have low blood oxygen levels due to a variety of conditions. It is also called supplemental oxygen and is only available through a prescription from a healthcare provider. Oxygen therapy can be given in different ways, including through tanks of liquid or gas oxygen, an oxygen concentrator that pulls oxygen out of the air, or a pressurized chamber or tube in the case of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) . The extra oxygen is breathed in along with normal air through a nose tube (cannula), a mask, or a tent. Oxygen therapy can be given in a hospital, another medical setting, or at home.

Oxygen therapy is generally safe, but it can cause side effects such as a dry or bloody nose, tiredness, and morning headaches. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a different type of oxygen therapy that involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized chamber or tube. This allows the lungs to gather up to three times more oxygen than would be obtained by breathing oxygen at normal air pressure levels. HBOT is used to treat several medical conditions, including decompression sickness, severe anemia, brain abscess, and bubbles of air in blood vessels.

People who may need oxygen therapy include those with conditions that cause low blood oxygen, such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), pneumonia, COVID-19, a severe asthma attack, late-stage heart failure, cystic fibrosis, and sleep apnea. Oxygen therapy can help people with a range of health conditions, and the type of oxygen therapy and equipment used will depend on the individuals needs.

In summary, oxygen therapy is a medical treatment that provides extra oxygen to people who have low blood oxygen levels due to a variety of conditions. It can be given in different ways, including through tanks of liq...