Common Portable Oxygen Concentrators Myths Busted

There are several myths about portable oxygen concentrators that need to be dispelled for the benefit of oxygen therapy patients. Since the year 2007 many portable oxygen concentrators have been introduced that have made their use a popular option for personal and home oxygen requirements. The following paragraphs will help to dispel some of the common myths about portable oxygen concentrators.

The common myth about portable oxygen concentrators is that they are bulky and therefore using them is embarrassing. This myth is based on the fact that the earlier models weighed about 50 pounds, were very bulky and used a lot of electricity. The latest concentrators are truly handy and weigh much less than the earlier models. These can also be used while traveling in a car. The recent lightweight models weigh less than 10 pounds even with the battery.

Many people believe in the myth that if they start using oxygen then they have to continue to do so for the rest of their lives. This is not true. Oxygen therapy is always prescribed to alleviate certain medical conditions and once these are relived the use of oxygen concentrators is discontinued.

Some people believe that the more oxygen they take the better they will feel. This is absolutely false. Oxygen therapy is undertaken under prescription from a physician because this oxygen is a prescribed drug. It is necessary that you should follow the physician's instructions closely and never change the oxygen flow rate without consulting your physician.

There is a generally held mistaken belief that oxygen concentrators use a lot of electric energy and are therefore expensive to use. At least this is not true for the latest models of portable oxygen concentrators. Most of them can operate for long periods on A/C supply consuming little power and they can even run for 2 to 3 hours on rechargeable batteries.

Many subscribe to the myth that people on oxygen therapy have to be confined to the home. With the introduction of light weight models of portable oxygen concentrators you no longer need to be confined to your home. They are designed for mobility of their users and provide them the freedom to lead active lives. They can be easily plugged into the car's cigarette lighter. Being FAA approved the lighter ones can also be used in aircrafts.

Finally there is the myth that oxygen concentrators are dangerous to use. This myth probably originated from the fact that the oxygen contained in cylinders is stored at very high pressures. In portable oxygen concentrators only enough oxygen necessary to maintain a particular level of flow is stored and thus high pressures are not involved. Although oxygen aids combustion it is not itself flammable. Unless it is used near open flames there is no danger at all.