Introduction

Home oxygen treatment, also known as home oxygen therapy, involves breathing in air that contains more oxygen than normal from a cylinder or machine in your home.

Oxygen treatment may be prescribed for people with a heart or lung condition that causes low oxygen levels in their blood.Low oxygen levels can damage the heart or brain.

Therefore, the main aim of oxygen treatment is to increase the amount of oxygen in your lungs and bloodstream to a level that prevents such harm.

It can also help relieve Shortness of breath and other symptoms of low oxygen, such as ankle swelling and blue lips. However, oxygen treatment shouldn't be used for the sole purpose of relieving breathlessness because it can have harmful long-term effects such as making you less fit. It can also cause a delay in finding out what's making you breathless.

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 16 Mar 2016