Death through medical oxygen, But what are the dangers of medical oxygen?
The benefits of oxygen can be felt by anyone, not just those suffering from a medical condition and requiring supplemental oxygen. We can all find easy ways to increase our oxygen levels naturally through breathing exercises, general exercise, getting more fresh air and eating a balanced diet of foods that help increase oxygenation in our blood.
Increasing your oxygenation levels and being fit and healthy has shown to be important for your health as optimum oxygen levels can improve wound healing, vision, mental clarity and intelligence, boost your immune system, help fight cancer cells, reduce stress levels, improve your heart and respiration and help you to lose weight.
For those people who use supplemental oxygen at home there are also long-term benefits:
- Prolongs life by reducing heart strain
- Decreases shortness of breath
- Makes exercise more tolerable
- Results in fewer days of hospitalization
- Improves sleeping
- Improves quality of life
There are millions of people diagnosed with COPD around the world and 15% of these are prescribed oxygen. The number of COPD patients coming into the market is increasing and is expected to continue to increase for many more years. COPD patients are also increasingly being prescribed oxygen until the end of their life expectancy combined with the fact that COPD is being diagnosed earlier in life due to an increased awareness of the condition means that many more people will be requiring oxygen for longer periods of time.
For those people who suffer with any type of lung condition they may have difficulties when travelling by air. This is due to the reduced air pressure in the aircraft cabins as well as the lack of mobility for long periods of time. Air pressure in an aircraft cabin is lower than air pressure at ground level and feels like being at 6000 to 8000 feet on a mountain. At high altitudes blood oxygen levels fall in everyone, and some people may feel a little breathless. In most people this has no health effect, but if you already have low blood oxygen levels because of your lung condition, then the extra dip that happens while you are in the plane can cause breathlessness and discomfort for you.
Essential Tips to remember before flying:
- Ask your doctor well in advance for a letter to take in your hand luggage with details of your condition and medication.
- Be sure to take your inhalers in your carry-on bags. One of the most common problems is that people pack their inhalers in the luggage that goes into the hold.
- If you get breathless when walking, make sure you have help at airports.
- Try to move about every hour. Sitting for too long can lead to blood clots in the legs.
- Drink plenty of water and non-alcoholic drinks during the flight..
At OxygenWorldwide we wanted to know if in our 25 years of existence with oxygen users had died from the use of medical oxygen. We are glad to state that we have not found any proof of death related to the use of medical oxygen.
Eczema reduces asthma
Researchers have found a possible new therapy for eczema that also helps reduce the severity of asthma.
According to the researchers, children with atopic dermatitis (AD) – a type of eczema of the skin – show an increased risk of developing asthma later in life.
The researchers also mentioned that house dust mites are known culprits in the development of both atopic dermatitis and asthma, as exposure to the mites induces inflammation.
“The treatment did significantly reduce the severity of the asthma by counteracting one aspect of the specific immune response in the lungs. In this way, the therapy represents a potent remedy against allergic skin inflammation and the aggravation of atopic march,” the researcher noted.
The findings are an important next step in understanding the relationship between the two inflammatory diseases and to developing effective therapies. – IANS
CORRELATION: According to the researchers, children with atopic dermatitis (AD) – a type of eczema of the skin – show an increased risk of developing asthma later in life.
ref: http://www.gulf-times.com/story/578836/Treating-eczema-may-also-alleviate-asthma
Merry Christmas
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas this year from all of us at OxygenWorldwide!
Wishing you all the best for the festive period wherever in the world you may be. Looking forward to helping our customers new and existing to travel and see the world, visit family and friends and make it happen.
Are women fitter than men?
But new research challenges the traditional belief that men are athletically superior to women. In fact, by measuring women's response to aerobic training, a new study suggests that the opposite may be true.
The new study examined sex differences in the body's response to aerobic fitness; more specifically, it focused on how sex affects the body's ability to process oxygen once it starts to exercise.
Thomas Beltrame, from the University of Waterloo in Canada, led the research, and the findings were published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.
Oxygen uptake is a standard measure of aerobic fitness, and it describes the amount of oxygen that the body can take in and use per minute.
As the American College of Sports Medicine explain, our oxygen consumption rate "provides a measure of the maximal ability to perform high-intensity aerobic work, [and] is strongly associated with performance and health."
Therefore, a higher rate of oxygen processing means that women may be less prone to muscle fatigue and more likely to perform better athletically. They may also be more resilient, as higher oxygen processing also indicates a lower perception of physical effort.
"The findings are contrary to the popular assumption that men's bodies are more naturally athletic," Beltrame says.
Oxygen therapy treat Alzheimer's?
Breathing oxygen at a higher-than-normal air pressure might ease some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, if recent research done in mice has the same results in humans.
Mice genetically engineered to develop some human features of Alzheimer's disease showed significant reductions in physical and behavioral symptoms after 2 weeks of daily treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
This was the result that a team hailing from the University of Tel Aviv (TAU) in Israel reported in a paper that was published recently in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.
HBOT is a type of treatment during which the person breathes oxygen at a pressure that is greater than normal air pressure. The treatment, which is delivered inside a pressurized chamber, can cause the lungs to absorb up to three times more oxygen than usual.
The researchers note in their study paper that, while HBOT "has been used successfully to treat several neurological conditions," its effects on Alzheimer's disease "have never been thoroughly examined."
After this, the team observed the mice as they completed a number of behavioral tests. They also examined their brain tissue for effects of the treatment on the physical hallmarks of Alzheimer's. They compared the results with the control mice.
The researchers' analysis showed various biological and biochemical signs that HBOT had reduced inflammation in the brain.
The team suggests that the findings show that HBOT shows promise as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease, especially given that it "is used in the clinic to treat various indications, including neurological conditions."
references https://www.medicalnewstoday.com
In honour of COPD Awareness Month
As November marked National COPD Awareness Month we thought it gave justice to another article! An internationally-recognized event held annually to enhance exposure around chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The main cause of COPD is tobacco smoke or exposure to air pollutants like cigarette smoke or outdoor pollution in the home or at work, family history, and respiratory infections like pneumonia also increase your risk.
Symptoms of COPD include:
- Frequent coughing or wheezing
- Excess phlegm or sputum
- Shortness of breath
- Trouble taking a deep breath
If you experience these symptoms, you should discuss them with your GP. One way to treat COPD is supplemental oxygen from a portable oxygen tank if blood oxygen levels are low.
ref: https://eparisextra.com
Christmas trees could trigger deadly asthma attacks, doctors have warned.
The festive fir in the corner of your living room harbours mould, which can aggravate the lungs.
Leading charity Asthma UK has urged people to be vigilant over the Christmas period.
Their data shows around 300 people are admitted to hospital on Christmas Day each year, suffering severe attacks, that could be linked to the festive favourite.
Mould that naturally grows on your tree can multiply in the warm temperatures of your living room.
And fake trees aren't the safe alternative they may seem to be, gathering dust and mould in the loft, that can aggravate the lungs.
But, those with allergies as well as asthma sufferers should be alert to the dangers, Asthma UK urged. The moulds are naturally occurring on the trees, but flourish when they are inside our toasty warm homes in the winter.
But the charity also warns that both real and fake trees can also pose a threat.
Fake trees are a great alternative if the allergens that form on a real tree cause you too many breathing difficulties.
But artificial trees, and decorations, can gather dust and mould when they are kept in storage for the year which can cause a flare-up of symptoms when you put it up.
So it's a good idea to wipe them down when you pull it out of storage and wrap them in plastic to keep the dust at bay when you put them away again.
reference: https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/4981922/warning-doctors-christmas-tree-deadly-asthma-attacks/
Why women should watch out for COPD
Although generally little-known to the public, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the fourth biggest global cause of death in 2015, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), behind ischemic heart disease (nine million people), stroke (six million) and lower respiratory infections (just over 3.2 million).
The WHO points out that while in the past, men were more frequently diagnosed with COPD, women are now affected to essentially the same degree. Smoking between five and 10 cigarettes per day is a risk factor for COPD in women, as well as exposure to certain household products, according to recent research.
Warning signs include a chronic cough, coughing up mucus and shortness of breath, especially during physical activity. They appear progressively—sometimes without the patient really noticing—and get worse over time, especially when resting.
Read more at http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/why-women-should-watch-out-for-copd#gXIEGxCmRQgR6gjX.99
references: Read more at http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/why-women-should-watch-out-for-copd#gXIEGxCmRQgR6gjX.99
Asthma suffers given warning over bonfires and fireworks
Bonfires and fireworks could potentially cause fatal asthma attacks warns Asthma UK
Bonfires and fireworks could cause potentially fatal asthma attacks, a leading asthma charity has warned, issuing advice ahead of Bonfire Night on November 5.
The smoke fumes from burning wood and firework displays can linger in the air creating localised pollution, which could cause asthma attacks for the 5.4million people in the UK with the condition, says Asthma UK.
Asthma UK, who provide a nurse-staffed helpline for people with asthma, advice on its website and funds over 30 research projects, says three people die from asthma attacks every day.
Having an asthma attack can be incredibly frightening, and one occurs every 10 seconds in the UK. An attack happens when the airways start to tighten, which can leave people coughing, wheezing and gasping for breath. Some people with asthma describe having an asthma attack as feeling like someone is holding a pillow over their face.
Asthma UK has issued top tips for people with asthma on Bonfire Night:
- Take your preventer medicines as prescribed
- Carry your reliever inhaler (usually blue) with you at all times
- If you find that smoke is making you cough, stand well back and admire the fireworks from a distance
- Make sure your friends and family know what to do and when to get help if your asthma symptoms suddenly get worse
- If it’s cold, wrap a scarf over your nose and mouth; this will help to warm up the air before you breathe it in.
ref: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/asthma-suffers-given-warning-over-11454993
