The Main Advantages of Getting a Portable Oxygen Concentrator
By: Fabiola Grosshan
Submitted: 2010-06-17 05:18:59 | Word Count: 544
Until just a few years ago it would have been really hard for someone needing a constant oxygen supply to travel freely. People using oxygen tanks as a constant supply of oxygen had a very limited mobility so the next obvious step for companies specializing in manufacturing this type of medical equipment was to create a product which is easier to maintain and operate and that also provides a significantly higher level of mobility. This is how the idea for the portable oxygen concentrator first came to light. As you know, an oxygen tank system uses a heavy cylinder to store a limited supply of oxygen and this is the main reason why this system is considered to be outdated today.
The portable oxygen concentrator was first introduced at the start of the last decade and it is based on a whole new concept. Instead of storing the supply needed by patients, the portable oxygen concentrator contains a system that gathers oxygen from its immediate surroundings and through a special technology it is able to increase the concentration and provide the patient with optimum levels of oxygen. Because the portable oxygen concentrator does not store any amount of oxygen and only produces the amount needed by the patient at any time manufacturers were able to greatly reduce the weight of this unit.
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Another major advantage to using a portable oxygen concentrator over a regular tank system is you can use it wherever you may find yourself without having to worry about recharges. However, since each oxygen concentrator uses components that need electricity to gather and concentrate oxygen, this type of system requires a power source. Whether you use a battery or a constant electricity supply the results will be of the same quality. In order to make it easier for patients to use this system when travelling, the portable oxygen concentrator can be powered by high quality batteries that can rapidly recharged by using numerous power sources, from wall sockets to car lighters.
As a result of numerous polls, it was concluded that most patients prefer the portable oxygen concentrator system over the other alternatives because even though it must be connected to a power source it allows them to travel without having to worry about special transportation and other details. Yet another benefit derived from using the portable oxygen concentrator refers to the fact that this system poses none of the serious risks that patients suffering from respiratory illnesses have learning to live with when using oxygen tanks.
The main risk in question is of course that of explosion. Sure it is not all that easy to get an oxygen tank to explode but there is always this risk which may have made patients well stressed. Because some patients may not afford to purchase their own portable oxygen concentrator or may not need one for a long period, many companies have started offering a rental system that presents patients the chance to use this product in exchange for monthly fees instead of having to support the entire cost of purchase.
