Finding out that you have emphysema can be quite scary.
However, once the initial shock of this news wears off, you realize that while it's far from ideal, it is a condition that you can deal with.
One of the best ways to deal with emphysema is to use an oxygen concentrator.
The reason this is such an effective option for dealing with this condition is because many of the negative effects of emphysema are a result of you being unable to get enough oxygen into your body.
WIth this type of machine, you can help your body get more of the oxygen that it needs to function properly.
Emphysema can make it difficult for you to sleep through the night.
Because you aren't getting enough oxygen, you may wake during the night or simply never fall into the deep sleep you need to feel properly rested.
As a result, you may wake up with a headache that starts your day off on a sour note.
You may also feel worn out during the day.
When you combine feeling tired and dealing with an ongoing shortness of breath, it's not difficult to understand why emphysema can harm your quality of life.
Fortunately, an oxygen concentrator can help you address this issue.
This device can be placed in your room and used while you sleep.
Since it will give you more oxygen while you sleep, you will get more rest, feel better in the mornings and have more energy throughout your day.
If you plan on using your machine for this purpose, you will want to choose a concentrator that is capable of delivering a continuous flow of oxygen.
The other type of oxygen flow that a machine can provide to you is a pulse.
While a continuous flow provides you with an ongoing flow of oxygen, a pulse flow provides you with oxygen when you need to take a breath.
The purpose of a pulse flow is to cut down on the amount of oxygen that is waited.
Because continuous and flows both have their advantages, some concentrators give you the ability to switch between both modes.
Emphysema can cause you to easily run out of breath while you are going about your daily routine.
With an oxygen concentrator, you can provide yourself with oxygen whenever you need it.
The ability to have oxygen on-demand is a big improvement over past treatment options for emphysema.
Prior to modern concentrators, emphysema was treated with tanks of oxygen.
When a tank ran out, you had to have it refilled or switched out for a full tank.
With this inferior option, if you ran out of oxygen in your tank but were still short on breath, you could find yourself in a very challenging situation.
Fortunately, this isn't an issue you have to worry about with an oxygen concentrator.
Because this type of machine can concentrate air from anywhere, you simply turn it on to start receiving oxygen.
And even if you aren't where you can access a power outlet, most of these machines will run on a battery for three to eight hours.