Our veteran clinicians share their tips for success for oxygen therapy
Ryan lives in West Tennessee and has been a Registered Respiratory Therapist for 19 years. She spent the first six years of her career working in the hospital before she transferred to the home care world, where she now serves Apria's patients in Southeastern United States. In her spare time, you can find Ryan at the ballpark watching her daughter play, cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals, or camping with her family and their yellow lab, Yadi.
Q. How do I know when to change my cannula? Or when to change my tubing?
A. Cannulas should be changed routinely every 2-4 weeks depending on how often you wear them. You should also replace your nasal cannula anytime it becomes soiled, discolored, stiff or anytime you have been sick.
Tubing should be replaced every 1-2 months. If you notice any flat areas on your tubing or can feel air leaking from your tubing, it should be replaced sooner.
Q. Continuous flow vs non-continuous flow oxygen concentrators: which is better? Why would someone have one vs the other? I had continuous to start with and now non-continuous, was that because my doctor ordered it, or can I go back to continuous if I want?
A. A continuous flow concentrator gives you a continuous, steady flow of oxygen all the time. A non-continuous flow concentrator, sometimes referred to as a pulse dose concentrator, will give you a “puff” of oxygen when it feels you begin to inhale.
As far as one being considered better than the other, it just depends on each patient. If you have a portable battery operated concentrator, the non-continuous flow, or pulse dose concentrators, tend to have a longer battery life due to not having to continuously produce oxygen, which can be seen as a benefit. However, some patients cannot tolerate the “puff” or pulse dose (oxygen levels will not stay at a normal level) and may need to be switched to a continuous flow concentrator.
To change from a continuous flow to a non-continuous flow, or vice-versa, that would require a physician's order. If you have concerns regarding which equipment would best suit your needs, please speak to your physician.
Q. I occasionally get moisture or condensation in my cannula right at the connection where it goes into my nose. How do I prevent this?
A. If you have a water bottle on your concentrator, I would start by making sure that you are not filling it past the maximum fill line.
Most of the time, moisture in your oxygen tubing is caused from a temperature difference. Let's say, your home is nice and warm in the winter and your oxygen tubing is lying on the floor which is usually much cooler, that temperature difference can cause condensation in the tubing. Much the same as when a cold glass of water sits in the warm sun starts to produce condensation.
A few things that may help with this issue is to try to safely keep your tubing off the floor. Some people will drape their tubing over a chair or couch, or sometimes just putting down a rug to keep it from lying directly on the cold floor may also help. You can also reach out to your local Apria branch and we can provide you with a water trap to add in line with your oxygen tubing that will help to trap the water before it reaches your nose.
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