Addicted to Oxygen

Article submitted by Chris O'Gwynn.
For more information, she can be reached at 251-666-2002.

It's probably the question I hear most often when starting a new patient on oxygen in their home. Am I going to become addicted to this oxygen? My answer is always the same, NO. Just as a man who is in a desert thirsting for water will not become addicted to water when he drinks it to quench his thirst. Physiological oxygen addiction is impossible.

Oxygen and water are of course the most basic and essential elements our bodies need to survive. The lungs function is to take in oxygen (21% in natural air) and release carbon dioxide. This action affects the levels of oxygen in the blood which is crucial in all physiological functions of the body's organs, including brain, heart, skeletal muscles, liver, kidneys, etc. When a person lives with lung disease this function is diminished, and may require supplemental oxygen to keep the oxygen levels in the blood adequate. Maintaining adequate oxygenation is important in improving overall health and raising the quality of life.

Some signs of lung disease include difficulty in breathing with mild exertion, frequent headaches, anxiety, bluish tinted lips, bluish colored fingernails, coughing, or wheezing, drowsiness, confusion, or restlessness. If you are unable to sleep lying flat, you may have a lung related heart disease. Contact your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.

So should you ever face the prospect of needing home oxygen, don't let physiological addiction to oxygen concern you, it will not and cannot happen. When you're thirsty for water drink it and when you need oxygen breathe it. Your life will be better because of it.