Significance

• Oxygen therapy is typically used to treat moderate, severe and extreme cases of asthma. To determine whether or not a patient requires oxygen therapy, physicians perform oximetry, a process that involves placing a tape probe onto a fingertip or earlobe in order to measure the oxygen levels of blood.
  
  

Function

• Oxygen therapy involves attaching a source of oxygen to specialized tubes. At the end of the tubes can be a nasal prong or face mask that the patient wears. Breathing the oxygen through the apparatus increases the supply of oxygen to the body of the asthmatic patient.
  
  

Types

• There are three types of supplies for oxygen therapy treatment of asthmatics. The first two are liquid or compressed oxygen tanks, while the third is a large apparatus called an oxygen concentrator that provides a higher concentration of oxygen than tank-based methods.
  
  

Benefits

• Asthmatics who receive oxygen therapy experience a variety of benefits, including better sleep, increased alertness and more stamina. In emergency attacks, it also prevents any damage to the heart.
  
  

Warning

• Using too much oxygen or using oxygen therapy for too long can be toxic to all patients, including asthmatics. Because of this, patients should obtain a prescription from a doctor prior to beginning oxygen therapy for asthma.