Measuring Oxygen Saturation At Home

As stated above a deficiency of oxygen in your arteries can be particularly troublesome so measuring oxygen levels here can be of the utmost importance.

Measuring oxygen saturation at home.

During a pulse oximetry reading a small clamp like device is placed on a finger earlobe or toe. In medical shorthand you may hear it called a pao 2 when using a blood gas and an o 2 sat spo2 when using a pulse ox. Small beams of light pass through the blood in the finger measuring the amount of oxygen. A measurement of your blood oxygen is called your oxygen saturation level.

Er doctors have reported that some covid 19 patients appear completely comfortable even with a dangerously low levels of oxygen. Pulse oximeters or pulse ox measure the amount of oxygenated blood spo2 in your body giving medical professionals an idea of how much oxygen your body is carrying to vital organs and tissues. These medical devices measure oxygen saturation in the blood which some people think can be a gauge for reduced lung capacity often a symptom of covid 19. So they are recommending that covid 19 patients monitor their oxygen levels at home with a pulse oximeter.

When you need to assess your oxygen level or oxygen saturation at home this device will give you a number based on a range from 70 100 and will also display your current heart rate. An estimate of your oxygen level can be easily measured with a pulse oximeter a non invasive device that attaches to the end of your finger a more accurate method of measuring oxygen levels is with an arterial blood gas abg study a blood test that is performed by taking a blood sample from an artery usually. This data can be used to help you make important decisions during an emergency. That being said it s fair to say that this method of measurement isn t exactly easy to have done in your own home.

Oxygen saturation is a term used to define how much oxygen your blood is carrying. In a healthy person oxygen saturation measures greater than 95 percent but for those with chronic conditions such. Checking your oxygen level at home.