Oxygen helps the body to function by keeping the cells and tissues stocked with a constant supply of oxygenated blood. This process happens naturally in the body without the need for medical intervention. Deep breathing is often enough for the body to recover from overexertion. However sometimes illness or injury may require additional oxygen to the body to improve with recovery or assist with shortness of breath. When this occurs, a doctor will order home oxygen therapy aimed to increase blood oxygen levels back to normal. This process involves using a device called a nasal cannula which consists of a small tube that rests under the nose and supplies additional oxygen that an individual breaths in. Oxygen is a prescription medication and can help with a variety of different conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia, and sleep apnea.
Oxygen is a gas and not flammable but is categorized as an oxidizer. Thus, it can support the process of combustion as oxygen can feed the flames. This is important as many lung diseases are due to a history of smoking. Quitting smoking is important to safety and always recommended. Smoking is dangerous with oxygen in use as it may cause clothing or hair to catch fire when a spark occurs. This includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, cannabis, electric cigarettes, and vaping.
If you are interested in quitting smoking and living a smoke free life, speak to your doctor or call 800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free resources offered by the CDC.