• Asthma
• Lung cancer
• COPD
• The flu
• COVID-19

You need to get your doctor’s OK before you buy or use an oxygen concentrator. Using one without their guidance or a prescription can be dangerous. If the doctor thinks a concentrator might be right for you, they’ll let you know how much oxygen to take and how long to use the device.

How Does It Work?

An oxygen concentrator isn’t the same thing as an oxygen tank, which delivers liquid or gas oxygen. Instead, the concentrator is a machine that pulls in the air around you and filters out the nitrogen.

A thin tube runs from the device to your face, giving you purified oxygen through two open prongs below your nostrils. Some people use a facemask to get a higher concentration and flow of oxygen.

There are two types of concentrators: a bigger model you can use at home, and a lighter, portable model you can use on the go.

How Do I Use an at-Home Unit?

Your doctor might prescribe this for you if you need constant oxygen while you’re in your house or sleeping. It runs on electricity, so you need to keep it plugged in all the time for it to work properly. (If you find it drives up your electric bill, you could tell your power company that you’re running medical equipment and ask if they can give you a discount.)

Follow the device’s instructions on how to use and maintain it. The doctor will tell you what level to set the oxygen flow rate to — that’s number of liters per minute. Don’t change the rate your doctor prescribed unless they tell you to.