The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place NW8 9LE London
Oxygen Therapy
ASSESSMENT, MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS REQUIRING OXYGEN
Oxygen therapy can help raise the oxygen level in your blood making it easier to perform simple tasks
What is oxygen therapy?
Oxygen therapy involves breathing in air that contains more oxygen than normal from a cylinder or machine in your home.
Your consultant may recommend it if you have a heart or lung condition that causes low oxygen levels in your blood.
Oxygen is delivered in a number of ways including a:
- tube positioned under your nose (nasal cannula)
- face mask placed over your nose and mouth
- tube placed into your mouth and down your windpipe
The tube or mask is attached to a ventilator machine.
Our respiratory team including your consultant and an oxygen therapist will provide guidance around the best way for oxygen to be delivered.
Need to know
Oxygen therapy involves breathing in air that contains more oxygen than normal from a cylinder or machine installed in your home. It may be prescribed if you have a heart or lung condition that causes low oxygen levels in your blood. You can take oxygen in a number of ways using a:
- tube positioned under your nose (nasal cannula)
- face mask placed over your nose and mouth
- tube placed into your mouth and down your windpipe
The tube or mask is attached to a ventilator machine.
All the equipment you need will be delivered to your home after consultation with your HCA UK oxygen therapist. An engineer will visit your home to install the equipment, check that it's working properly, and explain how to use it. They'll also carry out a risk assessment and provide you with other important information, such as how to order oxygen refills.
You should never smoke, including e-cigarettes, when using oxygen. The carbon monoxide in the smoke reduces the amount of oxygen that your blood can carry around your body. Oxygen also helps combustion, so it is vital that there is no smoking around oxygen.
There is a risk of facial burns and house fires if you or someone else smokes in your home when the oxygen supply is turned on.
Remember that oxygen is a medicine – too much oxygen can be dangerous. It is dangerous for you to alter the oxygen flow rate your equipment provides or change the type of mask you use, unless instructed to do so by your health care professional.
Our Oxygen Therapy locations
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.