Home Oxygen Therapy
Home oxygen therapy supplies extra oxygen for people whose blood-oxygen levels are persistently low because of chronic lung or heart disease. Delivered through a nasal cannula or mask from a concentrator or oxygen cylinder, it eases breathlessness, supports daily activity and, when used long-term as prescribed, can improve survival in conditions such as severe COPD.
Medically reviewed by the Florence Healthcare medical team · Last reviewed June 2026
Overview
Home oxygen therapy delivers oxygen-enriched air to people whose lungs can no longer keep blood-oxygen at a healthy level. Oxygen is most often supplied by an electric concentrator that filters room air, or by oxygen cylinders, and is breathed in through a soft nasal cannula or a face mask. The amount (flow rate) and the number of hours per day are prescribed individually, based on blood-oxygen measurements taken at rest, during activity and sometimes overnight. For long-term oxygen therapy to improve survival in conditions like severe COPD, it generally needs to be used for many hours each day, including during sleep.
Before oxygen is prescribed, a pulmonologist confirms that levels are genuinely low using oximetry and a blood gas test, and rules out causes that other treatment should address first. For patients travelling from abroad, our chest-diseases team can review prior reports, oxygen levels and imaging remotely, complete the assessment during your visit, and coordinate a clear plan — including guidance on equipment, safe use and flying with oxygen — so therapy can be continued safely after you return home.
Who is a candidate?
- People with severe COPD and persistently low blood-oxygen levels at rest
- Patients with chronic lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis or bronchiectasis causing low oxygen
- Those with low oxygen related to advanced heart failure or pulmonary hypertension
- Patients who become significantly short of breath and desaturate with activity
- People with documented low oxygen overnight that affects sleep and wellbeing
- Patients whose low oxygen is confirmed by measurement and not better treated another way first
What happens
- 1
Assessment of oxygen levels
A pulmonologist measures your blood-oxygen using a fingertip oximeter and an arterial blood gas test, often at rest and during activity, to confirm that supplemental oxygen is genuinely needed.
- 2
Titration and prescription
The team finds the flow rate that keeps your oxygen in the target range and sets how many hours a day you should use it, balancing benefit against using only as much oxygen as you need.
- 3
Choosing your equipment
You are matched with suitable equipment — a home concentrator for steady use and portable cylinders or a portable concentrator for going out — and shown how each works.
- 4
Training and safety
You learn how to fit the cannula, look after the equipment, and follow essential fire-safety rules, since oxygen makes things burn more easily. Smoking and naked flames must be kept well away.
- 5
Follow-up and review
Your oxygen levels and symptoms are rechecked periodically and the prescription adjusted as your condition changes. International patients receive a written plan to continue therapy and reviews at home.
Benefits
- Eases breathlessness and can improve energy for everyday activities
- Used long-term as prescribed, can improve survival in severe COPD with chronic low oxygen
- Reduces strain on the heart caused by persistently low oxygen levels
- Can improve sleep, concentration and overall quality of life
- Portable options allow many people to stay active and travel
- Non-invasive and managed at home once set up and explained
Risks & considerations
- Fire hazard: oxygen makes materials ignite and burn more easily, so smoking and naked flames must be avoided
- Dryness, irritation or soreness of the nose and skin where the cannula or mask sits
- In some people, too much oxygen can be harmful, which is why the flow rate is prescribed and not changed without advice
- Equipment depends on a power supply or cylinder refills, needing planning for outings and travel
- Tripping or tubing-related accidents around the home if cables are not managed carefully
- Oxygen treats low levels but does not cure the underlying disease, which still needs its own treatment
Where it is performed
This treatment is delivered by our Chest Diseases Department.
Learn more before you decide
Provider-reviewed guides on the related conditions, symptoms and tests in our Health Library.
Home Oxygen Therapy — frequently asked questions
Oxygen is prescribed only when tests show your blood-oxygen is persistently low. A pulmonologist confirms this with a fingertip oximeter and an arterial blood gas test, often measuring at rest and on exertion, before recommending therapy.
It depends on your condition. Some people use oxygen only during activity or sleep, while long-term oxygen therapy for severe COPD usually needs many hours a day, including overnight, to give its full benefit. Your prescription is individual.
Yes, when used as directed. The main precaution is fire safety: oxygen makes things burn more easily, so you must keep away from smoking, cookers and naked flames. Your team explains all the safety rules and how to use the equipment.
Many people on oxygen can travel with planning. Air travel needs prior arrangement with the airline and sometimes an in-flight oxygen assessment. We can advise on safe travel and document your needs so you can continue therapy away from home.
Yes. Our chest-diseases team can review your previous oxygen readings, blood gas results and imaging remotely before you arrive, so we can plan the assessment and any titration efficiently during your visit.
Cost depends on the assessment required and the type of equipment, such as a concentrator versus portable cylinders. We provide a transparent, personalized estimate covering the evaluation and a clear plan, and explain equipment options for use back home.
Related treatments
Considering home oxygen therapy?
Share your reports for a medical second opinion and a transparent, itemized cost estimate — usually within 48 hours.