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Physiology & Medicine / Re: How much use is pulse oximetry?
« on: 27/03/2021 00:09:17 »
The breathing reflex is prompted by a rise of carbon dioxide levels in the blood.
- That's why nitrogen asphyxiation is so dangerous, as it doesn't lead to increase in carbon dioxide in the blood.
You don't want to breathe too deeply for too long. Hyperventilation can cause dizziness, loss of vision and fainting.
It's also hard work, so your body does not naturally breathe too much.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperventilation
Scarring of lung tissue due to COVID-19 infection reduces oxygen flow across the alveoli, and reduces blood oxygen levels.
- But because this scarring occurs gradually over a period of days to weeks, your body adapts to the reduced oxygen levels, and you may not notice it around the house
- You are more likely to notice it if you exercise; normal levels of exercise may leave you unusually breathless
- A pulse oximeter will pick up the reduced oxygen levels, even if you don't feel breathless
- This slow adaptation to reduced oxygen is similar to the process when mountain climbers spend a week or two at Everest base camp to acclimatize
With an average SpO2 of 93%, it sounds like you should mention it to your doctor, next time you visit.
- It SpO2 stays consistently below 92% (but you still feel ok), make an immediate medical appointment - a chest X-Ray will reveal if you have the "ground glass" pattern indicative of COVID scarring, or other respiratory problems.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground-glass_opacity
- That's why nitrogen asphyxiation is so dangerous, as it doesn't lead to increase in carbon dioxide in the blood.
You don't want to breathe too deeply for too long. Hyperventilation can cause dizziness, loss of vision and fainting.
It's also hard work, so your body does not naturally breathe too much.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperventilation
Scarring of lung tissue due to COVID-19 infection reduces oxygen flow across the alveoli, and reduces blood oxygen levels.
- But because this scarring occurs gradually over a period of days to weeks, your body adapts to the reduced oxygen levels, and you may not notice it around the house
- You are more likely to notice it if you exercise; normal levels of exercise may leave you unusually breathless
- A pulse oximeter will pick up the reduced oxygen levels, even if you don't feel breathless
- This slow adaptation to reduced oxygen is similar to the process when mountain climbers spend a week or two at Everest base camp to acclimatize
With an average SpO2 of 93%, it sounds like you should mention it to your doctor, next time you visit.
- It SpO2 stays consistently below 92% (but you still feel ok), make an immediate medical appointment - a chest X-Ray will reveal if you have the "ground glass" pattern indicative of COVID scarring, or other respiratory problems.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground-glass_opacity
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