Oximeter for Self Insulation

The oximeter is a tool recommended by WHO for COVID-19 patients to have during self-isolation. What is the reason?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, perhaps the term pulse oximeter sounded foreign to the layman. Since the pandemic lasted a year, the oximeter has become an important self-isolation equipment.

Recently, the world health organization, WHO, advised corona virus patients to have a pulse oximeter at home. Especially for patients who are self-quarantining with their families at home. Why is this one tool considered important?

That's because the pulse oximeter is useful for monitoring and detecting the amount of oxygen in the blood. For COVID-19 patients, the benefits of an oximeter can detect the presence or absence of happy hypoxia. So, patients who are self-isolating at home can monitor themselves,

Normally, a healthy person's oxygen saturation is 95-100 percent or 75-100 mmHg. If the oxygen level is less than that number, it means that something is wrong in the body, one of which is the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. Lack of oxygen in the body is very dangerous. Body tissues can be damaged, especially in the heart and brain.

Patients can also experience weakness, bluish pale, shortness of breath, then loss of consciousness. Conditions with such symptoms are called hypoxia. The difference with happy hypoxia, the patient's oxygen level decreases without symptoms. This is even more dangerous. Because, suddenly the patient immediately lost consciousness.

This condition that increases the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients can only be detected through a pulse oximeter.

However, not all COVID-19 sufferers experience a decrease in oxygen levels. Even so, this tool is still important for detecting happy hypoxia, especially for COVID-19 patients without symptoms or with mild symptoms.

The use of an oximeter can prevent patients from coming to the hospital late (already unconscious). So, patients can still be treated and the mortality rate can be reduced.

Things to Pay Attention to when Using an Oximeter

There are things that must be considered when you make the oximeter as self-isolation equipment, namely:

    The use of an oximeter for self-isolated patients is carried out three times a day (morning, afternoon, and evening).
    If the oxygen level decreases and is less than 93 percent, especially if you have symptoms of shortness of breath, immediately contact a health worker.
    While waiting for health workers, patients can do breathing exercises to maintain lung function. The patient can do the prone position to prevent worsening of the condition.
    Use a pulse oximeter with finger pinch technology. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine reports that the accuracy of the oximeter on a smartwatch or cell phone application is low.

How the finger pinch pulse oximeter works, namely:

    Devices that have been attached to the fingertips will emit light with different wavelengths.
    The light will detect the amount of hemoglobin.
    The light will be captured by the sensor and the percentage will appear.
    Avoid buying an oximeter at unofficial and unofficial online stores. Compare one tool with another so as not to be fooled.
    Trim your nails and avoid using nail polish, especially dark ones. This can interfere with the device's sensors.
    Avoid moving too much because it can interfere with the installation of the tool. The results provided may not be accurate.

Don't Have an Oximeter, Are There Alternatives?

When self-isolation does not have an Oximeter? Unfortunately, there is no substitute for a pulse oximeter at home. If you are in the hospital, maybe you can do a blood gas analysis check. The trick, by measuring the levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and its pH level

If you can't afford a pulse oximeter, watch for the following signs:

    Breathing becomes heavy and uncomfortable.
    Heart started pounding.
    Blue nails and lips.
    Weakness, loss of concentration, and shortness of breath.

If you experience one or more symptoms, it is better for Friends of Hermina to go directly to the nearest Hermina Hospital so that the doctor can treat them further.