A sudden spike was seen in the sales of pulse oximeters during the Covid-19 pandemic. Is the device still relevant now that its hype has died down? Learn more in this article as we help you navigate pulse oximetry’s use, utility, and limitations.

What is Pulse Oximetry?

Pulse Oximetry is a non-invasive, bloodless, and painless way of measuring oxygen in the blood. The device used for this purpose is called the pulse oximeter. It can catch even the most minute changes in blood oxygen levels. The results it offers are within about two percent to four percent of the actual. Usually, this is sufficient enough for an accurate reading that is indicative of your oxygen levels, considering that the method is quick, efficient, cheap, and, most importantly, non-invasive.

Usage of a Pulse Oximeter

To effectively utilize the oximeter for both in-patient and out-patient settings, it is important to understand the workings and usage of the device. You should know the basics, like which finger to use for a pulse oximeter or what data a pulse oximeter measures. Firstly, a probe device is attached to your finger or earlobe. It may also be attached to a forehead or a foot in the case of infants. If using a finger pulse oximeter, you may use any finger, but make sure that the nail of the finger doesn’t have any nail polish or anything similar. This ensures that the contact between the finger and the device is uninterrupted and direct.

The device then passes two wavelengths of the visible light spectrum into the finger or the attached body part. The pulse oximeter contains photodiodes and photodetectors acting as sensors of light. These sensors note the absorptions in your blood carried by arteries and present the data as results to you. This type is known as transmissive pulse oximetry.

In most devices, there are two pulse oximeter readings. One shows how fast your heart is beating, and the other shows the oxygen saturation in your blood in percentages.

A slightly different method of oximetry is the reflectance pulse oximetry. This method differs slightly from the transmissive type, but it is rare to encounter as it is less popular than its alternative. Reflectance pulse oximetry doesn’t require the device to be attached to a thinner body part, rather accepts a universal application like that of feet, forehead, or chest. However, its working may misrepresent the oxygen levels when a person has a surge of sudden blood rushes in the organs mentioned above. This is quite common in the case of forehead or chest readings.

Why Measure Blood Oxygen Saturation

The human body needs oxygen for survival. This element is crucial to your existence as it converts the nutrients in the body to energy by a process called respiration. The energy produced during this process is used for movement, digestion, and other important bodily functions. Hence the measurement of oxygen levels becomes essential.

Oxygen saturation tells you the amount of oxygen in your body in a fixed quantity of blood. In other words, it relays how effectively and efficiently oxygen is being transported in the parts where it is needed. Keeping an eye on these oxygen saturation levels can give you early indications of conditions like asthma, pneumonia, and coronary obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as fluctuations in blood oxygen are usually one of the earliest signs that emerge if you have these conditions.

When to Start Using Pulse Oximetry

A common misconception regarding using oximeters is that they must only be used in case of a diagnosed ailment or disease. You may wonder, “Can a pulse oximeter detect shortness of breath” or “Can a pulse oximeter detect heart attacks.” You can actually start using pulse oximeters to monitor your oxygen level if you feel any signs indicating a shortage of oxygen in your body. Here are some of these symptoms:

• Feeling breathless even while indulging in minor physical activities is an indicator of either a respiratory condition or a drop in oxygen in the body.
• An increased breathing rate is an indicator of the body trying to compensate for the low supply of oxygen.
• Low oxygen supply can cause a range of cognitive malfunctions like confusion, disorientation, or even minor memory loss due to a lack of nutrients reaching the brain.
• The heart may start to beat faster as it tries to supply more blood to organs that are low in oxygen concentration.
• A bluish/purplish discoloration of the skin may occur in parts like nails and lips.
• You may feel fatigue and weakness, along with some headaches.
• You may start to sweat much more often and in larger amounts.

Pulse Oximetry Indications and Contraindications

Indications for something are a reason to take or use it. Likewise, contraindications are reasons not to use the thing. As explained above, many reasons show that the use of pulse meters is beneficial. They may be used if you suffer from any cardiac or pulmonary disease, want an informal diagnosis of sleep apnea, or are heavily engaged in sports or activities involving high altitudes.

Conversely, the limitations should also be realized, and a doctor must be consulted if you need guidance. The meter will not give an accurate result if carbon monoxide is involved, as it cannot differentiate between carbon monoxide and oxygen. Both of these gasses can give positive results on the display. Therefore, smokers are at a disadvantage due to the presence of carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke.

Moreover, the results can be inaccurate due to the presence of skin pigmentation resulting from the light involved. In situations like anemia and blood volume deficiency, the results can be unreliable due to the different nature of the blood present. Although the blood saturation may be good, there could be lesser hemoglobin or even lesser volume of blood overall.

Use of Pulse Oximeters in Post-Surgery Scenarios

After undergoing surgery, the body needs regular monitoring of oxygen levels in the blood, as it is a crucial indicator of recovery. Pulse oximeters play a vital role in this, providing a non-invasive mode of measurement.

The body undergoes a series of traumas and stress after surgery due to anesthesia, incisions, and the body’s response. A considerable burden is being put on their cardiovascular and pulmonary organs to overcome the changes. In these conditions, regular oxygen monitoring is of the utmost importance. In addition to this, there sometimes is a need for supplemental oxygen supply during and after a surgical procedure. The use of pulse oximeters guides doctors and medical staff to increase or decrease the oxygen supply according to the body’s needs and reactions.

Hypoxemia, a condition characterized by low oxygen levels in the blood, can lead to various complications, including organ damage. Pulse oximetry enables early detection of hypoxemia, allowing medical teams to intervene promptly with appropriate treatments. In short, pulse oximetry enhances patient safety during the critical post-surgery phase by providing real-time feedback on oxygen saturation levels. It offers peace of mind to patients and their families, knowing they can closely monitor their well-being, even after they’re discharged.

Pulse Oximetry and Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are a range of different issues that can cause irregularities and interfere with your sleep schedule, depriving you of peace of mind. These disorders include insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy, among others. They can cause problems like unnecessary daytime fatigue, cognitive issues, mood swings, or even serious health issues.

Although a test like polysomnography gives a proper diagnosis for a sleeping disorder like sleep apnea, you could also make use of pulse oximetry to make a less accurate diagnosis. The pulse oximeter is attached to you for the course of the whole night, with its results constantly observed and recorded. If the records show that there has been a great degree of fluctuations in the blood saturation, there is a risk that you may have sleep apnea. Moreover, in sleep apnea treatment, using the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) method, pulse oximetry can help keep track of the treatment and to ensure that the proper oxygen level is maintained during sleep.

In addition to this, this method can be used in helping to analyze sleep disorders with regard to sleep positions and sleep stages. Certain sleeping positions bring on some disorders, so monitoring and tracking the levels of oxygen during these sleeping positions can give a clear idea of which position is particularly harmful and how to avoid such sleep disorders.

Using Pulse Oximeters at Home

The advancements in medical technology have led people to closely monitor their health from the bounds of their own homes. One of these tools is the oximeter, and there are many benefits to this:

• It allows for timely detection of an issue so that prompt action can be taken.
• If you have any chronic respiratory or cardiovascular, you can get a good idea of blood oxygen to adjust any medications accordingly.
• Considering quarantine and mobility restrictions, it was a great help during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• It can offer peace of mind to you, especially if you are sensitive about your health.

Although the use of oximeters can be of great use to you, some considerations must be kept in mind. You should ensure that you are adopting the correct technique while using the device, as the wrong approach can lead to incorrect readings. It is important to realize that you understand the normal saturation levels according to your own personal body requirements. Readings must also be interpreted correctly depending on the context, as they can vary throughout the day. Lastly, always consult your doctor in case of a problem or confusion.

COVID-19 and Oxygen Monitoring with Pulse Oximetry

The global pandemic uncovered the importance of oxygen monitoring in people with respiratory diseases and even in those suffering from the virus. The Covid-19 virus is particularly known to affect the respiratory system of people. Although some people faced minor symptoms, others were at high risk of severe degradation of the lungs and surrounding organs due to the disease. Monitoring the oxygen in these patients was an important part of their health care, as it allowed doctors to judge the extent to which the virus harmed their organs. Pulse oximeters were among the best choices for this.

As most patients were made to quarantine themselves at home, the utility of small, portable oximeters came into use. These patients were given these devices to keep an eye on their oxygen level periodically. If the levels fell below a certain threshold, only then were they to contact their doctors or a medical facility; otherwise, their care was best done from the comfort of their own homes. Furthermore, these devices were also useful in detecting “silent hypoxemia,” whereby a patient is at seriously low oxygen levels but displays no clear signs.

Pulse Oximetry and Physical Activity

Physical activity and exercise are requisite for leading a healthy life. However, your oxygen level and its demand can change continuously during physical exertion.

When you engage in exercise or other physical activity, your body needs more energy. Thus, the heart starts beating faster to supply more oxygen to your muscles, where respiration occurs. These muscles use energy produced. During this, the oxygen saturation in your body might decrease temporarily. By deploying an oximeter, you can track these fluctuations in the saturation and can see your progress and how well your body adapts to the oxygen demand.

Oximeters can be used to help you in your workouts as well. Athletes use them to determine how quickly their saturation level returns to the pre-workout normal level as part of their post-workout analysis.

These experiments can help you find the right balance between your workout intensity, body requirements, and the toll the workouts take on your body. You can adjust your routine per your findings and achieve optimum utility.

The Use of Pulse Oximetry in Paediatric Care

Pulse oximetry is used frequently in managing the unique needs and vulnerability of children’s health. These young children have bodies and organs that are in the process of being developed, making them more sensitive to the fluctuations that can occur in their levels of oxygen. Moreover, considering that children are unable to communicate effectively, the use of oximetry can help parents or caretakers make sure that there are no undiagnosed health issues.

Oximeters are currently used in different roles with regard to pediatric care. It is used in hospital incubators to monitor the health of newborns in neonatal units. They are also used in the treatment of respiratory infections like bronchiolitis and pneumonia by helping doctors determine the severity of the condition and adopting a treatment plan accordingly.

Use in High Altitude and Aviation

If you have exposure to high altitudes and mountains, an oximeter can be useful in the prediction of acute mountain sickness and other altitude sicknesses.

The importance of the device during such ventures is reiterated in many studies. The saturation and oxygen availability in the atmosphere decreases with an increase in altitude, which can result in you facing some respiratory problems. The severity of these problems can be acutely measured with the help of these devices. It is commonly observed that although the blood saturation and pulse rate decrease with altitude, your situation may be stabilized after extensive exposure as the body adapts to the environment.

Oximeters are used by active aviation staff due to their exposure to high altitudes during flights. They are able to monitor their medical stats and are able to react in case of any inconvenience. This applies especially to pilots who may have to deal with many higher-pressure situations and must remain calm throughout.

Conclusion

In the field of healthcare, undoubtedly, pulse oximetry is an important technological advancement that helps to bridge the gap between specialized medical expertise and individual empowerment. From its uses in post surgery conditions, to monitoring oxygen levels during physical exertion, and even aiding in the care of the most vulnerable, pulse oximetry’s impact is revolutionary. It is apparent that pulse oximetry’s significance will remain intact even in the future. To better understand if this tool is the right one for monitoring your respiratory health, it is best to contact a doctor.