The Personal Oxygen Monitor – Two Basic Types

Are you looking for a personal oxygen monitor? Before beginning your search for the most suitable model, you should be aware that there are 2 main types of oxygen monitors for personal use: devices that measure the oxygen levels in your blood (also called pulse oximeters) and devices that calculate the oxygen concentration in the ambient air (also called oxygen deficiency monitors).

Nowadays, blood oxygen monitors are not an exclusive privilege of hospitals and health care facilities anymore. Due to the compact size and the user-friendly features of personal pulse oximeters, they can be used anytime and anywhere by people who need to monitor their oxygen levels on a regular basis. Being a life-savior for patients with cardiac or pulmonary dysfunctions, for people suffering from sleep apnea, for those who are on supplemental oxygen therapy, for airplane pilots and athletes, oxygen monitors for personal use are constantly gaining more popularity as they become more accurate and reliable.

The oxygen monitor for home use can also be extremely helpful in monitoring an infant with respiratory problems. Infant oxygen monitors are usually equipped with an alarm system that can be programmed to alert the caretakers whenever the blood oxygen saturation of the child drops below a certain limit.

Most personal oxygen monitors are fingertip models: they can be easily clipped on the finger, displaying the results almost instantly. You can also find models for personal use that can be attached to the toe, earlobe or heel (in case of infants).

Being a transcutaneous monitoring system, the device works by sending two different light frequencies (red and infrared) through the skin, being completely non-invasive. After determining the oxygen saturation or SpO2 (the ratio between saturated and non-saturated hemoglobin), the oximeter will display the results on the monitor, as a percentage. The normal blood oxygen saturation for adults ranges between 95% and 100%. Many models can also display the heart rate (in beats per minute), being extremely useful during intensive workouts.

All personal oxygen monitors are compact and portable – they can easily fit in your pocket or purse.

Now let’s take a closer look at another type of personal oxygen monitor – the gadget that measures the oxygen levels in the ambient air. These models are designed for the safety of people who work in dangerous environments with an increased risk of gas leakages or oxygen deficiency: factories, tanks, sewers, tunnels, laboratories and other research or industrial facilities.

The oxygen deficiency monitors are bigger than the blood pulse oximeters; usually having a rectangular shape, they are still pocket-sized, compact and portable. When turned on, they provide a continuous monitoring of the oxygen levels in the surrounding air. If the concentration of oxygen in the breathing air drops below a certain limit, the device will sound an alarm, alerting the person to take immediate action.

Both gadgets are battery-operated. If you’re wondering about their costs, here are the averages: the price of a personal finger oxygen monitor ranges between $150 and $250 (depending on the complexity of its features). The personal oxygen deficiency monitor is more expensive: the prices range between $250 and $4000.