Although diagnostic blood oxygen levels are common, many people don't realize how important they are or how helpful they can be in measuring overall health.
What is a blood oxygen level?
Blood oxygen level is a measurement of the amount of oxygen in red blood cells. This measurement provides important information about how well the lungs are working. During inhalation, the lungs deliver oxygen to the capillaries, which in turn deliver oxygen-rich blood to the heart, which then pumps the blood to the rest of the body.
The measurement of blood oxygen levels has a wide range of uses. For example, it is used to monitor patients before, during, and after surgery, to monitor patients taking medications that may affect lung function, or as a method of assessing lung function in patients whose blood oxygen levels have decreased due to disease.
How is blood oxygen measured?
The most common measurement of blood oxygen levels is pulse oximetry, which is a painless and non-invasive test. Most people have had their blood oxygen levels read by a pulse oximeter, with the device usually placed on the fingertips. Pulse oximetry detects and measures the oxygen content of the blood through luminescence.
Compared to the traditional method of drawing an arterial blood sample, pulse oximetry is a non-invasive and rapid test. While traditional pulse oximeters are suitable for spot checks, they are less suitable for continuous measurements. Wearable health trackers can more accurately measure blood oxygen levels continuously.
While a blood test is the most accurate measurement of blood oxygen levels, pulse oximeters are typically accurate between 2% and 4% of actual blood saturation levels, providing an excellent reference for monitoring one's own blood oxygen levels.
What is a Normal Blood Oxygen Level?
An arterial blood gas test or traditional blood test measures blood oxygen levels in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), with a normal range of 75 to 100 mm Hg, and a level below 60 mm Hg being considered low.
Pulse oximetry measures oxygen levels in percent saturation, with a normal range of 94 to 100 percent. If the blood oxygen level drops below 94%, it needs to be a cause for concern. Anyone who notices a blood oxygen level below this level must contact their healthcare provider immediately.
Are low blood oxygen levels a sign of COVID-19?
A COVID-19 infection attacks the lungs, causing a significant drop in blood oxygen levels. However, other health conditions can also cause low blood oxygen levels, such as sleep apnea, blood clots, and pneumonia, so not all cases of low blood oxygen saturation are caused by COVID-19.
Signs of Low Blood Oxygen
Hypoxemia occurs when the body's blood oxygen levels are too low and is manifested by:
headaches
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Irritability
Chest pain
Rapid heartbeat
High blood pressure
Lack of coordination
Blurred consciousness
Feelings of euphoria
Visual disturbances
How can I increase my blood oxygen level?
There are many ways to increase the oxygen content of the blood. Some are preventative measures, while others involve providing oxygen when blood oxygen levels are below average.
Managing Health Conditions
Many health conditions can cause hypoxemia, such as heart disease, asthma, COVID-19, anemia, interstitial lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, and sleep apnea. If you have any of these conditions, proper management can help prevent a drop in blood oxygen levels.
Make healthy lifestyle choices
Lifestyle changes can improve health and reduce the risk of developing conditions that can lead to hypoxemia. These changes include:
Exercising regularly
Getting enough sleep as needed
Eating a balanced diet and drinking healthy water
Reducing stress
Quitting smoking
Prone position
The prone position is a transition position from supine to abdominal and helps improve breathing comfort and oxygen saturation.
Supplemental Oxygen
In extreme cases where blood oxygen levels are dangerously low, supplemental oxygen can be administered to increase oxygen intake.
ACBT Exercise
Active Circular Breathing Technique (ACBT) exercises can help to clear the lungs and are indicated for patients whose lungs are obstructed and who have difficulty taking deep breaths. Exercises include:
Resting your shoulders and body, gently inhale and exhale in a relaxed position.
Take a slow, deep breath in and out gently, repeating three to four times.
Perform a forced exhalation by inhaling a medium-sized breath and exhaling quickly and forcefully through the mouth while using the abdominal and chest muscles; repeat twice.
These ACBT exercises can be repeated until the chest is clear, but need to be stopped before exhaustion sets in.
Key Takeaways
Blood oxygen levels are an important indicator for monitoring health status and are of increasing concern due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Low blood oxygen levels can be a sign of infection with COVID-19 or a result of many other health conditions affecting the respiratory or circulatory system.
Pulse oximetry is a quick and painless way to measure blood oxygen levels and is suitable for continuous monitoring. By using a wearable device, you can easily view trends in your blood oxygen levels to detect abnormalities and keep an eye on your health.
