After the pandemic hit the world in 2019, almost all the activities came to a standstill for a few months. According to some experts, Covid-19 is the twenty-first century’s most extensive social, political and economic disaster. Millions of people suffered across the world; not even a single country was spared from the wrath of the Covid19. The pandemic came in different phases; the initial phase was essentially distrusting as governments worldwide were handling something so significant for the first time in centuries. Many deadly viruses came before, but not one spread as rapidly as this one.

Most of the countries like Italy and the United Kingdom hailed for their healthcare sector which seemed to be failing miserably. The situation was so bad that hospitals were unable to admit the patients.

The number of ventilators was far lower than the number of people needing them. There were various symptoms of Covid-19, one of them was breathing problems. As the Sars-Cov-2 virus first attacks our lungs; as a result, our ability to inhale oxygen from the environment is affected; the oxygen level in our body lowers. If the oxygen level goes down very low, then it might be fatal. Due to this, monitoring the oxygen level of our body became essential. That is why the doctor started recommending the use of an oximeter at home.

What is a pulse oximeter?

 A pulse oximeter is a device that measures how much oxygen is present in the patient’s blood. It is a tiny device put on the tip of the finger to measure the oxygen level in blood. Many people consider oxygen level as a health parameter as important as a patient’s body temperature. It is primarily used in clinics and hospitals, but people who suffer from heart and lung diseases buy one to check their oxygen level at home.

Due to the widespread pandemic, it is now in demand more than ever. You can purchase this device to check your oxygen level at home. If your condition deteriorates, you would be prepared to contact a hospital well in time. You could either purchase a pulse oximeter online or offline as they are widely available.

How to use a Pulse Oximeter?

 Various factors contribute to the accuracy of the device. Such as, if your hands are warm or not, they should relax, there shouldn’t be any pigmentation in the skin, no nail polish on the nails, whether patients use tobacco or not- so that’s why the reading is not always accurate.

1. Relax: The first step is to relax as if you are under stress, if not the results can vary. Ideally, you should take at least five minutes to loosen up. Then take the readings
2. Place the oximeter on your finger: The right place is any of your fingers, though it works best on the index finger or middle finger of any hand. Preferably hold your hand below your heart level to get an accurate reading. Do not place it on your ear
3. Turn on the oximeter: After placing the oximeter, start the device; it would take a minute or probably more than a minute to give you the result. Try to keep your hands steady
4. Record the readings: The reading will keep changing; record the reading that has been steady for almost 5-10 seconds.

You can follow the manual that comes with the device or consult your doctor about it if you do not understand. The average oxygen level of the body is around 95-99%; if you see anything lower than that continuously, contact your doctor as soon as possible. In general, it is a decent product, so you can buy an oximeter online or go to the nearest store; you do not need a doctor’s prescription to buy it.