Touch On Sehat Home Care

What is clean intermittent catheterization? Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) is a procedure for people who have trouble urinating the “normal” way. In a CIC procedure, you insert a catheter, a thin, hollow tube, into your bladder to help you urinate. People who need to perform CIC include those who have certain medical conditions, including: Stroke Parkinson's disease Multiple sclerosis Spinal cord injuries Spinal surgeries Erectile dysfunction Trauma/accidents Central nervous system tumors Cerebral palsy Heavy metal poisoning If you have to perform CIC, you will be inserting and removing the catheter several times a day; your doctor will tell you how many times. By performing this procedure every day, you will not have to wear a catheter all the time. In addition, you will help prevent kidney infection and keep your bladder from stretching. Key points Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) is a technique that your loved one will have to do several times a day...

The Need For Supplemental Oxygen. Why did my doctor prescribe oxygen for me? Every body needs oxygen. In fact, every tissue and every cell in the body needs a constant supply of oxygen to work properly. Oxygen gets into our cells and tissues via the lungs. The lungs breathe in oxygen from the air, then pass the oxygen into the bloodstream through millions of tiny air sacs called alveoli. Hemoglobin in the red blood cells then picks up the oxygen and carries it off to the body's tissues and cells. Interstitial lung disease can cause inflammation and/or scarring (aka fibrosis) in the part of the lung tissue where oxygen passes into the bloodstream — the alveoli. This inflammation and/or scarring make it difficult for oxygen to move into the bloodstream. Therefore, the amount of oxygen in the blood drops, and the body's tissues and cells may not receive enough oxygen to keep functioning properly. Not enough oxygen in the bloodstream is called  hypoxemia . How did my d...

Traveling With Oxygen Traveling with oxygen has become much easier with the development of portable oxygen concentrators (POCs). These devices run on a battery pack, can be recharged, plugged into the wall or a cigarette lighter in a car, and can be taken on airplanes. There are several makes and models, with widely differing features, so it is important to choose the one that is best for you, that delivers enough oxygen to keep your saturation 90 percent or greater at rest and with activity. POCs can be rented or purchased from various oxygen suppliers. Oxygen Needs at High Elevation Some people may become hypoxemic while traveling to or living at high elevations. A simple pulse oximeter reading while you are at high altitude, at rest and during activity, can determine if oxygen is needed at altitude. Alternatively, some pulmonary function labs can perform an altitude simulation test to determine your oxygen saturation at altitude. This test involves breathing a mixture of...

What is oxygen? Oxygen is a gas that your body needs to work properly. Your cells need oxygen to make energy. Your lungs absorb oxygen from the air you breathe. The oxygen enters your blood from your lungs and travels to your organs and body tissues. Certain medical conditions can cause your blood oxygen levels to be too low. Low blood oxygen may make you feel  short of breath , tired, or confused. It can also damage your body. Oxygen therapy can help you get more oxygen. What is oxygen therapy? Oxygen therapy is a treatment that provides you with extra oxygen to breathe in. It is also called supplemental oxygen. It is only available through a prescription from your health care provider. You may get it in the hospital, another medical setting, or at home. Some people only need it for a short period of time. Others will need long-term oxygen therapy. There are different types of devices that can give you oxygen. Some use tanks of liquid or gas oxygen. Others use an oxygen concentrat...

Benefits of Oxygen Therapy Oxygen therapy is beneficial to people with frequent low oxygen levels due to an underlying disease. It provides a more active lifestyle by decreasing shortness of breath.  Oxygen therapy can save lives in case of emergencies and also increases life expectancy. It is beneficial in symptoms like headaches, irritability, confusion, fatigue and swollen ankles. These symptoms may be due to low oxygen levels in the body. Oxygen therapy is also helpful to children with congenital chronic lung diseases thereby improving their quality of life. What are the symptoms of Low Blood Oxygen? Coughing or wheezing Rapid breaths Confusion Sweat Changes in skin color Short breath Increased heart rate You must seek for immediate medical help if you experience these symptoms. Medical professionals use pulse oximetry to determine whether a person qualifies for an oxygen therapy treatment or not. Some people require to be oxygenated all the time while others need i...

Safety advice during oxigen therapy at Home Oxygen is a fire hazard, so you need to take precautions if you're using oxygen at home. For example: Never let anyone smoke while you're using oxygen keep oxygen at least six feet away from flames or heat sources, such as gas cookers and gas heaters don't use flammable liquids, such as cleaning fluid, paint thinner or aerosols, while using oxygen don't use oil-based emollients, such as Vaseline, when using oxygen install fire alarms and smoke detectors in your home and make sure they're working inform your local fire brigade that you have oxygen at home keep oxygen cylinders upright to prevent them being damaged.

When oxygen therapy shouldn't be used Oxygen therapy shouldn't be used to relieve breathlessness if your oxygen levels are normal. This is because it can decrease your fitness level and cause a delay in finding out what's making you breathless. Oxygen therapy assessment If you have a long-term condition and your doctor thinks oxygen therapy might be helpful, you'll be asked to visit your nearest oxygen clinic for an assessment. The amount of oxygen in your blood will be measured by taking a blood sample from your earlobe or wrist, or by attaching a sensor to your finger (a pulse oximetry test). You may also be asked to breathe into a device called a spirometer during a lung function test. Regular oxygen treatment may be recommended if your blood oxygen level is low. If you decide to have oxygen treatment at home, a healthcare professional at the clinic will help you work out how much oxygen you'll need and for how long. They'll also discuss the diffe...

Home Oxygen Therapy: What to Know Your body can’t live without the oxygen you breathe in from the air. But if you have lung disease or other medical conditions, you may not get enough of it. That can leave you short of breath and cause problems with your heart, brain, and other parts of your body. Oxygen therapy  can help. It’s a way to get extra oxygen for you to breathe. Oxygen is a prescription medication. Do I Need It? Home oxygen therapy can help with many conditions, including: Asthma Chronic bronchitis Congestive heart failure COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Cystic fibrosis  Emphysema  Lung cancer  Pneumonia  Pulmonary fibrosis  Sleep apnea How Much Will I Need? Your doctor will give you a prescription that spells out how much oxygen you need per minute and when you need to get it. Some people may need oxygen therapy only when they exercise or sleep. Others may need it all day long. Your doctor will...

How to Clean Drainage Bags. Once you’ve emptied and removed a bag, you have to clean it before you can use it again. You’ll need: Cool water Mild liquid soap White vinegar Then, you can follow these nine steps: Wash your hands with soap and warm water. Wash the inside of the bag with soap and cool water (hot water may damage the bag). Rinse the bag with cool water to get all the soap out. Mix 1 cup cool water with 1 cup white vinegar. Fill the bag halfway with the vinegar solution, then shake it up. Let the bag sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Empty the bag and rinse it with cool water. Hang the bag to let it dry. Wash your hands again. General Tips Follow these tips to keep your catheter working and lower your chances of getting an infection: Avoid taking baths, but shower daily. For the first few days after getting a suprapubic catheter, use a waterproof bandage when you shower. Once the wound heals, you can shower as usual, but avoid scented soaps. Check...

Central Line Care A central line is an IV (intravenous) line that goes into a large blood vessel near the center of the body. Central lines are used for giving medications, fluids, IV nutrition and drawing blood.   The central line is usually placed in the neck,chest area etc. Part of the line goes under the skin and enters a blood vessel several inches away. This type of line is called a tunneled central line. The tunneled central line has a cuff under the skin near the exit site. The cuff is a small felt-like piece of material that circles the line. Skin will grow around the cuff to help hold the line in place. The cuff also acts like a barrier to decrease the chance of infection. The central line may have a single or double lumen. A single lumen central line has one opening or tube. A double lumen line has two separate tubes within one tubing. Caring for center line at Home :- A home care infusion company will give you the supplies needed to care for...