Helping Someone Breathe: A Guide to Oxygen in Emergencies
Emergencies don’t announce themselves. One moment everything is fine, the next someone is struggling to breathe. Knowing how to give oxygen properly can make a big difference. It can stabilize someone until professional help arrives. People who have First Aid Certification or BLS Certification learn these skills, but even if you haven’t, it’s good to understand the basics. What Emergency Oxygen Administration Means Emergency oxygen administration is basically giving extra oxygen to someone whose body isn’t getting enough. This can happen during heart attacks, severe asthma attacks, allergic reactions, or after an injury. When the body is low on oxygen, organs don’t work well, and that’s when serious complications start. Supplying oxygen can help give the person’s body a chance to recover until help comes. When Should You Give Oxygen? Not everyone needs oxygen immediately, so it’s important to know the signs: • Shortness of breath or struggling to take a full breath • Lips or fi...