How to Check If Your Device Is Working
2022-07-19
Oximeter readings are not exact. Your actual blood saturation level may be 2% to 4% higher or lower than what the oximeter reads.4 As a result, physicians like Parsons urge patients to track several oximeter readings in order to see a trend and not just rely on a single reading.
The American Thoracic Society (ATS) recommends using the heart rate reading that is included on the oximeter to check the device’s accuracy as well. Count your pulse for one minute and compare that to the number you see on the device for heart rate. “If they are the same, you are getting a good signal,” the ATS said.
According to the ATS, the accuracy of your home pulse oximeter can drop if:
Your hands are cold
You are not holding still
You are wearing nail polish (especially black, blue, or green)
You are wearing artificial nails
You are a smoker. Smoking increases carbon monoxide levels in your blood, and the oximeter cannot tell the difference between carbon monoxide and oxygen.
If you get an oxygen saturating reading below 95% and have access to someone at home without COVID symptoms, ask them to use the oximeter to see if they get a normal reading.
Ultimately, experts advise simply treating a pulse oximeter as one more tool in your COVID-19 toolbox.
“People who use the devices if they contract COVID-19 should use the readings as just one measure of illness, since we have other indicators that let us know you could be progressing to severe disease,” Parsons said. Troubling breathing, persistent chest pain, new confusion, trouble staying awake, or blue/gray skin and lips are other indictors you should seek emergency medical care.
The American Thoracic Society (ATS) recommends using the heart rate reading that is included on the oximeter to check the device’s accuracy as well. Count your pulse for one minute and compare that to the number you see on the device for heart rate. “If they are the same, you are getting a good signal,” the ATS said.
According to the ATS, the accuracy of your home pulse oximeter can drop if:
Your hands are cold
You are not holding still
You are wearing nail polish (especially black, blue, or green)
You are wearing artificial nails
You are a smoker. Smoking increases carbon monoxide levels in your blood, and the oximeter cannot tell the difference between carbon monoxide and oxygen.
If you get an oxygen saturating reading below 95% and have access to someone at home without COVID symptoms, ask them to use the oximeter to see if they get a normal reading.
Ultimately, experts advise simply treating a pulse oximeter as one more tool in your COVID-19 toolbox.
“People who use the devices if they contract COVID-19 should use the readings as just one measure of illness, since we have other indicators that let us know you could be progressing to severe disease,” Parsons said. Troubling breathing, persistent chest pain, new confusion, trouble staying awake, or blue/gray skin and lips are other indictors you should seek emergency medical care.
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