What is Hypoxia? 9 reasons your body might be starved of oxygen
Hypoxia is a condition where tissues don’t get enough oxygen, leading to symptoms like fatigue, confusion, or coma. Causes include anemia, altitude, or poisoning. Timely diagnosis and tailored treatment are vital.
What is Hypoxia? Under normal circumstances, your lungs and your blood circulation are responsible for providing enough oxygen to your tissues and organs, so as to continue maintaining the bodily functions. A reduction in the amount of oxygen reaching your tissues can lead to hypoxia, which may further cause cell swelling and cell death if left unchecked.
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What Hypoxia Looks Like A person with hypoxia will have impaired judgment, show motor incoordination, and overall may behave like someone who has been intoxicated by alcohol. It may also lead to dizziness, fatigue, and an increased urge to sleep. Under severe circumstances, it can even cause coma due to respiratory failure.
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Slow Breathing, Big Trouble The smallest units of your lungs are the alveoli, which are responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. If enough of oxygen fails to reach the alveoli, as in hypoventilation or slow breathing, it can cause a reduction of oxygen available to exchange, and subsequently, hypoxia. Lung collapse may also be responsible for it.
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Trekking High? Beware of Altitude Illness If you’re fond of trekking and often want to scale mountain peaks as a weekend activity, you must keep it in mind that rapid ascent to about 3000 m is associated with a reduction in oxygen content available for inspiration. If the pressure of oxygen in the body reduces drastically due to this, it is possible to develop high-altitude illness.
Could It Be Anaemia? This condition causes a reduction in the ability of the red blood cells’ haemoglobin to carry oxygen. A number of reasons, like iron deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, malaria, hookworm infestation, etc., are responsible for the development of anaemia. To restore the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cells, it is crucial to remedy the underlying cause of anaemia.
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How Poisons Block Oxygen Cyanide, along with a number of other poisons, has the ability to cause hypoxia at a cellular level. As a result, the tissues affected with the poison become unable to use oxygen, even if the lungs and the circulation are functioning adequately. This condition is called histotoxic hypoxia.
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When Your Body Demands More A classic example of increased oxygen requirement is exercise. However, the body knows how to compensate for it by increasing the heart rate, the number of breaths per minute, and by reducing the pH of the tissues and the blood in the capillaries. The latter aids in unloading more oxygen to keep the tissues well-perfused.
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How Doctors Detect Hypoxia A number of examinations and investigations can aid in identifying hypoxia. These include a physical examination, auscultation of heart and lungs using a stethoscope, and pulse oximetry. A pulse oximeter is a sensor that helps to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood. Alongside, your healthcare provider may also recommend a pulmonary function test to find the underlying cause.
From Inhalers to Oxygen Therapy Depending on what caused hypoxia, the treatment may differ. If asthma was the cause, then inhaled steroids may be helpful. Other medicines, like diuretics, reduce excess fluid going to lungs, and positive airway pressures may also be used. In case of chronic hypoxia, supplemental oxygen may be required, where oxygen is delivered directly from your nose via masks or tubes.
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Prevent It Before It Starts It is essential to pay attention to your symptoms and contact the healthcare provider in case you notice anything amiss. If you have underlying conditions that are known to cause hypoxia, make certain you take your medication timely and remedy any deficiencies. Avoid smoking and other tobacco products, as they can reduce lung function.
Rajeshwaari Kalla is a freelance health and wellness writer
