A breath rate monitor is a device that will measure your breathing rate. The most typical type is worn on your wrist and uses infrared light beams to detect when a person’s chest expands with air. A breath rate monitor works by monitoring the time between a person’s inhalations and exhalations. This is known as the respiratory rate, which can be measured in either breaths per minute or breaths per hour. In both cases, higher numbers are usually considered harmful because they indicate that an individual may have an abnormally high heart or lung condition and needs to see their doctor right away.
Reasons why you need breath rate monitor
Below are some of the common reasons why you should have a breath rate monitor.
- A serious issue
If your breathing problem or lung disease is serious, you may need help from a doctor. Keeping track of your breath rate may be very useful in the process of identifying the cause and preventing possible complications. It will also help tell if any medication you take is affecting your lungs.
- Desirable effect of a treatment
A special treatment today has results that will last for a long term, probably for several years, if not for life. Some of these types of treatments require you to breathe in drops or even tablets, which is not such a pleasant experience at first. However, with a breath rate monitor you will be able to calculate and see whether the treatment will ultimately do you good.
- An opportunity to prevent a bad condition
Many people who suffer from congestive heart failure or pulmonary disease are not aware that they have serious lung problems. With a breath rate monitor, you will be able to notice how fast your lungs are working and even how they compare to other people of similar ages and physical conditions. This is vital information because it can help prevent further complications.
- A way to raise your awareness
Yes, there are situations when you can easily detect some of the symptoms of a possible lung problem. However, sometimes people need a device like a breath rate monitor to alert them that something is wrong with their lungs. For example, your doctor may tell you that you have respiratory acidosis – an abnormal respiratory condition characterized by low blood pH levels in your lungs. This is when a breath rate monitor will help you understand exactly what is happening with your body and why it needs treatment.
- A diagnostic tool
As with any other medical device, breath rate monitors have their limitations and errors. For example, some people experience temporary problems related to their breathing when they are in a stressful situation. However, you can use this as an opportunity to test your device to see if it is working properly. If your breath rate monitor is malfunctioning, you will know about it right away.
- As a tool for monitoring
Many people think that breath rate monitors can only be used during treatment. However, they are also useful in monitoring the effects of certain medical treatments on your lungs. They are also useful when you take medication and want to monitor the changes it makes in your condition.
- For research and test purposes
Breath rate monitors are quite useful even if you are not suffering from any serious lung disease. They can be used in scientific research as well as in different medical tests which examine the respiratory rates of animals or humans in similar conditions.
- To combat disorders and diseases
If you have any problems with asthma, COPD, or other lung related conditions, a breath rate monitor can be helpful as well. This is because breath rate monitors will give you an idea of how severe your particular illness is and what kind of treatment is required to cure it or reduce its severity and possible complications.