Editor’s Note

Welcome to our annual review of Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POCs)! While we wait and wait for a smaller machine that will give us continuous flow higher than a setting of 3, Ryan has updated his data on the POCs currently on the market. Through an independent testing and consulting company, Valley Inspired Products, Ryan is able to evaluate each POC with hands-on testing to become intimately familiar with its operation. For the annual POC Guide, Ryan compiles manufacturer supplied information in one convenient source to allow you, the reader, to make informed comparisons and choices when considering POCs. We hope this data will empower you in your decision to purchase a portable oxygen concentrator!

Dr. Tom Petty, the father of home therapy, has been gone for many years now, but he left us his valuable teachings. You may download his book, Adventures of Oxy-Phile2 at https://drtompetty.org

Please allow me to brag a bit – our family recently grew with the arrival of my fourth grandchild, Jackson Edward Prentice. I am truly loving the innocence of this newborn baby!

Answers to quiz “How Weather Affects Your Health”

People who suffer from a “bum knee” often say they can tell when rain is This is because they may have which a common health condition? The correct answer is arthritis. Although weather doesn’t cause arthritis, many people who suffer from either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis report an increase in pain in their joints with changes in barometric pressure or other weather phenomena.
Cold weather may cause what condition in people with coronary heart disease? The correct answer is angina pectoris. People with coronary heart disease are more likely to have a heart attack in cold weather than other
The sun produces both ultraviolet A (UVA) and B (UVB) Which of these sources of radiation is responsible for causing skin cancer? The correct answer is both. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, UVA damages cells in the deeper, basal layer of the skin. UVB rays cause sunburn and damage to the outer layers of skin; they are thought to cause the most skin cancers.
Seasonal hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, is a common cause of allergy What brings on nonallergic rhinitis? The correct answer is a sudden change in air temperature. Unlike allergic rhinitis, which is triggered by the body’s natural defense against allergens, the cause of nonallergic rhinitis isn’t known. Eating, drinking alcohol, exercising, and being in the cold are the most common triggers of nonallergic, or vasomotor, rhinitis. Regardless of the specific cause, the symptoms are the same: runny nose, stuffy nose, postnasal drip, and sneezing.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke happen when your body overheats during exercise or exposure to hot or humid conditions. Which common medications can increase your chances of getting these The correct answer is all – diet pills, some types of blood pressure medicine and allergy relief medication can affect the way your body reacts to heat.
What weather phenomenon may also trigger an asthma attack? The correct answer is a thunderstorm. According to the CDC, thunderstorms, high humidity, and breathing in cold, dry air all can trigger asthma