There seems to be a general variance in what pulse oximeters display when measuring healthy individuals with readings from 94% − 100%. I also seem to remember reading that they are sensitive to altitude, whether hands are cold etc (n.b typing on phone, can’t verify at the mo)
Talking to a doctor friend—in clinical settings if an oximeter shows a reading < 90%, it’s considered serious, but different people respond differently, but closely enough for the purposes of this discussion to fall into two groups. Either you develop a shortness of breath by the time its at 92%, for eg., and you have to go an ER anyway. Or you feel fine, but have less than 90% reading and you’ll end up going to the ER (because you’ve looked at the range of normal measurements)
If the suggestion of use of the pulse oximeter is supposed to be a diagnostic about whether you need to go to the ER or not (and thus avoid picking something up at the hospital), it doesn’t seem to help? It also doesn’t tell you anything specific to Covid-19, I mean, you could be short of breath for a variety of reaons (note: short of breath sustained for many minutes, not the kind where you are panting after climbing stairs for eg.)
There seems to be a general variance in what pulse oximeters display when measuring healthy individuals with readings from 94% − 100%. I also seem to remember reading that they are sensitive to altitude, whether hands are cold etc (n.b typing on phone, can’t verify at the mo)
Talking to a doctor friend—in clinical settings if an oximeter shows a reading < 90%, it’s considered serious, but different people respond differently, but closely enough for the purposes of this discussion to fall into two groups. Either you develop a shortness of breath by the time its at 92%, for eg., and you have to go an ER anyway. Or you feel fine, but have less than 90% reading and you’ll end up going to the ER (because you’ve looked at the range of normal measurements)
If the suggestion of use of the pulse oximeter is supposed to be a diagnostic about whether you need to go to the ER or not (and thus avoid picking something up at the hospital), it doesn’t seem to help? It also doesn’t tell you anything specific to Covid-19, I mean, you could be short of breath for a variety of reaons (note: short of breath sustained for many minutes, not the kind where you are panting after climbing stairs for eg.)