Preventing Oxygen Tubing Tangling: Safety & Practical Tips

Supplemental oxygen is often required following an illness or chronic disease. It is stored in a tank and delivered into the nose through cannula -- small tubes that fit in each nostril. Tubing connected to the tank delivers oxygen to this nasal piece. These tubes are available in different lengths to allow the user to move around his or her environment without changing the position of the tank. Excess tubing can also be a hazard as it can become tangled and cause the user to trip. There are several ways to keep an oxygen tube from tangling.

Things You'll Need

• Masking tape
• Pool noodle or pipe insulation

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Instructions

• 1

  Use the shortest tube possible to accomplish daily tasks. Obtain a small, portable tank with a shoulder strap to use in the community. This minimizes the amount of tubing needed and keeps the tank close to your head.

• 2

  Roll excess tubing and use masking tape to secure it to your shirt or walker.

• 3

  Thread the tubing through pipe insulation or a pool noodle (shortened) to keep the line from tangling. This is particularly helpful when the user is a child.

• 4

  Place the oxygen tube under your clothes, advises the University of Maryland Medical Center. Thread it up one pant leg and under your shirt to your face. This will keep the tube from getting tangled by your arms.