Electrical injury can occur to the skin or internal organs when a person is directly exposed to an electrical current. These injuries encompass various diagnostic and treatment modalities. Generally, they may be classified as lightning, low voltage, and high voltage. Further, each of these may be subclassified depending on whether the person with the injury required cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The human body is a good conductor of electricity. Direct contact with electrical current can be fatal. While some electrical burns look minor, there still may be serious internal damage, especially to the heart, muscles, or brain. Analysis of the human-machine interface. Extensive federal and state testimony experience. Publication on electrical injury. Accident reconstruction based on burn injury pattern and other physical evidence. Analysis of pain and suffering. Human factors associated with electrical contact. Diffuse electrical injury (DEI). Both high and low voltage contacts.Ordinary household current in the United States is 110 to 220 volts. Anything over 500 volts is considered high voltage. Electrical burns from high-voltage circuits generally are much worse than they appear in the ED.
Electric shocks from static electricity such as those experienced when getting out of a car or walking across a man-made carpet can be at more than 10,000 volts. High voltage can jump (arc) through the air anywhere from an inch up to several feet, depending on the voltage. Thus a person may be injured simply by coming too close to a high-voltage line. High voltage causes more severe injuries than low voltage and is more likely to cause internal damage. Kidney damage may result when high voltage burns large amounts of muscle, which releases a chemical into the blood. More than 500 lightning deaths and generated electrical deaths per year are estimated to occur. Between 3-5% of burn unit admissions are associated with electrical burns. About 1,000 people die annually of electric shock in the United States. High-voltage injury: Generally, patients who have been in high-voltage circuits do not arrest but have extensive injuries from burns and are at risk of acute and chronic problems from myoglobinuria.
Electrical injuries are most frequent in young adult men aged 20-40 years. Electric shock is sometimes used as a punishment in novelty games such as Lightning Reaction, Shocking Roulette, Shocking Liar, Laser Shock Guns, and Shocking Tanks. In addition to these games, there are some prank toys like a fake pen, chocolate candy, or cigarette lighter which give out a mild shock. The nerves and brain can be injured in various ways, causing seizures, brain hemorrhages, poor short-term memory, personality changes, irritability, or difficulty sleeping. Damage to the nerves in the body or spinal cord may cause weakness, paralysis, numbness, tingling, uncontrollable loss of urine (incontinence), and chronic pain. Severe shocks can also trigger powerful muscle contractions sufficient to throw a person to the ground or to cause joint dislocations, bone fractures, and other blunt injuries. Electric shock delivered by an electric chair is sometimes used as a means of capital punishment, although its use has become rare in recent times.
Electrical Injury Treatment Tips
1. Remove the patient from the circuit.
2. Use child safety plugs in all outlets.
3. Keep electrical cords out of children’s reach.
4. Teach your children about the dangers of electricity.
5. Avoid electrical hazards at home and at work
6. Parents of small children should put safety guards on all electrical outlets, and keep children away from electrical devices.
7. Avoid using electrical appliances while showering or wet.
8. Never touch electrical appliances while touching faucets or cold water pipes.