What Is Electric Discharge Injury

An electric shock can be life-threatening. Call 911 or a local emergency number if the source of the burn is a high-voltage wire or lightning. Rare but life-threatening symptoms include severe burns, muscle pain and contractions, seizures, and unconsciousness. Both heartbeat and breathing may be difficult to detect. Even someone with minor injuries or no symptoms should be checked by a doctor for internal injuries.

Some electric shocks can have a lasting impact on your health. For example, serious burns can leave permanent scars. And if the electrical current goes through your eyes, you may be left with cataracts. Some shocks can also cause ongoing pain, tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness due to internal injuries.

Electrical energy flows through a portion of the body causing a shock. Exposure to electrical energy may result in no injury at all or may result in devastating damage or death. Burns are the most common injury from electric shock.

Abstract. Electrical shock can result in neurological complications, involving both peripheral and central nervous systems, which may present immediately or later on. However, delayed neurological complications caused by low-voltage electric shock are rarely reported.