Unfortunately, the number of electrocution cases in the US is high: there are around 30,000 shock cases or more in the US every year, resulting in burns and other injuries. A thousand deaths are reported yearly due to high voltage electrical shocks or lightning issues. An electrical shock from a low-voltage source may not immediately require emergency care, but you should still seek electrical shock care if there are serious symptoms following the injury.
Here are signs you need electrical shock care following an accident. When in doubt, seek emergency medical care, or call emergency services to come to your aid.
1. You were severely burned
Any burn requires medical care and attention to prevent scarring, nerve damage, infection, and more. However, many electrical shocks cause second- and third-degree burns, which require medical care of a more serious matter. If you have a severe burn as a result of being shocked, even if the burn is isolated to just one area of your body, seek electrical shock care.
2. You were knocked unconscious for any amount of time
An electrical shock can knock you backward, and even a low-voltage shock from an electric fence or an appliance can cause you to feel like you've been knocked out in a fight. If you have been even minimally shocked and you have been knocked unconscious for any time, see your medical practitioner right away, especially if you hear ringing in your ears, you have issues with your vision or remaining conscious, you're dizzy or nauseated, or you don't quickly come to after you've rested for a while.
3. You were involved in a fall or other injury related to your electrical shock
Electrical injury care often involves not just the actual shock, but the injuries sustained in a falling or subsequent injury. For example, an electrical shock from a power line can cause you to fall to the ground, or fall out of a tree or a rooftop. Many electrical injuries cause nerve damage and cause parts of the body to be blown out, and even a minor shock can cause other bodily damage.
Seek electrical shock care for any electric shock if you can, since you never know how injured you are. Even a minor shock can cause a lingering injury. Never handle electrical outlets or electrical projects without the assistance of a professional, and never allow children or pets around electrical projects. This can greatly reduce bodily injury or death due to electrical shocks.
If you've experienced any of these signs, contact services like the Chicago Electrical Trauma Rehabilitation Institute.
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