Electric shock diagnosis and treatment guide

People should be aware of the possibly invisible injuries that can be caused by electric shocks, and how to treat them.

Getting shocked while doing electrical work is more common than people in Connecticut might think. While a normal shock from static electricity is something that happens frequently throughout the day, real electrical shocks from currents running at high voltage can be dangerous, and can result in a few different kinds of injuries. Due to the internal nature of some of the symptoms, an electric shock injury can be hard to diagnose. It is important for people to understand how to tell if someone has been injured from an electrical shock, and to know whether it can be treated at home, or if the person who was shocked needs to get professional medical attention.

Common electrical shock injuries

The most obvious sign that someone has been hurt by an electrical shock is a burn near the area where the electrocution occurred. For example, if a child has bitten through an electrical cord, he or she may have a charred or red lip. Electrical shocks can cause the muscles to tense unnaturally, and may result in a fractured bone, which would be indicated by pain or deformity in the affected area. Internal injuries are also possible, and can be indicated by abdominal pain, chest pain, shortness of breath and even possible back pain that could indicate a spinal injury. One of the worst possible complications from an electrical shock is the affected person going into cardiac arrest.

First aid for electrical shocks

Anyone who experiences the most severe of symptoms should be taken to the emergency room right away. These can include loss of consciousness, seizures, muscular pain, cardiac arrest or problems with heart rhythms, difficulty breathing, confusion and severe burns. It is important to turn off the electrical current as soon as possible so the person can be removed from the source of the electrocution. Those who have been shocked should be kept out of cold environments and may need to be administered CPR.

If the source of damage is a high voltage wire or lightning, it is important to call 911 immediately. Someone with only mild or no burns who is not experiencing the above severe symptoms will likely not need to go to the emergency room, but it is still recommended that he or she sees a doctor as soon as possible. Even if it is not obvious that someone was badly injured at first, a medical professional can evaluate if there has been any invisible internal damage.

Those who have been shocked while living in Connecticut may have been affected due to faulty wiring or the negligence of another, and in such cases, it may be possible to obtain financial compensation for the expensive medical costs and pain and suffering involved. An attorney in the local area who practices personal injury law may be able to help in situations like these.