Electrical burns

Electrical damage can be internal

When a person comes into contact with live electricity (which could be in the form of things like lightning, household appliances, outlets or power lines), any current that might pass through the body is an electric shock.

Where the current enters and exits the body, an electrical burn might appear on the skin. And because the electricity is going through the inside, it can impact internal organs as well. Internal damage might be mild or severe, and it could even cause death.

Internal organs most often impacted by electrical shock include:

• The heart, which might begin irregular rhythms or even shut down (known as cardiac arrest).
• The kidneys, which might fail to function appropriately.
• Muscle, which, if injured enough, might begin to leak substances from the damaged cells into the blood, which can then injure other organs.
• The nervous system, which could impact the eyes, the ears and muscle control.

If the entrance and exit area of the skin burns, it is often painless and superficial (affecting only the top layer of skin). For that reason, the damage might seem minimal, but because of the potential for internal injury, an electrical shock shouldn’t be underestimated.