Informational Articals - Burn Centers - Electrical Burns

Many individuals fail to get treatment immediately after they have suffered from an electrical burn. This is because the damage isn’t generally seen on the surface of the skin like it is with typical types of burns. Instead the damage that has occurred will be internal where it can only be detected by the right types of testing.

Failure to seek medical attention can result in the individual suffering from a heart attack or it can through their balance off enough that you could have a serious fall. Electrical burns often cause neurological damage that can’t be detected without medical assistance.

An individual can suffer from electrical burns while using various types of household appliances, working with heavy duty equipment, or even being struck by lightning. The majority of electrical burns aren’t life threatening as they occur with voltage that comes from low wattage household appliances. However you never know how that electrical burn is going to affect the person, especially children.

The severity of the injuries from electrical burns depend on many other factors in addition to the voltage. If a person is wet when they come into contact with the electricity there is more of a risk of serious injury. The amount of time the individual is exposed to the electricity will also affect the severity of their injuries.

To help prevent electrical burns from occurring pay close attention to small children. They should never be allowed to play with electrical cords or outlets. Adults need to make sure all of their outlets work properly and to replace cords that appear to be damaged or frayed. Failure to do so could result in electrical burns that could have been avoided.

If you happen to see someone receive an electrical burn your first instinct is going to be to jump in and help them. However you too can end up getting burned if the juice is still flowing. As quickly as possible turn off the power source. If that isn’t possible use something such as a broom to remove them from the power source. Immediately call 911 to get professionals to the seen. Do your best to keep the person calm until help arrives. Since you don’t know the extent of their injuries do not attempt to move them unless they are in grave danger where they are.