If you or someone you care about has sustained severe electrical burns, don't delay getting immediate medical care, as they can cause extensive, even life-threatening damage to many parts of the body. From organs to muscles, nerves, and blood vessels, these can all sustain significant injuries from electrical exposure.

Depending on their severity, electrical injuries can kill. According to the National Library of Medicine, they cause about 1,000 deaths yearly, and at least 30,000 non-deadly electrical shock incidents occur annually. They also account for around 5% of all burn unit admissions in the U.S. each year.

Understanding how critical severe burn treatment is can help you make more informed decisions and aid your electrical injury recovery.

What Is an Electricity Burn?

Electrical burns are a type of tissue damage you can sustain when an electric current passes through your body. They differ from thermal burns, which are due to external sources like hot liquids or flames.

Thermal burns typically cause injuries limited to the area of contact with the heat source. On the other hand, electrical burns can cause more severe damage to both the tissues deep within the body and the surface of the skin. They can also cause internal damage that doesn't leave external wounds.

What Are the Types of Electrical Burns? 

According to eMedicineHealth, there are three types of electrical burns. They include:

  • Electrical burns
  • Arc burns
  • Thermal contact burns

Electrical burns occur when someone touches live electrical wires. It can also result from the improper use of electrical equipment or the use of ill-maintained equipment.

Arc burns can happen due to arc blasts. Arc blasts are powerful electrical currents that travel through the air.

Thermal contact burns result from incidents in which electricity starts a fire, and someone comes into contact with the ignited material.

Why Do You Need Immediate Care for Severe Electrical Burns? 

Given that electrical burns don't always manifest visible symptoms (e.g., physical injuries or wounds on the surface of the skin), it can be easy to underestimate them. Unfortunately, burn injuries, if misunderstood and mismanaged, can lead to complications, as explained by the website of this private surgery center in Texas.

Without immediate or emergency burn care, injuries caused by electrical incidents can result in unnecessary pain and even life-threatening problems.

Hidden Damage 

Emergency or urgent care for burns caused by electrical exposure is crucial because such incidents can lead to internal organ damage. They can affect the heart, for instance, causing problems like:

  • Heart failure
  • Abnormal heart rhythms
  • Cardiac arrest (when the heart suddenly stops)

Electrical currents can also damage the muscles, resulting in a problem known as rhabdomyolysis. It's a severe medical condition in which damaged muscle tissue breaks down. The broken-down tissues release their contents into the bloodstream and can cause kidney damage and failure.

Electrical burns can also cause hidden nerve damage. Such injuries can lead to numbness, weakness, or tingling sensations, at the very least. In more severe cases, it can lead to loss of consciousness, which can make a person at risk of head injuries (e.g., if they fall and hit their head when they faint).

Prevent Life-Threatening Issues 

Medical professionals can help prevent life-threatening issues by performing prompt burn first aid treatment. With their skills, knowledge, and expertise, they can quickly assess for severe problems, such as internal bleeding or cardiac arrest.

Manage Unnecessary Complications 

When someone who has been in an electrical incident receives emergency or urgent care for burns, their healthcare team can perform life-threatening interventions like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Healthcare experts can also manage and prevent complications by detecting and treating hidden internal injuries early.

Immediate care and treatment can also help reduce the risks of secondary concerns like infections and kidney damage.

Improve Recovery Rate 

Immediate care for electrical burns can help boost recovery rates by reducing the injury's severity and healing time. Through prompt treatment, the risk of complications also goes down. The sooner one receives proper care, the lower their odds of requiring more extensive procedures, such as skin grafting.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What's the First Thing to Do Following an Electrical Burn?

If possible, turn the source of the electricity off. You can also use a dry, non-conductive object to separate the person from the electrical current. A broom with a wooden or plastic handle, a rubber doormat, or a wooden or plastic chair are some examples.

You should then call 911 immediately, whether there are severe visible injuries or not. Remember: Electrical shock incidents don't always cause apparent damage or may cause injuries that only look minor, even if they're severe deep within.

As you wait for emergency services, you can cover the burn with a sterile bandage, a clean sheet, or a clean cloth. Don't use any loose material that could stick to the injury.

Just as crucial is to keep the injured person warm, which can help prevent potential shocks. Draping a blanket over them can help, but please ensure it doesn't go directly over any physical burns.

What Does a Severe Electrical Burn Look Like? 

When electrical burns cause physical wounds, the injuries may look blackened or charred. The skin may also develop a white appearance, both at the current's entry and exit points. The wounds may appear blistered and swollen and may develop crater-like holes.

How Long Do Electrical Burns Take to Heal?

It depends on the severity of the burn injury.

Minor electrical burns (first-degree or superficial) can take anywhere from seven to ten days to heal. Partial-thickness burns (second-degree), on the other hand, can take one to three weeks.

The most severe injuries, called full-thickness or third-degree burns, may require several weeks or longer to heal. Without proper and immediate medical care, these burns are likely to scar heavily. Their treatment also often requires medical intervention and surgery.

Never Delay Getting Professional Help for Electrical Burns 

Electrical burns don't always have physical manifestations like apparent wounds on the surface of the skin. However, they can cause more severe, even life-threatening injuries, as they can damage the organs, nerves, muscles, and other tissues deep within.

Seeking professional medical assistance following a shock injury is therefore necessary to prevent drastic complications.

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This article was prepared by an independent contributor and helps us continue to deliver quality news and information.

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