Types of electric shock: general information, classification, first aid rules

Electric current is an irreplaceable source of energy that is widely used in all spheres of human activity. However, one should not forget that electricity can be not only beneficial, but also harmful. There are several types of electric shock that vary in severity. All of them can cause serious health problems.

General information

Before considering the types of electric shock, it is necessary to study in detail the causes of its occurrence and the main symptoms.

All this information will contribute to the fastest provision of first aid and help to avoid serious negative consequences.

Main reasons

When working with current, all precautions must be observed. If we neglect them, then the slightest carelessness can cause a person to be included in the electrical circuit. The consequence of this will be the passage of current through the body, which will lead to serious consequences. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to consider all possible causes of electric shock.

. Among them stand out:

• touching damaged parts of electrical equipment that are energized;
• contact with bare wires, circuit breakers, fuses and lamp holders;
• presence next to a broken wire that is energized;
• stay near potentially hazardous parts of equipment operating at voltages of more than 1,000 volt;
• simultaneous contact with the live part of the device and with any metal structure;
• contact with two live wires;
• touching with wet hands to the working parts of the equipment;
• carrying out repair or maintenance work without first checking the absence of danger;
• human factor (leaving the switched on electrical appliance unattended, supplying current to the device where people work);
• non-observance of the simplest safety rules.

Possible Symptoms

All types of electric shock to a person are accompanied by a certain set of symptoms. They allow you to determine the exact cause of the damage and quickly provide first aid. The main symptoms are:

• unnatural human behavior on the street (sudden fall, being thrown from the current source);
• involuntary muscle contractions;
• loss of consciousness;
• neurological problems (impaired vision, speech, orientation in space, complete or partial memory loss);
• violation of pulse and breathing;
• ventricular fibrillation;
• discoloration of the skin;
• severe burns on the body.

Consequences for the human body

Rough handling of electric current can cause serious consequences. The nervous, cardiovascular and respiratory systems are most affected. Their work becomes much more difficult, which leads to a lot of problems. Consequences of electric shock:

1. Nervous system. With weak and short-term effects, dizziness, headache, and general weakness occur. With more serious injuries, convulsions, loss of consciousness and memory, visual impairment are observed. In the most extreme cases, the current becomes the cause of the development of disturbances in the activity of the central nervous system with all the ensuing negative consequences.
2. The cardiovascular system. Due to the effect of electricity, various violations of cardiac activity occur: tachycardia, arrhythmia, bradycardia, extrasystole, heart block. Vessels suffer no less severely. The current causes damage to them, which leads to severe bleeding.
3. Respiratory system. The defeat of the respiratory center in the brain leads to difficulty or complete cessation of breathing. With prolonged exposure to current on the lung tissue, a bruise or rupture of the lungs occurs.
4. Sense organs. Electric shock can result in tinnitus, hearing impairment and ruptured eardrum. In addition, cataracts, choroiditis, keratitis can develop.
5. Muscles. Contractions of muscle fibers and spasms are very common, leading to seizures. With severe lesions, a sharp muscle contraction can occur, which will lead to bone fracture. Spasms of the muscle layer of the vascular wall lead to an increase in blood pressure, and also cause the development of myocardial infarction.

Types of lesions

In most cases, representatives of professions associated with this type of energy are susceptible to electric shock. In addition, an accident can occur due to accidental contact of a person with faulty household appliances or damaged electrical lines. Passage of current through the body has the following effects:

1. Thermal. It manifests itself in getting burns of the skin surface, a strong increase in the temperature of blood vessels, heart and other vital organs. This results in significant functional disorders that lead to a large number of problems.
2. Electrolytic. The current is capable of decomposing blood and organic fluids. This leads to a change in their chemical composition and physical characteristics.
3. Biological. As a result of this effect, the process of irritation and excitation of nerve and muscle tissues occurs. This leads to an involuntary contraction of the muscles of the body, heart and lungs, which becomes the reason for the complete failure of their work.
4. Mechanical. The current passed through the body causes an electrodynamic effect and overheating of the tissue fluid. Because of this, steam is formed, which causes rupture of blood vessels and tissues.

Classification of injuries

In order to ensure the correct treatment of the victim, it is necessary to accurately determine the type of electrical injury received. This can be done not only by symptoms, but also by other characteristic signs.

Local damage

Local electrical injuries are considered to be local damage to various tissues of the body caused by the passage of current. In most cases, they lead to problems with the skin surface, soft tissues, bones and ligaments. Varieties of local electrical injuries:

1. Electrical burn. This is the most common type of electric shock. Every year, it is found in thousands of victims who accidentally came into contact with electricity. As a rule, burns occur when the switches are turned on, as well as during sudden short circuits in household or industrial appliances. Many of the victims are from potentially hazardous professions (for example, electricians).
2. Electrical signs. They arise under the chemical, thermal or mixed action of the current and appear in certain parts of the body. The lesions are gray or light yellow spots with a round shape. At the point of contact with electricity, the skin dies and its surface layer hardens. This type of injury does not cause severe pain and is easily cured.
3. Metallization of the skin. This problem occurs after the negative effects of an electric arc. In this case, small particles of molten metal penetrate the surface of the victim's skin. Metallization treatment is not carried out, since the body copes with this problem on its own. The damaged area gradually heals, and the skin takes on its usual appearance. This process can be accompanied by unpleasant painful sensations. In the case of similar damage to the organs of vision, more complex treatment will be required. Quite often, all medical measures do not give the desired result, which is why a person loses the ability to see.
4. Electrophthalmia. This type of injury occurs under the influence of an electric arc that generates ultraviolet radiation. The result of the injury is inflammation of the outer lining of the eyes, which manifests itself only after a few hours. In the case of severe injuries, the treatment process can take a long period and entail additional financial costs.
5. Mechanical impact. Often the result of an electric shock is a sharp and uncontrolled muscle contraction, which leads to various injuries (dislocations, fractures, ruptures of nerve tissues and skin). This type of injury also includes injuries sustained after a fall caused by electric shock.

Serious problems

Serious (general) electrical injuries include damage to the most important systems of the human body. Their consequences are always very serious, and treatment becomes difficult or completely impossible.

The most common electrical shock (excitation of tissues by electricity). With it, convulsions occur, absent-mindedness appears, concentration of attention is impaired, memory weakens.

After an electric shock, the state of the victim is studied, and all the negative consequences are identified. In addition, the patient is assigned to undergo regular medical examinations, since some problems may appear only after a while (nervous and cardiovascular diseases).

With an electric shock, vital organs (heart, lungs, brain) are affected, which leads to disruption of their work. Depending on the severity the defeat is divided into 4 degrees:

1. The victim does not lose consciousness, he has convulsive muscle contractions.
2. Consciousness is lost, and convulsions become involuntary. At the same time, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems work normally.
3. There is a violation of the heart rhythm and breathing.
4. The victim cannot breathe on his own, his blood circulation stops.

Electric shock is considered another dangerous injury. It causes a deterioration in respiratory function, blood circulation and metabolism. Immediately after the electric shock, the victim's pressure increases, and there is no pain. Then the pressure readings quickly drop, the pulse quickens, breathing weakens.

In this state, a person can be from several tens of minutes to one day. If during this period all the necessary measures are taken, then the victim can quickly recover. Otherwise, the symptoms will recur, but with greater intensity.

First aid rules

In order to save a person's life, it is necessary to quickly respond to an electric shock and provide him with first aid. In this case, it is important to eliminate the cause of the damage so as not to harm your health. General rules:

1. Before providing first aid, you should quickly release the victim from the action of the current.
2. All resuscitation measures should be carried out before the arrival of doctors. This should be done even in cases where a person has no signs of life and no pulse.
3. If the victim is conscious, he must be carefully placed in a horizontal position. In addition, any possible help should be provided, even if the person is feeling well. In some cases, negative effects can appear after a few hours.
4. In the absence of any negative symptoms, you must undergo a complete medical examination.

Electric shock is a dangerous injury that can lead to serious health problems. Therefore, you should try to comply with all provided safety rules in order to exclude negative consequences.