Electrical injury

Electrical Injury

Electrical injury is a physiological reaction caused by an electric current passing through the body. The injury can be minor or severe, depending on the type and strength of the current, how the current traveled through the body, the person's overall health, and how quickly the person is treated.

Pronunciation

Electrical injury: /ɪˈlɛktrɪkəl ˈɪndʒəri/

Etymology

The term "electrical" is derived from "electricus," a Latin word meaning "like amber," referring to the natural phenomenon of static electricity. The term "injury" comes from the Latin "injuria" meaning "wrongful action."

Types of Electrical Injuries

There are four main types of electrical injuries: electric shock, burns, falls caused by contact with electrical energy, and ventricular fibrillation due to the electrical effect on the heart.

Electric Shock

An electric shock occurs when a person comes into contact with an electrical energy source. This can cause a range of injuries from minor burns to serious damage to the heart and other organs.

Burns

Burns from electrical injury can be classified into three types: electrical burns, arc burns, and thermal contact burns. Electrical burns are the most common and occur at the point of contact with the electrical source.

Falls

Falls can occur when a person is shocked and thrown from an electrical source. These can result in a variety of injuries, including fractures and dislocations.

Ventricular Fibrillation

Ventricular fibrillation is a serious condition where the heart's electrical activity becomes disordered. When this happens, the heart's lower (pumping) chambers contract in a rapid, unsynchronized way. This causes the heart to quiver or "fibrillate" instead of pumping blood, leading to cardiac arrest if not treated immediately.

Related Terms

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Electrical injury
Wikipedia's article - Electrical injury

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Electrical injury