How Bad Is an Electrical Burn?

Electrical burns or injuries from holiday lights send around 14,000 Americans to emergency departments each year. While the glitter and shine of twinkling lights is magical, an old string of lights with a bad wire—especially coupled with rain or snow—can cause more damage than you might think.

It doesn't take much electricity to cause burns or injury, and most household appliances and electronics deliver a bigger punch than you might think. A string of 100 miniature lights can generate about 4,000 milliamperes (mA) of electrical current. While you would barely feel 1 mA of electrical current, 20 mA is enough to stop your breathing and 100 mA can cause fatal heart arrhythmias.

This article will explore what an electrical burn or injury is like, and what you can do to get help.

Symptoms

You are at risk of injury every time you come into contact with electricity. Most electrical devices and appliances have some sort of protection built into them, usually in the form of a protective covering that goes between you and the current running through the device.

When these currents do come in contact with your body—often through a split wire or other malfunction—they can create a host of symptoms from a small zap to severe injury or death. Symptoms of electrical burns and injuries depend on things like:

• The type and strength of voltage
• How long you were exposed to the current
• How the current came in contact with your body
• Your overall health

Burns from electrical devices look similar to other burns, but they can usually be distinguished by contact points and cause other damage you can't see. For example, if you were burned after touching a bad wire, you can have burns on your hands from the initial contact, inside your body where the current traveled through your tissues, and wherever the current left your body. Usually, the current will leave at a grounding point, often on the feet.

Visible burns from the initial electric contact and the exit of the current are one problem, but electrical burns and injuries in the body can impact any tissue the current travels through. This can include your nervous system and heart.

Some common symptoms that can occur with electrical burns or injuries include:

• Burned or broken skin
• Broken bones
• Headache
• Difficulty swallowing
• Vision changes
• Hearing problems
• Muscle spasms or pain
• Numbness or tingling
• Loss of consciousness
• Irregular heartbeat
• Breathing problems
• Seizures

It's also possible to be injured by electricity and have no visible symptoms at all, especially when the electrical injury happens in water.

Types

There are four main types of electrical injuries that can cause burns.

• Flash injuries occur when a brief surge of current comes into contact with you but does not pass through your skin. These injuries are usually superficial.
• Flame injuries occur when a flash injury causes clothing or another part of a person to ignite. The current might not travel through your skin, but you can still be injured by burning clothing or hair.
• Lighting injuries are caused by a short surge of high-voltage energy. With this type of injury, electric current usually passes through your entire body and can cause extensive damage.
• True electrical injuries are the most severe type of electrical injury. This happens when the individual becomes a part of the electrical circuit itself. Entrance and exit wounds are common with this type of injury.

Outside of any internal injuries or damage, electrical burns are similar to other types of burns and are classified based on how much tissue was damaged. Superficial and partial-thickness or second-degree burns are considered minor burns, while full-thickness or third-degree burns are major injuries.

Superficial

Superficial burns are minor burns that affect only the top layer of your skin.

Signs of this type of burn include:

• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling

Partial-Thickness

Partial-thickness burns are usually minor burns, but if they are widespread enough they can be considered major burns. Sometimes called second-degree burns, this type of injury burns the outer layer of skin and the underlying layer beneath it.

Signs of these burns include:

• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling
• Blisters

These burns are considered minor when they make up a space of less than 2 to 3 inches. They are classified as major burns when they affect a larger area or occur in the following areas:

• Hands
• Feet
• Face
• Groin
• Buttocks
• Over a major joint

Full-Thickness

Full-thickness burns are the most severe type of burn. These burns are sometimes called third-degree burns and affect deep layers of tissue. In addition to pain, redness, swelling, and blisters on the surface of the skin, areas affected by third-degree burns can appear white or black. The tissue in this area usually becomes numb after the injury.

Treatment

How burns are treated depends on the type of burn and how much damage was caused. Since electrical burns can cause damage that isn't visible, it's usually a good idea to at least be seen by a healthcare professional for a full assessment.

Mild Burns

Minor or mild burns can usually be treated with comfort measures and time. Below are some first aid techniques to treat minor burns like superficial or small second-degree burns.

• Run cool water over the burned area or soak it in cool water. Do not use ice water. Keep under water for five to 30 minutes or apply a clean, cold wet compress.
• Cover the burned area with a clean, dry, sterile dressing to protect it from pressure or friction.
• Do not apply oil, butter, medication, or ice to burns.
• Use over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help with pain and swelling.

Severe Burns

Major burns or more extensive minor burns usually require more formal medical treatment. If you have a severe burn or are trying to help someone with a major burn, call 911 or head to the emergency department. Severe burns may require extensive treatments like:

• Intravenous fluids
  
• Surgical repair or debridement
• Skin grafts
• Airway protection or other forms of life support

Risks

Beyond damage to the outer layers of the skin, electrical burns can cause extensive tissue damage. This isn't just limited to fat or muscle tissues either. Nerve fibers and heart function can be severely damaged by electrical currents. You can also suffer from severe dehydration or infection from burns after losing the protection of your skin's outer layers.

Complications and risks of electrical burns can include things like:

• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Dehydration
• Scars
• Disfigurement
• Contractures
• Swelling and edema
• Organ failure
• Pneumonia
• Low blood pressure
• Shock
• Severe infection
• Sepsis

Burns can lead to severe and long-lasting neurological damage, and smoke that's inhaled can damage the tissues in your throat and lungs.

When to See a Doctor

Since electrical burns can cause damage to inner tissues that you might not see, it's a good idea to visit a medical professional after any degree of electrical burn or injury.

If you have visible minor burns and choose not to seek immediate care, be sure to get additional help if you have:

• Blisters
• Fever
• Burns that don't heal after two weeks
• Signs of infection
• Severe pain
• Changes in mood or mental status

What to Expect

If you seek medical treatment for an electrical burn or injury, your healthcare provider will ask you about what happened leading up to the injury. They will review your medical history, what caused the burn, and your general health before the injury. Additional tests and blood work may be required to gauge the full extent of your injury.

When it comes to dealing with an electrical burn and your long-term recovery, be aware that severe burns can require extensive treatment.

Major burns are recognized as the most traumatic and debilitating of all physical injuries due to the pain they cause and the widespread effect they can have on nearly every system in the body. Significant injury and even death may result from severe burns, and ongoing wound care and rehabilitation will be required.

Long-term effects of electrical injuries can also cause depression and a post-traumatic stress response known as post electric shock syndrome. Talk to your doctor about any ongoing symptoms after an electrical injury. Damage from electrical currents can reach many parts of the body.

Summary

Electrical burns can vary in severity, and the damage they cause may not always be visible. For this reason, you may want to visit a healthcare provider after receiving an electrical burn or injury. Mild or low-grade burns are relatively easy to treat and many can be soothed at home, but major burns may call for an urgent visit to the emergency room.

A Word From Verywell

A small zap of electric shock isn't enough to cause a burn, but it doesn't take much more of a current to cause severe injuries. Electrical burns almost always require medical care because you may not be able to see the full amount of damage the electric current caused.

Electric burns are a common home injury that can be prevented by taking basic safety measures. Always use electric devices according to the manufacturer instructions, and never use electronics that have damaged wiring or are wet.