Other symptoms of indirect lightning strikes include loss of consciousness, confusion, memory loss about the event, heart damage, temporary paralysis, superficial burns, broken bones and dislocations, skull fractures and neck injuries, shortness of breath due to lung damage, visual problems or cataracts due to eye injury, and ruptured eardrum which can cause pain, hearing loss, and dizziness. home Lightning always occurs during thunderstorms, but it isn't necessary for a storm to be directly overhead for you to be in danger of a lightning strike. You may feel confused and have trouble remembering things. eMedicineHealth does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If he is not breathing, start CPR (basic life support) if you know how. The blast of electricity (e-lek-trih-sih-t) may give you a headache or it may make you feel weak. Muscle pain, weakness, stiffness, or temporary paralysis. Your pain does not go away, or gets worse even after you take medicine. Fast or irregular heartbeat, or chest pain, Headache, trouble staying awake, confusion, or dizziness, Muscle pain, weakness, stiffness, or temporary paralysis. Lightning may even flash over the outside of a person, blow off their clothes, and leave few obvious signs of injury. Any noticeable burns. Fast or irregular heartbeat, or chest pain. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information -, Look up ICD10 codes for Burns, External on icd-codes.com, Wildfires Ravage Land, and Lungs, Across the U.S. West, Injuries Shoot Up After Fireworks Laws Loosened in West Virginia. Shortness of breath. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. This type of injury can damage several parts of your body because of the fall. You may have trouble seeing and hearing. The force produced by lightning can also throw you 10 yards or more. Emotional trauma is best described as a psychological response to a deeply distressing or life-threatening experience. REFERENCE:Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Failure to comply may result in legal action. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Shortness of breath. first Aid & injuries centerTopic Guide. Available for Android and iOS devices. Select one or more newsletters to continue. Indirect Lightning Strikes Can Kill. All illustrations and images included in CareNotes® are the copyrighted property of A.D.A.M., Inc. or IBM Watson Health. These problems may include memory problems, vision problems, or movement problems. Passing out, weak pulse… They may last for a short time or can be permanent. See Additional Information. ©2018 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved. Last updated on Nov 16, 2020. Diagnosis may depend on circumstantial evidence, such as the location of groups of affected animals and lack of other signs of disease. Your healthcare provider will ask questions about your injury and examine you. Lightning can occur even if the sky is clear or when it is sunny. It can also travel from person to person or from telephone wires to you. When to Seek Medical Care After a Lightning Strike. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. Lightning is one of the top weather-related killers. You feel dizzy and confused, or have trouble thinking clearly. The threat of lightning actually starts as a thunderstorm approaches, peaks when the storm is overhead, and then gradually diminishes as … Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. You have a fast heartbeat and chest pain. You have increased redness, numbness, or swelling in the burned area. Lightning can strike the same place more than once. Without treatment, the problems caused by lightning injury may worsen or become permanent. Headache, trouble staying awake, confusion, or dizziness. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 2 Nov 2020), Cerner Multum™ (updated 2 Nov 2020), ASHP (updated 23 Oct 2020) and others. This material must not be used for commercial purposes, or in any hospital or medical facility. Do not touch metal objects, such as fences, bicycles, and motorcycles. The signs and symptoms of lightning injuries can be mild to severe. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. If you are in an open field, squat down and put your hands over your ears. Hearing or vision loss. Hearing thunder, which means lightning is 10 or fewer miles away. Symptoms of a direct lightning strike can include immediate cardiac arrest. Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. According to NOAA, an average bolt of lightning carries 20,000 to … You have questions or concerns about your condition or care. Most people killed or injured by lightning are outside doing recreational activities or sports, or are working outside such as construction or farming jobs. Even with treatment, you may still have long-term problems caused by lightning injury. Do not stand next to objects that are taller than you are. Lightning injuries occur when a person gets struck by lightning. Paralysis. Other symptoms may include numbness or tingling in your arms or legs. What are the signs and symptoms of lightning injuries? Lightning strikes may cause injury either by a direct strike or indirectly when the current goes through another object or the ground before reaching a person. Besides sudden death, signs can include singe marks, temporary loss of consciousness in mild cases, and fractures or muscle damage from severe contractions. 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