Electrical shocks can happen when you least expect them to. You may have been working on an electrical system and accidentally get shocked. If you're ever put in this situation, you need to respond in the following ways.

Contact 911

Even if the shock may have seemed minor, you could have done damage to your body in some way that you're not currently cognizant of. It is thus an important safety precaution to contact 911 as quickly as you can.

The medical response team that arrives can then take an appropriate assessment, where they look at your symptoms and current injuries. It could be skin burns, motor issues, or something worse.

The medical team can treat you properly and get you to the right medical facility if the shock warrants it. If it doesn't, at least you'll have had medical care to make sure nothing more serious was wrong.

Treat Burns Carefully

If the electrical shock was severe enough to cause a burn, then you need to respond carefully. You don't want to aggravate the burned area, after all. How you respond to burns really depends on the degree of the burn.

For instance, if it's a first-degree burn, then you're probably okay with some at-home treatment options like putting cool water on the area that was affected and using compression materials. 

If the burns are more serious, then your best response is seeing a physician immediately who can treat the affected areas and keep an infection from spreading.

Follow Up With Doctor

After the initial treatment of the electrical shock, you'll want to schedule a follow up with your treating physician. They can conduct a post-treatment assessment and see if there is any residual damage present.

They can perform all sorts of tests to make sure you're recovering correctly, including blood, urine, CT, MRI, and ECG tests. These assessments will make sure your major system are working like they should despite the electrical current that went through your body.  

Having a physician help you get through this time takes the load away and gives you a better path to recovery.

Electrical shocks are severe and you may not expect them at all. Instead of ignoring this serious situation, you need to respond with some urgency and do what the recommended protocol for electrical shocks suggests. If you're smart and respond the right way, then you can expect a full recovery. 

For more information, reach out to a clinic like the Chicago Electrical Trauma Rehabilitation Institute.