Contents
Being struck by lightning is very dangerous and, in the worst case, can be fatal. People who are indirectly struck by lightning have the best chance of survival. What happens in the human body after being struck by lightning? What are the unusual birthmarks that may appear on the skin after infection?
What happens in a person who is struck by lightning?
A direct lightning strike to a person usually ends in death. People who have been indirectly affected have a better chance of survival. However, they too are at risk of serious bodily harm. In a person struck by lightning, the heart rhythm may be disturbed, as well as sudden cardiac arrest. Usually a person loses consciousness, and after waking up, he remembers nothing.
Lightning can also cause seizures, respiratory arrest and pulmonary edema. The tremendous energy that travels through the body can also rupture the eardrum, damage the cornea, and cause other bodily injuries. Lightning strike is a direct threat to life. The sooner such a person is helped, the better his chances of survival.
See also: How to behave in a storm? First aid to a person who was struck by lightning
Mysterious patterns on the skin of people who are hit by lightning
In rare cases, characteristic patterns, which are called the Lichtenberg figure, appear on the skin of people who are struck by lightning.
Skin wounds resemble branched trees. They are usually bluish red or brown in color. They are the result of damage to the capillaries. They may be visible for days or even weeks. On the web, we can find photos of people who survived the lightning strike, and Lichtenberg’s figures have just appeared on their bodies. Sometimes they are just a delicate pattern on the skin, and in other cases they are huge.
What exactly is a Lichtenberg figure? These are branched patterns that can arise when current flows at high voltage. They were first sighted by Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, hence their name.
We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to self-compassion – a trend that has developed very strongly in the United States, but is still in its infancy in Poland. What is it and how does it affect our daily functioning? You will hear about this and many other issues related to self-compassion in the latest episode of our podcast.