Guamúchil, Sinaloa.- Specialists suggest that the probability of a person being hit by lightning bolt is a case in 1 million. But after many years he succeeded a young man and survived. The medical community is amazed and explains what is going on in the body and what the long-term damage might be. The long-term consequences are the most worrying for doctors who attended the case of the young man who was struck by lightning in the mountains of the municipality of Sinaloa on September 30. The medical explanation is that “it was an indirect electric shock on the body that knocked him unconscious and caused internal burns,” reported Dr. Norely Camacho, director of the General Hospital of Guamúchil.
He explains that having these types of burns increases the electrolytes of the blood, among them the most important is potassium. This could lead to cardiac arrhythmias and kidney failure. In the long term, you may develop electrolyte disturbances, such as muscle pain, and feel that your legs cannot move. In other cases, the impact on the body can also lead to paralysis, severe headache, memory and hearing loss, and death. The doctor notes an important information: “The patient in the first days apparently has no symptoms, this is why she stays for several days under observation for various studies, mainly in the blood and electrocardiograms.”
The unusual case of lightning electric shock survivor Luis Guzmán, a story that was published by EL DEBATE on October 3rd, allows us to learn more about the health risks and precautions to be taken in this rainy season. The young man’s body was discharged from the right side, presumably as he entered from the foot and out of his face. He lost consciousness for 10 minutes after suffering heart failure, and when reanimated he returned to himself but his body was immobilized. Afterwards the young man did not develop an discomfort, but when assessed by doctors, internal burns were detected that mainly affected the cornea, retina and kidney. UNAM’s National Disaster Prevention Center and Atmospheric Science Center maintain the information campaign on storm precautions. These are violent discharges of atmospheric electricity that manifest with lightning or sparks. These are the recommendations before and during the storm: Take refuge inside a building or a house. Protect country or company animals. At home the best place to protect yourself is a wooden-based bed. During the storm, high places such as hills or mountains should be avoided. Move away from electrical poles or antennas, metal fences and metal-tipped umbrellas. Do not stay in large spaces and do not shelter under trees but in the car, if the engine is off, if you do not have metal antenna and the windows are closed. Contact with water should also be avoided. It is estimated that lightning occurs during summer evenings and evenings.
Original source in Spanish
