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anyway, I found this article about lightning injuries and the symptoms that people can get afterwards...I found it really interesting...and after seeing this, I have a new fear of being struck by lightning...
eMedicine Lightning Injuries
QUOTE
Physical
: Physical presentation may vary from mild disorientation with no immediate physical signs to cardiac arrest (the only direct cause of death) and anoxic brain injury.
* Cardiorespiratory symptoms
o Cardiorespiratory arrest is the only known direct cause of death but is still uncommon. Lightning acts as massive defibrillation, sending the heart into momentary asystole, from which the heart often spontaneously recovers. The autonomic nervous system control has also been shown to be affected by lightning. In addition, for unknown reasons, respiratory arrest usually lasts longer than the initial cardiac arrest; thus, a secondary cardiac arrest from either hypoxia or other unknown causes may occur.
o Many changes may be observed on the ECG, but the most commonly reported is QT prolongation, which generally resolves over several months and does not commonly require treatment. The indicated treatment depends on the resulting abnormality.
* Neurological symptoms
o Patients who are awake are usually able to carry on reasonably appropriate social conversation. However, they may develop disabling neurocognitive deficits similar to those of people with blunt head injury, which may not be apparent until survivors attempt to return to their previous work and are unable to process new information, organize their activities, and multitask.
o Acute pain, numbness, or other dysesthesias may be reported. Chronic pain syndromes may develop from lightning injuries and may be due to nerve injury, sympathetic nervous system injury, spinal column injury, or other causes.
o Sympathetic nervous system injury may cause vascular spasm, temporary paralysis and mottling of an extremity (keraunoparalysis), transient hypertension, and late problems with positive tilt test results, vertigo or dizziness, hypertension, and pain syndromes.
o If the patient is unconscious, suspect and investigate anoxic brain injury or underlying brain injury.
* Dermatological symptoms
o Deep burns: Because lightning usually has extremely brief contact with the skin, deep burns are rare. Should burns occur, treat them like any other high-voltage injury, including investigating for myoglobinuria.
o Superficial burns: Burns may appear linear (often secondary to vaporized sweat or rainwater), punctate, or in pathognomonic fernlike patterns. Burns may also be secondary to heating metal, such as necklaces, coins in the pocket, or cleats on the bottom of athletic shoes.
* Cardiorespiratory symptoms
o Cardiorespiratory arrest is the only known direct cause of death but is still uncommon. Lightning acts as massive defibrillation, sending the heart into momentary asystole, from which the heart often spontaneously recovers. The autonomic nervous system control has also been shown to be affected by lightning. In addition, for unknown reasons, respiratory arrest usually lasts longer than the initial cardiac arrest; thus, a secondary cardiac arrest from either hypoxia or other unknown causes may occur.
o Many changes may be observed on the ECG, but the most commonly reported is QT prolongation, which generally resolves over several months and does not commonly require treatment. The indicated treatment depends on the resulting abnormality.
* Neurological symptoms
o Patients who are awake are usually able to carry on reasonably appropriate social conversation. However, they may develop disabling neurocognitive deficits similar to those of people with blunt head injury, which may not be apparent until survivors attempt to return to their previous work and are unable to process new information, organize their activities, and multitask.
o Acute pain, numbness, or other dysesthesias may be reported. Chronic pain syndromes may develop from lightning injuries and may be due to nerve injury, sympathetic nervous system injury, spinal column injury, or other causes.
o Sympathetic nervous system injury may cause vascular spasm, temporary paralysis and mottling of an extremity (keraunoparalysis), transient hypertension, and late problems with positive tilt test results, vertigo or dizziness, hypertension, and pain syndromes.
o If the patient is unconscious, suspect and investigate anoxic brain injury or underlying brain injury.
* Dermatological symptoms
o Deep burns: Because lightning usually has extremely brief contact with the skin, deep burns are rare. Should burns occur, treat them like any other high-voltage injury, including investigating for myoglobinuria.
o Superficial burns: Burns may appear linear (often secondary to vaporized sweat or rainwater), punctate, or in pathognomonic fernlike patterns. Burns may also be secondary to heating metal, such as necklaces, coins in the pocket, or cleats on the bottom of athletic shoes.
MultiQuote
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