What Really Happens To Your Body When You're Electrocuted?

Over 100 people in the United States die each year from electrocution. What happens when electric charges surge through your body?

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Life Noggin is a weekly animated educational series. Whether it's science, pop culture, history or art, we explore it all and have a ton of fun doing it.

Life Noggin Team:
Animation by Steven Lawson

Sources:

Written by Michael Sago

[nissapham]

I got shocked by a hair dryer plug and I felt like I was paralyzed for 1 second




I don't use a hair dryer anymore

[brainradio]

Once when I was a kid and I was making toast it got stuck and I didn't know forks and toasters don't go together...

[samantarizzi]

This just happened to me yesterday. I thought I was going to die. Literally! One silly mistake and you’re gone. So scary! I had a panic attack afterwards because I never felt like this before. It’s so painful and weird and I’m so grateful I survived!

[cartiaking]

watching this 5 minutes after being electrocuted trying to figure out if i need to call an ambulance :)

[valentineminarcik]

When I was 3, I stuck two keys in a plug because I was really bored and my parents were paying attention to my sister at that time. Luckily the two keys had a circular keychain holding the them together so the electricity didn't go to my heart. Once I stuck them in the power went out and my parents heard me sobbing from the other room "IM SORRY"

When they came in, they saw a big black streak down the wall and a messed up looking child.

[Grayscale]

My grandpa was struck by lightening and his eyesight improved tremendously because of it.

[mediatrix.]

I was fixing my fan and when I was plugging it I got an electric shock for like 5 seconds I felt like I was paralyzed i couldn’t let go

[Chironexe]

Got electrocuted today had to go to the hospital was fine besides a few burns

[lifenoggin]

HEY THERE! Thanks for watching and THANK YOU FOR 100 MILLION TOTAL VIEWS! You guys really are the best!

In regards to the comment question: A better worded question would be "Have you ever received a mild or strong electrical shock?". Electrocution doesn't always mean death. Sometimes it's used to describe non-fatal injuries. Either way we hope no one has been seriously injured by electricity out there! Stay safe.

Let us know what we should talk about next and enjoy your day!

Thanks for the support everyone! :)

[childgummer]

I got shocked two times and it went up my arm, felt kinda good.

[mithranroy]

Life Noggin: "Electrocution is defined as when a person or animal is killed by electricity or an electric shock"
0:19


Also Life Noggin: "Have you ever been electrocuted?"
2:57

[GinoMan]

For your next video you should find out why we wake up before we die in our dreams

[nerd]

My friend survived a lightning bolt that hit him directly in the arm.After he told the story to his class and showed a cool looking
burn mark he had... in 3 mins he had a GF lol

[yggdrasil]

I did get electecuted it just vibrated my finger

[sam-lscp]

I was electrocuted last week. I was plugging in my phone charger and I felt a small tingling feeling. I died 3 days later

[flannelfan]

I've been electrocuted with a tingling sensation going through my arm

[darianparrish]

I've been shocked, once I tried to plug a dryer in and I just felt a big huge force go through my body, and it was enough for me to run up the stairs, but I kind of wondered how I survived that

[princessofokasisxd]

My cat got shocked...he bit a light cord, he's still alive

[huh.]

My Father was struck by lighting, but don't worry that was several years ago, but he is OK. :-)

[theawakening]

When I was 12 I died for 10 minutes and 15 seconds and I know what is beyond death and trust me, you do not want to know