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Definitions
A scientific literature review summarizes what scientists have written about a particular topic. Reviews include what researchers discovered and their thoughts on their findings.
Electrical injury is defined as “an electrical injury is damage to the skin or internal organs when a person comes into direct contact with an electrical current.” An electrical injury can damage any part of the body, but it is especially likely to cause problems with the nervous system, which controls the brain and the rest of the body. This can lead to many different health problems.
Neurological sequelae are the consequences of a disease or injury to the nervous system. The word “sequela” comes from the Latin word for “sequel” or “result.” A sequela is a condition caused by a previous illness or injury. An example is when someone has a brain injury, they may develop headaches, memory problems, or seizure disorders afterward. These symptoms are the result or sequelae of a head injury.
Neurology studies the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. This system is responsible for sending, receiving, and processing information.
Neuropsychology studies how a person’s brain affects cognition and behavior. Professionals in neuropsychology often focus on how injuries or illnesses of the brain can affect cognitive and behavioral functions.
Neurourology is the study of how the nervous system affects the urinary system. This includes everything from understanding how nerve signals travel through the urinary system to investigating the effects of spinal cord injuries on urinary function.
Research suggests that electrical injuries can cause damage to the nervous and urinary systems.
If you experienced urinary problems after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), you’re not alone. Many who have had ECT report urinary-related symptoms during or after treatment. These can include an overactive bladder, urinary retention, incontinence, and frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
These symptoms may be related to the effects of electrical injury. Based on the review below, it makes sense that so many of us have these problems since the amount of electricity used in ECT and its effects on the body, like seizures and heart abnormalities, is enough to be considered an electrical injury.
The following review discusses the many neurological, cognitive, psychological, and neurourological consequences that can occur after electrical trauma. It also identifies some of the clinical features that might be associated with these underlying neurological, psychological, or neurourological disorder.
This review presents the latest information about newly discovered nervous system disorders that can occur after electrical trauma, such as complications that occur years after the initial trauma (long-term sequelae).
Review Summary
Electrical injuries can cause physical, neurological, and neurourological problems that can seriously affect a person’s long-term well-being. It is important to diagnose and treat these disorders as soon as possible to avoid life-threatening complications and disability.
Neurological and neurourological complications of electrical injuries
DOI 10.5603/JNNS.a2020.0076
Original source: Neurological and neurourological complications of electrical injuries | Yiannopoulou | Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska (viamedica.pl)
Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska
Polish Journal of Neurology and Neurosurgery
2021, Volume 55, no. 1, pages: 12–23
DOI: 10.5603/PJNNS.a2020.0076
Copyright © 2021 Polish Neurological Society
ISSN 0028–3843
Authors
Konstantina G. Yiannopoulou
Georgios I. Papagiannis
Athanasios I. Triantafyllou
Panayiotis Koulouvaris
Aikaterini I. Anastasiou
Konstantinos Kontoangelos
Ioannis P. Anastasiou
Further Reading
- Acute and long-term clinical, neuropsychological and return-to-work sequelae following electrical injury: a retrospective cohort study
- ECT as Repetitive Electrical Trauma, ALS & Increased Veterans’ Suicide
- Electrical Injuries – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
- Electrical Injuries: Communication and Speech disorders and AAC– What’s the next step?
- Understanding Electrical Injury – Dr. Marc Jeschke
- Testing Functional Brain Injury caused by electrical injury. (Electroconvulsive Therapy)
