what happens when you are struck by lightning

When a person is struck by lightning, it can cause a range of injuries, from mild burns to damage to the brain and nervous system, and even death. The severity of the injuries depends on how close the person was to the lightning strike and how exposed they were to it. The most severe injuries tend to come from direct strikes, while ground strikes generally result in less severe injuries. Lightnings electrical jolt may cause the heart to beat more quickly or more slowly than it should, compromising the amount of blood flowing through the body, which can lead to cardiac arrest. Lightning strikes can also cause a brain hemorrhage or stroke, as well as tissue injuries and deep thermal burns within the body. Ruptured eardrums can occur from the thunderous sound waves created by the nearby strike, and minor thermal burns and nervous system damage can occur through an indirect strike, where the body is only exposed to a fraction of the energy of the lightning. Survivors of lightning strikes may suffer from movement disorders and lifelong neurological damage, cataracts, injuries to their optic nerves and other eye injuries, and damage to the inner ear that can lead to vertigo, tinnitus, paralysis of facial nerves, and deafness.