# "electrical" shock

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electrical-shock/330219>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 9, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electrical-shock/330219 "2005-11-09T15:54:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ridingnowhere85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@ridingnowhere85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ridingnowhere85)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electrical-shock/330219/1 "2005-11-09T15:54:21Z")

</div>

I’m asking this question to cecil, too, however, i’d like to see what i could be dealing with here. here’s the question:

Here’s something that’s been bothering me for a little while now. Sometimes, when I’m trying to sleep (or just laying down in general), I’ll get a sensation similar to a powerful electrical shock. I also get hypnagogic myoclonus, however this “shock” feeling is much different. Rather than my limbs jerking, it’s usually my back and neck; when it happens, my vision goes white and I hear a warble or tinitis-like tone. I’ve been told everything from “oh, it’s nothing” to “that’s a precursor to spontanious human combustion!” Any clue?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electrical-shock/330219/2 "2005-11-09T17:23:45Z")

</div>

Well I think we can rule out spontaneous human combustion but, uh, that really sounds like you should go see a doctor. Nothing that interferes with your vision can possibly be good.