electric shocks

[bubbles4920]

why is it that everytime i touch something metal, i get an electric shock from it? its really getting on my nerves. its only happened in the last week or so. when i touch my laptop the metal bits get me, the metal key on our gas fire got me last night, a fancy metal post by our seat in a restaurant got me the other day, the handle on a supermarket trolley and the handle on a supermarket freezer get me, the list is endless. its not so much that it hurts but that it shock me literally cos im not expecting it!

[Roy262]

This happened to me for a while i thought it was my shoes but it wasn't..
This might sound strange but i was on some tablets and when i looked on the net. A side effect was slight electric shocks near metal...

[smudge]

I've had the same problem for years bubbles & it's a wonder my hair doesn't look like Ken Dodd's!

When I'm out shopping with my daughters, we often 'exchange' electric shocks between us!

[toby99]

Great question; one I always wonder about. I think certain carpets may cause me to get electric shocks, but a few years ago though, I went through a spell of getting shocks all the time - my hair was also very static to the point of me having to wet it down to stop it flying about!!! Got me thinking now; I will go an explore the google too!

[grasscarp]

Its supposed to be affected by the fact you may be wearing some nylon clothing. I read the other day it can be helped by not extending a finger on to things, which makes for an easy discharge, but rather place your whole palm. I have had this happening to me for years off and on.

[toby99]

This answers most - I actually tried the fabric softener on my hair -it worked!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A6378744

[lorraine29]

I always used to get them when my children were young, after a while I realised that it was whenever i pushed the pushchair, (nylon wheels) I used to get them whenever i reached for anything of the shelves.

On one occasion I actually knocked a friend off her feet when she pointed at me laughing about the number of shocks I had received.

Lorraine

[4getmenot]

Are these not static shocks, surely electric shocks would be quite dangerous

[smudge]

Yeah, but we all guessed what bubbles meant 4get. ;o}

You're right abut electric shocks tho' 4get. I'll never forget the one I got from an iron when in my teens - it went up my arm to my shoulder & neck - ouch!