How Do Stun Guns and Stun Batons Work?

A stun gun or stun baton is an electrical self-defense device that uses a high voltage to stop an attacker from inflicting more pain or injury to another person. By just touching a person with the prongs on the stun gun or baton it quickly immobilizes the attacker and temporarily renders them helpless. This gives a victim ample time to get away from the attacker. However, because the amperage is very low, no serious or permanent injury is inflicted which is also good to know in case you are accidently stunned as well at any time.

The stun gun and stun baton are designed to tap into the nervous system when used. They dump their power into the muscles at a high pulse frequency that makes the muscles work very rapidly, but not very efficiently. This rapid work cycle depletes blood sugar by converting it to lactic acid all within just seconds of the stun. The resulting energy loss makes it difficult to move and function. At the same time small neurological impulses that travel throughout the body to direct muscle movement are interrupted. This causes disorientation and loss of balance and leaves the attacker in a numb and confused state for several minutes or more. Still, there is no significant effect on the heart and other organs. This isn't a killing weapon - it's a weapon to help you escape a potentially deadly or harmful situation quickly when used correctly.

As a general rule a one half second contact can stop and startle the person attacking while giving them some pain and muscle contractions. One to two seconds can cause muscle spasms and a dazed mental state. Over three seconds can cause loss of balance and muscle control, mental confusion and disorientation. Of courset 3 seconds is quite a long time when in a struggle to escape an attack of any sort. Each person is different and will react a bit differently to the effects of a stun gun or stun baton. What may put one person out of commission in three seconds could take five seconds on a different person. But with that said.. any amount of time will surely give you the edge you need during an attack to get out of the control of the attacker.

The electrical shock that emits from the unit will not pass from the person being stunned to the person doing the stunning. The effect is localized only in the affected area and does not pass through the body. Even if you or the attacker is wet or standing in water, you will not get shocked. Basically if you are the one holding the stun gun or baton you are not in any danger of receiving the effects of the stun being emitted. As with all safetly devices it's always a good idea to check your local laws to be sure carrying this type of self defense devise is legal in your area to avoid getting fined after escaping an attack.

As always, it's a good idea to plan out your response to an attack long before one may occur. This way you will have more confidence in the event of such an unfortunate occurance and have a better chance of reacting quickly and escaping before you receive any significant damage to yourself. In some cases it can literally be the difference between life and death.