Anyone who has ever dealt with bout of food poisoning can tell you what a painful and debilitating condition it can be. Despite the high standards of food supply in the United States, there are 48 million recorded cases of food poisoning annually, with a staggering 3,000 proving fatal.
Food poisoning occurs when someone eats contaminated food. Several bacteria and viruses can cause food poisoning, including salmonella, campylobacter, rotavirus, and norovirus. You may be susceptible to food poisoning if you are negligent regarding food handling or storage or with your food choices or purveyors.
This post aims to focus on helping you identify whether what you are experiencing are symptoms of food poisoning and what to do about it immediately.
5 Most Common Symptoms of Food Poisoning
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The symptoms of food poisoning can be either mild or severe. Here’s what to look out for.
Diarrhea
The most pronounced sign of food poisoning may potentially be associated with vomiting. You could suffer from food poisoning when you experience frequent loose and watery stools over a 24-hour window.
If you see blood or mucus in your stools, take this as an urgent cue to consult house-call doctors in San Diego to schedule an exam. The earlier you seek medical opinion and treatment, the better your odds of avoiding complications.
Nausea
The initial experience is typically a state of discomfort felt in the stomach with a queasy sensation or urge of needing to vomit. While various things can cause nausea, food poisoning is a leading culprit. When bacteria or viruses affect the stomach, this can lead to nausea.
Abdominal Pain
That sharp pain between the chest and pelvic region could result from food poisoning associated with diarrhea. While recurring abdominal pain may disappear, it is critical to act once you start seeing bloody stool, vomiting blood, or high fever.
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Vomiting
Frequent vomiting can quickly become life-threatening as it may lead to dehydration. Vomiting is a forceful discharge of the contents of the stomach. While a common occurrence, it is also majorly caused by food poisoning. Nausea involving vomiting for over one day is a tell-tale sign of food poisoning.
Fever
Many bodily processes can cause fever, but the general advice is to translate a fever as a sign your body is fighting an infection. While having a fever without any known cause is possible, the root cause is always a bacterial or viral infection. A fever that refuses to subside after a few hours could be dangerous.
Fever combined with other signs, that is more than enough reason for you to consult medical professionals. Other signs of food poisoning include appetite loss, headache, and weakness. These symptoms manifest themselves in several combinations, and their severity can differ.
Usually, food poisoning resolves itself within a week, with or without treatment. If you are experiencing diarrhea that lasts more than three days, with a fever and bloody urine, you need to consider the food poisoning as severe.
How To Treat Food Poisoning
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If you are dealing with food poisoning, you must drink enough fluids to rehydrate. Food poisoning can be treated at home, depending on its severity. It is also pertinent to state that most food poisoning issues can resolve themselves.
If your symptoms do not improve or get worse, it’s important to visit a hospital for a proper diagnosis. You may require prescription medication; the doctor will recommend appropriate regimens.
Last Thoughts
We must practice hygiene and safety when handling food and ensure food is carefully stored and well cooked.
Being conscious of your dietary choices and awareness of where you get your food can work toward keeping you safe and free of bacteria-causing food poisoning. Be aware of the significant impact the ways you handle and prepare food can have on the safety of your body, and reap the long-standing rewards of health.
