How Long Does It Take
To Recover From
Food Poisoning?

The Food Poisoning Timeline

Though the severity of food poisoning symptoms can vary drastically from person to person and based on the strain of the germs ingested, how much of the germ was ingested and how strong one’s immune system is, most cases of food poisoning follow a general timeline. For most people, symptoms will begin within four to 24 hours of ingesting the contaminated food. In healthy people, they should subside within two days.

That said, several variables may alter this timeline. For a better understanding of how food poisoning works, consider the following factors.

Incubation Period

Like most viruses and illnesses, food poisoning has an incubation period. The length of the incubation period depends largely on what causes your illness: a bacterium, virus or parasite.

• Bacteria: Bacteria-borne food poisoning is the most common type of foodborne illness in most parts of the world. With this type of food poisoning, symptoms typically set in within eight to 48 hours of exposure.
• Virus: Virus-borne food poisoning has the most varied incubation period, with the length between exposure and the onset of symptoms dependent largely upon the type of virus in question.
• Parasite: When a parasite causes food poisoning, it takes between one to two weeks from the date of exposure for an infected person to develop symptoms.

In most cases of food poisoning, you can count on the incubation period to adhere to one of these timelines. However, some foodborne illnesses remain latent for extended periods of time. For example, Hepatitis A may take anywhere from 15 to 50 days to cause symptoms.

The Type of Infectious Organism

During the latency period, you will not know that you have contracted a foodborne illness. Only once your symptoms start, then, may you begin to wonder how long food poisoning lasts. Like with the incubation period, the duration of symptoms depends largely on what type of microorganism affected you. Below are general timelines for bacteria, viruses and parasites:

• Bacteria: If a bacterium causes your illness, you may be sick for anywhere between 24 hours and seven days. Common types of foodborne illnesses that are caused by bacterium include salmonella, listeria, coli and staphylococcus aureus (staph). Symptoms of salmonella begin anywhere from six hours to six days post exposure and can affect you for between four to seven days. Symptoms of listeria begin within two weeks of exposure and last for one to two days. E. coli has an incubation period of three to four days and symptoms may last for five to 10 days. Symptoms of staph begin quickly, typically within 30 minutes to eight hours of exposure. However, they disappear just as quickly, lasting no more than a single day in most cases.
• Viruses: Depending on the type of virus you contract from a food or beverage, your symptoms may last for just a few hours to several months. For instance, symptoms of foodborne norovirus last for just one to three days. However, if you contract something more serious, such as Hepatitis A, from a consumable, you may be sick for up to six months.
• Parasites: Parasitic food poisoning is typically the longest lasting. When individuals consume a parasite, they may have symptoms for anywhere between two to six weeks. However, this is assuming they receive treatment. It is also assuming they are healthy. Individuals who have weakened immune systems, are either very young or older, and/or have pre-existing conditions may experience symptoms for far longer.

If you have symptoms of food poisoning that are severe and/or long-lasting (meaning they last more than two or three days), contact your doctor or local health centre immediately. An informed professional can assess your symptoms and advise you on when to worry and when you should seek medical attention.

Care & Treatment

The final factor that may affect how long your food poisoning lasts is how well you care for yourself while you are sick and whether you seek treatment.

Most cases of food poisoning can be treated at home and with plenty of liquids and rest. If you contract a foodborne illness, keep the following tips in mind:

• Stay as hydrated as possible to replace any fluids you lose through diarrhoea and vomiting. Even if you can only take small sips at a time, do so, as dehydration is a real concern for food poisoned patients.
• Drink more than just water. Water is isotonic, meaning it lacks many of the nutrients you lose through vomiting, diarrhoea and sweating. To replenish those nutrients, try to sip on broth, ginger ale, Gatorade or even juice — anything, really, with electrolytes, sugar and salt in it. These fluids will also help you stay hydrated for longer, as they are less likely to run straight through your kidneys and out.
• Get as much rest as possible.
• If you can do so, eat. However, be sure to eat the right foods, which are those that are bland and easy to digest. Such foods include crackers, toast, rice, bananas and applesauce. Steer clear of heavier, fatter and spicy foods, as these are more difficult for the stomach to digest.
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol and fizzy drinks, as these may make your food poisoning symptoms worse.

If your symptoms do not improve within a few days even after taking these care measures, contact your general practitioner to schedule an appointment. If your symptoms grow more severe, consider going to your local emergency department.

Medications for Food Poisoning

If your symptoms do not improve with at-home care, if they become worse with time and/or if they are too uncomfortable to bear, there are certain medications you can take to relieve them. For instance, Pepto Bismol is generally fine to take when dealing with food poisoning, as it is both soothing for the stomach and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Other than stomach-soothing medications, there are few medications that can help with food poisoning. The only other option may be antibiotics, and antibiotics will only work on bacterial infections. If you and/or your provider suspect you have a bacterial infection,

When To Seek Medical Attention

Extreme cases of food poisoning can be severe and possibly life-threatening. If you develop one or more of the following symptoms of food poisoning, seek medical attention right away:

• High fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
• An inability to keep any liquids down
• Diarrhoea that lasts more than three days
• Bloody diarrhoea
• Vomiting to the point of dehydration

If you are pregnant or immunocompromised, you may be at risk of developing food poisoning complications. For these reasons, you should pay close attention to your symptoms and seek mediation attention as soon as you suspect your condition is worsening.

In the most severe cases of food poisoning, hospitalization does occur. If severe conditions go untreated, they can lead to long-term health complications, include kidney disease, brain and nerve damage, arthritis and failure by haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).