Food poisoning is an illness that occurs when you consume contaminated food. A food is contaminated when it is infected with a toxic bacteria, virus, fungus or parasite. In some cases, the toxic organism itself does not cause food poisoning but rather, its by-product does.
If you consume a contaminated food, your body will attempt to purge the toxins through various means. Those include diarrhoea, vomiting and/or fever. The extent of your illness and the symptoms you develop depends on the type of toxin you consumed and your existing health. Though often uncomfortable, these symptoms are necessary to rid your body of the toxin and return it to health. For most people, symptoms last for just one or two days.
Symptoms of food poisoning are dependent upon a few factors, including the type of toxin you consumed, your age, immune system function and the level of toxicity your body can typically tolerate. That said, most symptoms of food poisoning usually fall into one of five categories.
Gastrointestinal upset is the most common symptom of food poisoning. Gastrointestinal upset includes nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. These can occur separate from each other, or they can occur concurrently. Some people will experience just one of these symptoms, while others may experience all three.
Because gastrointestinal symptoms are the same as those of the flu, many people assume they have the stomach flu instead of food poisoning. The only real way to determine if gastrointestinal upset is the result of a stomach bug or food poisoning is to trace the symptoms back to a contaminated food source. If you cannot do this, you may be able to rule out the stomach flu by determining if one or several other people who ate what you ate also got sick.
Gastrointestinal upset is a common symptom of most types of food poisoning. Types of food poisoning that cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea are as follows:
In most cases, gastrointestinal issues occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours of consuming the contaminated food. However, for certain types of food poisoning, symptoms may not arise until days later.
Stomach cramping is another common symptom of food poisoning, and often a more tell-tale sign than everyday stomach upset. Stomach cramping often occurs with many of the same types of food poisoning that cause gastrointestinal upset, such as staph, salmonella, vibrio and E. coli. Depending on the type of toxin you consumed, stomach cramping may be mild, or it can be severe.
Some types of food poisoning cause systematic symptoms, meaning those that affect various systems throughout the body. Common whole-body symptoms include fever, chills and body aches. If you develop a fever, chills and body/muscle aches are likely to accompany it. Fever is a sign that your body is fighting the toxin via means outside of expulsion through vomiting or diarrhoea. Fever can occur with bacterial, viral and fungal infections.
Dehydration is a natural consequence of vomiting and diarrhoea, so it is not uncommon for persons afflicted with food poisoning to also become dehydrated. Dehydration is a serious issue that, if not addressed, can have dangerous complications. If you suspect you have food poisoning, or if you develop vomiting and diarrhoea for any reason, drink as many fluids as you can keep down.
While you should certainly drink water, try to drink liquids that will not pass immediately through you, such as juice, Gatorade, ginger ale or broth. Anything with sugar, electrolytes and sodium in it can help you replenish lost nutrients and keep you hydrated.
Though rare, nervous system dysfunction can be a side effect of food poisoning. Nervous system symptoms are worrisome and should be reason enough to contact a medical professional immediately. If you develop one or more of the following symptoms, reach out to your general practitioner or visit your nearest emergency department right away:
You may also experience headache or changes in your voice, both of which are, in and of themselves, not cause for concern.
Food poisoning is extremely common, affecting tens of millions of people each year. Most cases pass after just a few days of discomfort, but a few thousand can lead to complications and, in rare instances, death. To prevent such adverse outcomes, it is imperative that you know when to seek medical attention. Below are guidelines for when to seek medical attention based on age and health status.
As an adult, you should visit your physician or get emergency care if one or more of the following occur:
If you have young children or an infant, it is crucial that you treat food poisoning as soon as possible, as food poisoning can result in the rapid loss of bodily fluids, dehydration and other complications quickly. Indications that your child needs immediate medical care when dealing with food poisoning are as follows:
Most food poisoning cases involve gastrointestinal upset, stomach cramping and systematic symptoms, such as fever, chills and body aches. Dehydration is a complication of food poisoning and can be avoided with frequent hydration. However, if not avoided, dehydration can be a serious medical emergency. Nervous system symptoms are another possibility of food poisoning that should prompt you to seek immediate emergency medical attention.
Most cases of food poisoning resolve on their own within a few hours to a few days. However, it is important to know when to see your doctor, as complications of food poisoning can have serious adverse health outcomes that could be long lasting or even fatal.