Food poisoning occurs when you eat food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. There are more than 250 forms of food poisoning caused by different types of germs.
This condition can irritate your digestive organs, causing swelling and leading to digestive symptoms.
Some types of food poisoning cause symptoms that begin within a couple of hours of eating something contaminated. Other types aren’t noticeable until several days later.
Food poisoning can lead to:
Some symptoms can be a warning sign of a serious problem. See a doctor right away if you can’t keep down water, there is blood in your vomit or stool, your pain is severe, or your fever rises above 38 degrees Celsius. Additionally, get emergency medical attention if you have nervous system symptoms like blurry vision, tingling, numbness, or difficulty moving parts of your body.
There are many opportunities for germs to infect foods. Plants may be infected as they’re growing or while they’re harvested, and meat can come into contact with germs when the animal is slaughtered. Food can also be infected while it is processed, stored, or prepared.
People most likely to be affected by food poisoning include:
Your doctor can diagnose food poisoning by asking about your symptoms. Usually, you won’t need any tests, although in some cases doctors may recommend blood or stool tests.
Food poisoning often leads to dehydration, which can cause extreme thirst, light-headedness, infrequent urination, dark-coloured urine, or sunken-in eyes or cheeks. Treat dehydration by drinking lots of water and rehydration solutions that contain electrolytes. See a doctor if your dehydration seems severe.
During pregnancy, food poisoning can lead to miscarriage or premature birth.
Food poisoning usually clears up within one or two days. Many times, treatment isn’t needed. However, drinking a lot of fluids is very important while you are recovering. Over-the-counter medications may also reduce your symptoms.
More severe food poisoning may require treatment. Antibiotics can be used to treat food poisoning caused by bacteria, while antiparasitic drugs can clear infections caused by parasites.
You can reduce your risk of food poisoning by practising good hygiene and properly handling your food. You may want to try:
To further make sure your food is safe, stay away from raw meat or seafood, uncooked bean or plant sprouts, and unpasteurized milk or juice. Cooking or pasteurizing these items kills any germs inside.