Food poisoning is illness caused by eating contaminated food.
Infectious organisms — including bacteria, viruses and parasites — or their toxins are the most common causes of food poisoning. Contamination can also occur at home if food is incorrectly handled or cooked.
Food poisoning symptoms starts within hours of eating contaminated food.
Most often, food poisoning is mild and resolves without treatment. But some people need to go to the hospital.
Symptoms:
Food poisoning symptoms vary with the source of contamination. Most types of food poisoning cause one or more of the following signs and symptoms:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Watery or bloody diarrhea
- Abdominal pain and cramps
- Fever
Signs and symptoms may start within hours after eating the contaminated food, or they may begin days or even weeks later. Sickness caused by food poisoning generally lasts from a few hours to several days.
When to see a doctor
As we already mentioned, food poisoning is mainly in a mild form and can be subject to proper self-medication, however If you experience any of the following signs or symptoms, seek medical attention.
- Frequent episodes of vomiting and inability to keep liquids down
- Bloody vomit or stools
- Diarrhea for more than three days
- Extreme pain or severe abdominal cramping
- An oral temperature higher than 38 C
- Signs or symptoms of dehydration — excessive thirst, dry mouth, little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness, or lightheadedness
- Neurological symptoms such as blurry vision, muscle weakness and tingling in the arms
What should you consider?
According to doctors, food poisoning includes a special risk group: older adults, pregnant women, infants and young children, people with chronic diseases.
The most common serious complication of food poisoning is dehydration. Due to frequent vomiting and diarrhea, the body loses a lot of water, minerals, salt and it is necessary to take fluids.
Infants, older adults and people with suppressed immune systems or chronic illnesses may become severely dehydrated when they lose more fluids than they can replace. In that case, they may need to be hospitalized and receive intravenous fluids.
Contaminated food can cause dangerous complications such as Listeria or Escherichia coli (E. coli).
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-poisoning/symptoms-causes/syc-20356230
