For adults, seek medical advice if: you still have symptoms after 3 days, or your symptoms are very severe. you still can't keep any fluids down, more than 24 hours after getting sick. there is blood or mucus in your vomit or diarrhoea.
Sip water or diluted juice as soon as vomiting has decreased. If symptoms continue for more than 24 hours, or if you are unable to tolerate any fluids, contact your primary care doctor or visit the emergency department. Also seek emergency care if you become dehydrated.
Generally, food poisoning symptoms can be treated at home with rest, fluids, and bland foods. But if you start noticing severe signs of dehydration, abnormal pain, and bloody vomit or stools, it's time to receive food poisoning treatment in the ER.
Different treatments include: Rehydration with intravenous fluids and electrolytes for severe dehydration. Monitoring for complications such as kidney or nerve damage. Antibiotics for severe food poisoning from bacteria, such as E.
Your health care provider will examine you to rule out other causes of illness and check for signs of dehydration. Your provider may order tests including: Stool sample tests to name the bacteria, viruses, parasites or toxins. Blood tests to name a cause of illness, rule out other conditions or identify complications.
Most people develop viral gastroenteritis symptoms within 24 to 72 hours of exposure to a virus, while food poisoning symptoms can appear anytime within a few hours to weeks following exposure to a foodborne or waterborne pathogen.
Most of the time, food poisoning passes within 12 to 48 hours. That's how long it takes for a healthy body to purge the infection. It may last longer if you have a weakened immune system, or if you have a parasite that needs to be treated with antiparasitic drugs.
Most of the time, food poisoning runs its course and people get better on their own. Occasionally, though, doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat more severe types of bacterial food poisoning. Someone with severe dehydration may be treated in a hospital with intravenous (IV) fluids.
Abdominal Pain and Cramps
In cases of food poisoning, harmful organisms can produce toxins that irritate the lining of your stomach and intestines. This can result in painful inflammation in your stomach, which may cause pain in your abdomen.
In fact, food poisoning often results in an initial bout of forceful, projectile vomiting. For some people it subsides, while others continue to vomit intermittently ( 10 ). If you're vomiting continuously and can't keep fluids down, you should seek help from a doctor or pharmacist to avoid becoming dehydrated.
Food poisoning usually resolves on its own in 1-2 days, while the stomach flu can last 1-3 days (although sometimes longer). It's important you know what is causing your symptoms so you can properly treat your illness.
In some cases, adults can take over-the-counter medicines such as loperamide link (Imodium) and bismuth subsalicylate link (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate) to treat diarrhea caused by food poisoning.
Over-the-counter medicines may stop the symptoms of food poisoning. Bismuth subsalicylate — you may know this medicine as Pepto-Bismol — can treat nausea and diarrhea. Loperamide — you may know this as Imodium — is an antidiarrheal that stops diarrhea by slowing down the digestive process.
Microscopic exams of stool can identify parasites. Stool tests aren't always accurate, and they can take several days to come back. Blood tests may be ordered if your doctor thinks the infection has spread into the blood. Blood tests can detect the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes and the hepatitis A virus.
Symptoms of E. coli O157 infection include severe diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps. Most people infected with E. coli O157 do not have a fever or vomiting.
Medical Documentation
See your doctor if you suspect food poisoning. Depending on the type of pathogen you consumed, you might need to take antibiotics or other medicine. Getting medical care from your family physician, walk-in clinic, or emergency room provides documentation of your illness.
Listeria can contaminate foods we don't usually cook, such deli meats, sprouts, and soft cheeses. In 1985, Listeria-contaminated queso fresco sickened 142 people, killed 10 newborns and 18 adults, and caused 20 miscarriages.
Most people fully recover from the most common types of food poisoning within 12 to 48 hours. Some types of food poisoning can cause serious complications.
Call Your Doctor If:
Vomits clear fluids for more than 8 hours. Vomiting lasts more than 24 hours. Blood or bile (green color) in the vomit. Stomach pain present even when not vomiting.
Your symptoms depend on what caused you to get sick, but you usually have diarrhea, throwing up, and an upset stomach at the least.
You can drink water or try Gatorade or Pedialyte. You may be tempted to try over-the-counter medications, but Dr. Feckoury says food poisoning usually needs to run its course. In the meantime, he also advises rest and a BRAT diet, which consists of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.
You may be given medicine for nausea or vomiting to help keep down fluids. Take these medicines as prescribed. You may use acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce pain and fever.