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.
Symptoms of food poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, fever and stomach cramping, and usually begin 3 to 36 hours after eating tainted food. Symptoms usually last from 12 hours to several days. Although food poisoning usually has to run its course, here are some ideas to help lessen symptoms.
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. Death from food poisoning in people who are otherwise healthy is rare in the United States.
Simple rest is one way to help your body heal from food poisoning. Take it easy until you are feeling better. Additionally, do not eat or drink for a few hours after the onset of symptoms. Once you do start eating and drinking again, try gentle and bland foods, like crackers, and sports drinks.
In most cases, people with food poisoning get better on their own without medical treatment. You can treat food poisoning by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration. In some cases, over-the-counter medicines may help relieve your symptoms.
Symptoms of food poisoning
While different types of pathogenic bacteria can cause different symptoms, food poisoning generally presents itself with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever.
How is food poisoning treated? In most cases, you can manage food poisoning at home by simply staying hydrated. You lose a lot of fluids through diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Staying hydrated is the most important thing you can do to support your body while it does its work.
However, the key distinction is time: The symptoms of a stomach bug will take 12 to 48 hours to develop, while the symptoms of food poisoning typically develop much faster, usually with 6 hours of consuming an infected dish. Another common difference between the two is the length of illness.
However, the right foods, combined with drinking lots of fluids, can actually help speed up your body's recovery. In most cases, the best way to recover from food poisoning is to prevent dehydration and replace the fluids and electrolytes that your body has lost.
Avoid spicy or acidic foods, caffeinated beverages, and alcohol after food poisoning. Foods that are high in fats, protein, and fiber may also be hard to digest.
Eating bland foods to start, like rice, bananas, toast, and applesauce can help to resettle your stomach as you recover from food poisoning. It's also a good idea to avoid alcohol, caffeine, dairy products, and fried or high-fat foods or drinks during this time.
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.
Millions of friendly bacteria live in your intestines, and they're important for your digestion. But diarrhea can throw the microbes in your gut off balance. Probiotics may help get things back on track. You can find probiotics in certain foods, like yogurt, and they also come in the form of supplements.
Food poisoning is usually caused by bacteria, and it comes from contaminated food or water. Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) is usually caused by a virus, and it spreads from person to person.
Most of the time, food poisoning will pass within 12 hours to 48 hours in healthy people. That's how long it takes for a healthy body to purge most foodborne infections.
Struggling with the stomach flu
Sleep on your side with your head elevated: If you find yourself vomiting a lot, then sleep on your side with your head elevated.
You should immediately seek food poisoning treatment in the ER if you begin to notice blood in your urine, feces, or vomit, diarrhea lasting more than three days, or signs of severe dehydration including extreme thirst, loss of consciousness, or confusion.
Usually, 3 to 4 days. Possibly, 1 to 10 days. Raw or undercooked meat, unpasteurized milk or juice, soft cheeses from unpasteurized milk, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Contaminated water.
Don't have any caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol. These can make diarrhea, cramping, and pain worse. If taking medicines: Over-the-counter diarrhea or nausea medicines are generally OK unless you have bleeding, fever, or severe abdominal pain.
Take a shower: Showering can help cleanse your body of unhealthy bacteria due to food poisoning.
It can be very hard to distinguish between food poisoning and the stomach flu because the two conditions share multiple symptoms. Diarrhea is the main side effect of both. This can be watery and sometimes even bloody. “Bloody diarrhea often happens when there's a very rapid onset of diarrhea,” says Dr. Ford.
Clostridium perfringens is yet another bacteria found in raw meat and poultry that leads to a million more cases of food poisoning every year. It produces a toxin inside your intestines that causes cramps and diarrhea. So there's no vomiting or fever with this infection.