Getting sick can be a scary situation no matter what you are sick with. Our bodies all respond differently to illness and while one person might have minimal symptoms with a certain illness, you might react much differently.

Infections range in severity, and it is important to keep an eye on how you are feeling. This is certainly true with a salmonella infection.

Our AFC Urgent Care Gastonia team explains more about salmonella infections below, so read on to learn more.

Where Does a Salmonella Infection Start?

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can be found in contaminated food or water. It is often found in raw or undercooked meat, in unpasteurized dairy products and in contaminated raw eggs (looking at you, cookie dough). When you ingest the bacteria, it will make its way to your intestinal tract and start to grow and replicate there.

Salmonella infections are a type of food poisoning, so you will experience symptoms for as long as the bacteria and contaminated food are in your system. Diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever and nausea are all common symptoms of this type of infection.

Signs of a Worsening Infection

• Your symptoms last more than a few days
• You experience bloody stools
• You have a high-grade fever of 102 degrees or higher that won’t go away
• You are severely dehydrated

Can I Treat Salmonella at Home?

Thankfully, most people are able to handle the symptoms of a salmonella infection on their own. With proper rest and dedication to staying hydrated, most people make a full recovery in about a week. Just be sure to keep drinking water! Persistent diarrhea can cause you to become dehydrated rather quickly, so continually sip on water while you are symptomatic.

If you are experiencing any of the signs of a worsening infection, come see us. We can perform an evaluation and run some tests to see what is going on. We can help you feel better faster.

Tip to Avoid a Salmonella Infection

• Wash your hands often.
• Keep your food prep areas clean.
• Cook your food to its recommended temperature.
• Be careful handling animals, and wash your hands right after.

Stomach issues can be really frustrating. Come see us at AFC Urgent Care Gastonia for a diagnosis.