After a large meal, such as a Thanksgiving feast, you may be surprised by some gastrointestinal upset. However, food poisoning brings much more severe and long-lasting symptoms compared to indigestion. Learn about how to identify the source of your gastrointestinal upset and when to seek medical treatment for your symptoms.
Causes of Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is a unique illness because, unlike many other infections and diseases, it is not contagious. Instead, you contract food poisoning by ingesting food that has been contaminated with a virus or bacteria. Food contamination can occur due to many different factors.
Common causes of food contamination include:
- Improper food storage
- Lack of sanitation during food preparation
- Improper cooking technique
- Cross-contamination
Food poisoning is not contagious but if contaminated food is served, then multiple people can contract food poisoning from the same meal.
Symptoms of Indigestion vs Food Poisoning
The symptoms of indigestion and food poisoning may feel similar in the early stages, but indigestion typically resolves much quicker and causes less severe symptoms than food poisoning. This is due to indigestion being a result of poor eating habits, rather than exposure to food that is contaminated.
Symptoms of Indigestion:
Indigestion occurs when you eat too quickly or over-eat, which causes your stomach to expand. This causes stomach acid to escape out of the top of your stomach, which can create discomfort. Indigestion symptoms usually occur during a meal or directly after and can last anywhere from hours to multiple days. Like food poisoning, indigestion is not a contagious condition.
Common symptoms of indigestion include:
- Feeling uncomfortably full
- Burning in the upper abdomen
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Gas
Symptoms of Food Poisoning:
In comparison, food poisoning is due to a bacterial or viral infection due to exposure to contaminated food. Symptoms can start anywhere from immediately after a meal to multiple days afterward, which can make it difficult to diagnose and identify when exposure occurred. Symptoms of food poisoning can last from 48 hours to over a week but rarely require medical treatment.
Typical symptoms of food poisoning include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Stomach cramps
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Body aches
Treatment Options for Food Poisoning & Indigestion
Although their symptoms and causes are very different, indigestion and food poisoning are typically mild illnesses that resolve on their own and rarely require medical intervention. However, if you suffer from chronic symptoms, you should speak to your medical provider for further testing.
Tips for Managing Indigestion Symptoms:
Treatment for indigestion includes basic lifestyle choices and over-the-counter antacid medications to manage symptoms. Eating less food at meals, eating slower to avoid overeating, and eating less fatty foods can all help prevent indigestion from occurring. Over-the-counter medications such as Alca-Seltzer are typically taken orally and can help combat discomfort by neutralizing your stomach acid. Always follow dosage instructions, and speak to your medical provider about the best medications available for your symptoms.
At-Home Treatment for Food Poisoning:
Food poisoning symptoms can be very unpleasant, however, there is no real medical treatment to cure it. Instead, you have to mitigate the symptoms and ensure that you’re staying hydrated. Taking certain over-the-counter medications, such as antinausea medications, can help alleviate some discomfort, but may not work for all patients depending on their symptoms. Ensure that if you are hungry, you’re following the BRAT (Banana, Rice, Apple, Toast) diet to ensure you don’t upset your stomach more. Drinking plenty of water and drinking electrolytes is vital to ensure that you do not experience severe dehydration.
Get Illness Diagnosis & Treatment by Visiting AFC Urgent Care Linden
If you’re experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, understanding the cause can help you avoid them in the future. At AFC Urgent Care Linden, we understand the importance of rapid symptom diagnosis which is why we offer same-day diagnostic testing on a walk-in basis for patients in and around Linden, NJ. We are open 7 days a week with extended business hours so that you can get symptom relief fast.
If you’re looking for fast and reliable medical care, look no further than AFC Urgent Care Linden. Our medical staff is board-certified and trained to diagnose and treat a variety of illnesses. We accept most medical insurance plans and offer low-cost care options. Simply walk into our clinic today, or schedule an appointment online. For additional questions regarding our clinic, please contact us directly.
