Do I Have Food Poisoning?

Food poisoning, also referred to as foodborne illness, occurs when you consume spoiled, contaminated, or toxic food. The usual symptoms of food poisoning are diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, and vomiting.

Symptoms usually go away in hours or a few days, but if it doesn’t, you may need to visit the hospital to get checked on the nature of your sickness. Also, if, along with other symptoms, you have blood in your stool, dehydration, high fever, or inability to keep food or liquid down, you should see a doctor.

AFC Urgent Care Louisville has the best interest of our community in mind. We want you to feel your best every season. If you’re feeling under the weather from any illness, visit AFC Louisville or AFC Boulder today. If you’re experiencing emergency symptoms, it’s best to receive care from the emergency room.

Symptoms of Food Poisoning:

Although symptoms vary depending on the nature of the infection, you will know when you have food poisoning. Common symptoms include;

1. Vomiting
2. Mild fever
3. Abdominal cramps
4.  Loss of appetite
5.  Diarrhea
6. Headache
7. Nausea
8. Weakness

Symptoms of food poisoning that have life-threatening potential include;

1. Difficulty speaking or blurry vision
2. Diarrhea that persists for more than 3 days
3. Severe dehydration may include passing little to no urine, dry mouth, and finding it hard to keep fluids down
4. A fever higher than 102^oF
5.  Bloody urine

Seek medical treatment or contact a doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.

Causes of Food Poisoning:

Most food poisoning is either caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. You can find these pathogens on almost all the food humans eat; however, the heat from cooking usually kills these pathogens before the food reaches our plate. Common sources of food poisoning are food eaten raw because they do not go through the cooking stage.

People can also get infected with food poisoning if a sick person prepares food without washing their hands before cooking. Frequently contaminated foods are meat, dairy products, and eggs. Water may also be contaminated with disease-causing organisms.

Treatment for Food Poisoning:

1.      Control vomiting and nausea:

• Sipping liquids may help prevent vomiting
• Avoid taking solid foods until vomiting ends. Eat light, bland foods like rice, bananas, bread, or saltine crackers.
• Do not eat spicy, sweet, fried, or greasy foods
• Do not self-medicate anti-nausea or anti-diarrhea drugs without first consulting your doctor. They may have side effects and worsen some kind of diarrhea.

2.      It’s essential to prevent dehydration:

• Drink an oral rehydration solution if diarrhea and vomiting persist for more than 24 hours.
• Drink clear liquids, begin with small sips, and then gradually drink more.

3.      Reach out to a doctor immediately if symptoms persist more than 3 days or you have:

• Dark stools or bloody diarrhea
• Signs of dehydration like decreased urination, fatigue, dry mouth, increased breathing rate, or dizziness.
• Severe belly pain
• Prolonged vomiting or that is bloody
• Fever