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Food Poisoning Signs

food poisoning signsFood poisoning, also known as food-borne disease, is a serious health problem and the food poisoning signs should not be neglected since it can result in severe illness or in some cases death. One of the main causes of food poisoning is bacteria from food, usually if the food hasn’t been poorly handled, stored or simply cooked properly. Basically, after a person eats contaminated food the illness is inevitable, and the severity depends on factors like: contaminant and level of contamination, the age and health condition of the affected person, and so on. There are certain groups of people that have a greater risk of food poisoning:

  • children
  • expecting mothers
  • older people
  • people with liver problems or weak immune system

Food Poisoning Incubation Period

Incubation period is the period of time between the consumption of contaminated food and the occurrence of the first food poisoning signs and symptoms. It is good to know that if the food poisoning signs may appear up to six hours after the food was eaten – the cause is bacterial toxin or some sort of chemical. If the incubation period is longer patients usually mistake food poisoning with stomach virus.

Food Poisoning Signs – What Are They?

The signs of food poisoning usually appear half an hour after the ingestion of food, and in some cases a several hours or even a day later. The symptoms can be mild and severe, but there are no definite symptoms that are unique for food poisoning, and they also vary depending on the source and level of contamination. However, the most reliable method to verify that a person is having a food poisoning is by stool culture. Testing the stool is important because it is almost impossible to know whether a person is having food poisoning or stomach virus without it. This is because the food poisoning signs are practically the same as the symptoms of stomach flu.

Various types of food poisoning can cause various symptoms. Here is a short list of the most common food poisoning signs:

  • nausea and vomiting
  • intense abdominal pain
  • mild to severe headaches
  • looseness of the bowels (diarrhea)
  • temperature (fever)
  • stomach cramps
  • muscle pain and dizziness
  • pus in the stool or bloody diarrhea
  • loss of appetite

Many types of food poisoning last for a short time and usually don’t require any special food poisoning treatment. However, asking for medical advice is always recommended because there are certain food poisoning signs that require urgent medical treatment and support:

  • very watery diarrhea (that lasts for 3 days or more)
  • blood or mucus in the stools
  • dehydration
  • vomiting (if it lasts for more than 2 days)
  • blood in the vomit

If you suspect that you or someone in your family has food poisoning after recognizing some food poisoning signs it is important to consult your doctor for an advice about medical treatment. This way you will get the right treatment and you will speed up the recovery process. Reporting food poisoning may also alert your health department and thus prevent other people to be poisoned by food so it would be good to remember what and where have you eaten, and when did you start feeling sick.