The consumption of contaminated, spoiled or poisonous food leads to food poisoning. It is also known as foodborne illness. Symptoms of food poisoning can appear within a few hours after eating contaminated food. The most common symptoms of food poisoning are nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In this blog you will learn more about the causes, symptoms and treatment options of food poisoning. After reading this blog, you will be able to prevent food poisoning and treat it at home.
What is food poisoning?
Food poisoning is a disease caused by the consumption of food or beverages contaminated with pathogens or toxins. Food contamination can occur at any point in the production, collection, storage, shipment and preparation of food.
What are the causes of food poisoning?
Many bacterial, viral or parasitic pathogens cause food poisoning, for example:
- Campylobacter
- Salmonella
- Norovirus
- Rotavirus
- Botulinum Clostridium
- Coli
- Hepatitis A
- Vibrio vulnificus
How is food contaminated?
Pathogens are found in all foods that humans consume. Raw food is the most common source of food poisoning. However, proper cooking can kill pathogens before they land on our plates. But if you do not wash your hands properly before preparing the food, food contamination occurs, which can cause food poisoning.
What are the symptoms of food poisoning?
After food poisoning, the symptoms always appear, which, depending on the source of the infection, can be severe or mild. The onset of symptoms also depends on the source of the infection, but they usually appear between 1 hour and 28 days after eating. Typical symptoms of food poisoning include the following:
- Abdominal ages
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Mild fever
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Symptoms of life-threatening food poisoning can be severe and include the following symptoms
- Diarrhea lasting more than three days
- Fever over 101.5 ° F
- Difficulty looking at or speaking
- Symptoms of severe dehydration, including dry mouth, little or no urine, and difficulty storing fluid
- Bloody urine
If you experience symptoms, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
How is Food Poisoning Determined?
Can a doctor diagnose food poisoning, depending on the symptoms. In severe cases, blood and stool tests, as well as tests on the previous diet can be performed to determine the cause of food poisoning.
What are the treatment options for food poisoning?
It usually takes three to five days for food poisoning to subside. It can be treated at home to ensure adequate hydration. Some medications can also be effective. Below are the generally recommended treatment methods until the symptoms subside:
- Liquids
Drinking a lot of effective medicine for the treatment of the symptoms of food poisoning. Liquid drinks, which should be mostly water, fruit juices or soups.
- Eat as much as possible
Eating small portions and light meals can effectively treat food poisoning, because an empty stomach causes nausea. However, try to avoid fatty, spicy or heavy foods.
- Medications
Medications such as imodium and pepto-bismol can help control diarrhea and relieve nausea. For the treatment of food poisoning, you should take one capsule of loperamide daily, but not more than five days.
How to prevent food poisoning?
To avoid food poisoning at home. You should:
- Wash your hands, utensils and food surfaces frequently
- Separate raw food from ready-to-eat foods
- Cook food at a safe temperature
- Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods immediately
- Defrost food safely
- When in doubt, throw away food
What should one eat to treat the symptoms of food poisoning?
To treat the symptoms of food poisoning, it is helpful to increase the consumption of the following foods:
- Saltine crackers
- Royal jelly
- Banana
- Rice
- Oatmeal
- Brat
- Tur potato
- Cooked vegetables
- Bread toast
- Caffeine Free Lemonade (Ginger Ale, Root Beer)
- Dilute with fruit juices
- Sports drinks
Conclusion
The consumption of contaminated or toxic food leads to food poisoning. Bacteria, viruses and parasites are responsible for this. These microbes are found in raw food, but are also sometimes transmitted from the environment through hand contamination. The most common symptoms of food poisoning are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever, but depending on the source of the infection, the symptoms can also be severe. Food poisoning can be treated with medication, avoiding dehydration or taking light meals. As a rule, prevent food poisoning by some simple preventive measures at home. However, if your symptoms are severe and you cannot treat them at home, contact https://www.urgetway.com/ for medical help.
