The good news is, food poisoning usually goes away quickly too. Most people recover in a couple of days with no lasting problems. In a few cases, severe food poisoning can mean a visit to the doctor or hospital. When people need medical treatment for food poisoning, it's often because of dehydration.
“For most people with healthy immune systems, you can usually recover from food poisoning on your own. As long as you're able to keep food or liquids down, you can try to hydrate at home and let it run its course,” Dr. Lee says.
Well, fortunately, you'll usually recover from the most common types of food poisoning within 12 to 48 hours. Your goal should be to make sure that your body gets enough fluids so that you don't become dehydrated. Don't eat solid foods until diarrhea has passed, and avoid dairy products.
Symptoms of food poisoning
While different types of pathogenic bacteria can cause different symptoms, food poisoning generally presents itself with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever.
In most cases, people with food poisoning get better on their own without medical treatment. You can treat food poisoning by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration. In some cases, over-the-counter medicines may help relieve your symptoms.
When you eat something toxic, your body reacts to purge the toxins. You may purge through vomiting, diarrhea, fever or all of these. The uncomfortable symptoms of food poisoning are your body's way of working to return to health. It usually works in a day or two.
However, the key distinction is time: The symptoms of a stomach bug will take 12 to 48 hours to develop, while the symptoms of food poisoning typically develop much faster, usually within 6 hours of consuming an infected dish. Another common difference between the two is the length of illness.
These two illnesses definitely have similar symptoms — but there are differences between them. Food poisoning is usually caused by bacteria, and it comes from contaminated food or water. Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) is usually caused by a virus, and it spreads from person to person.
Simple rest is one way to help your body heal from food poisoning. Take it easy until you are feeling better. Additionally, do not eat or drink for a few hours after the onset of symptoms. Once you do start eating and drinking again, try gentle and bland foods, like crackers, and sports drinks.
Yes, one person can get food poisoning and another who ate the same food can not get it, Dr. Vento says. “This is often due to the 'infectious dose' that is consumed by each individual, but can also be related to other things about each individual,” he says.
The symptoms of food poisoning will often be more severe and begin sooner than the stomach virus, which has an incubation period of about 24-48 hours. Food poisoning usually resolves on its own in 1-2 days, while the stomach flu can last 1-3 days (although sometimes longer).
Struggling with the stomach flu
Sleep on your side with your head elevated: If you find yourself vomiting a lot, then sleep on your side with your head elevated.
Conclusion: What To Eat After Food Poisoning
It is recommended to start with clear liquids and then move on to bland foods such as toast, crackers, rice and potatoes. Avoid dairy, fried or processed foods until you are feeling better. Adding probiotic-rich foods like yogurt can help support faster recovery.
Avoid food for the first few hours as your stomach settles down. Drink water, broth, or an electrolyte solution, which will replace the minerals that you lose with vomiting and diarrhea. Eat when you feel ready, but start with small amounts of bland, nonfatty foods such as toast, rice, and crackers. Get plenty of rest.
Drink only small amounts of liquids at a time. Don't force yourself to eat, especially if you are having cramping, vomiting, or diarrhea. Don't eat large amounts at a time, even if you are hungry. If you eat, avoid fatty, greasy, spicy, or fried foods.
You should avoid solid foods and dairy products until the vomiting and diarrhea have passed. Once you are feeling better, ease into eating and drinking again. Try bland foods, such as crackers, toast, and bananas. Avoid spicy foods, fried foods, dairy, and foods that are high in fat and sugar.
In most cases, food poisoning will pass within 12 to 48 hours. However, if you have a weakened immune system, or you are suffering severe symptoms, then your illness could last for over 10 days.
Clostridium perfringens is yet another bacteria found in raw meat and poultry that leads to a million more cases of food poisoning every year. It produces a toxin inside your intestines that causes cramps and diarrhea. So there's no vomiting or fever with this infection.
The causes are germs or other harmful things in the food or beverage. Symptoms of food poisoning often include upset stomach, diarrhea and vomiting. Symptoms usually start within hours or several days of eating the food. Most people have mild illness and get better without treatment.
Having a weakened immune system may make it harder to fight germs and sickness effectively. Weakened immune systems may be due to diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, alcoholism, HIV, autoimmune disorders such as lupus, or receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy.