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.
Gradually begin to eat bland, low-fat, easy-to-digest foods, such as soda crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas and rice. Stop eating if you feel sick to your stomach again. Avoid certain foods and substances until you're feeling better.
It is normal to experience some ongoing nausea, indigestion, or bloating even after the vomiting and diarrhea have passed. Be patient with your body and ease back into eating a normal diet. Start with small meals and pay attention to the way you feel after you eat certain foods.
Food poisoning is rarely serious and usually gets better within a week. You can normally treat yourself or your child at home.
You may recover in a few days … or not
“Depending on the pathogen and your body's reaction to it, some people can be ill with food poisoning for 10 days or even more,” Dr. Lee notes. “The bacteria campylobacter, for example, can produce symptoms for weeks.” Some foodborne illnesses require antibiotics.
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.
The symptoms of food poisoning usually begin within one to two days of eating contaminated food. Although the symptoms may begin at any point between a few hours and several weeks later. The main symptoms include: feeling sick (nausea)
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.
Most of the time, food poisoning passes within 12 to 48 hours. That's how long it takes for a healthy body to purge the infection. It may last longer if you have a weakened immune system, or if you have a parasite that needs to be treated with antiparasitic drugs.
Usually, 3 to 4 days. Possibly, 1 to 10 days. Raw or undercooked meat, unpasteurized milk or juice, soft cheeses from unpasteurized milk, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Contaminated water.
For adults, seek medical advice if: you still have symptoms after 3 days, or your symptoms are very severe. you still can't keep any fluids down, more than 24 hours after getting sick. there is blood or mucus in your vomit or diarrhoea.
You may also be dehydrated, so your mouth and throat feel dry and you don't pee as often as you typically do. Dehydration can make you dizzy when you stand up. Rarely, food poisoning can cause blurry or double vision, tingling, or weakness.
The Biggest Difference Between the Two. While both are pretty miserable to have, if you want to differentiate between the two, Dr. Cook said the main differences will be food and timing of symptoms. If you develop symptoms within a few hours of eating, this is almost certainly food poisoning.
Serious long-term effects associated with several common types of food poisoning include: Kidney failure. Chronic arthritis. Brain and nerve damage.
You should immediately seek food poisoning treatment in the ER if you begin to notice blood in your urine, feces, or vomit, diarrhea lasting more than three days, or signs of severe dehydration including extreme thirst, loss of consciousness, or confusion.
Gastroenteritis typically lasts in the neighborhood of three to seven days, but sometimes it can be shorter and, unfortunately, sometimes it lasts longer.
Stop eating solid foods for a few hours. Try sucking on ice chips or taking small sips of water often. You might also try drinking clear soda, clear broths or noncaffeinated sports drinks. In some cases you can try oral rehydration solutions.
If your child is getting better, vomiting should start happening less and less, and their stool should start becoming more formed, according to Dr. Parikh. If you're not noticing these improvements, better to be safe than sorry: It's time to see a doctor.