Food poisoning happens when you eat contaminated food containing harmful bacteria, parasites or viruses. How sick you get depends on the level and type of contamination, your general health and your age. Contamination can occur from food being improperly handled in processing, packaging or preparation, in a restaurant or at home. If symptoms are severe or last longer than 72 hours, seek professional medical assistance.
Step 1
Review what you've eaten and with whom for the last 48 hours, as food poisoning occurs with everyone who shared a common meal. If no one else has gotten sick, you may just have the flu or other illness. In true food poisoning cases, everyone who ate the contaminated food will become sick. Raw or undercooked foods are the most likely culprit, as heat will destroy most harmful bacteria.
Step 2
Note your symptoms. Common symptoms of food poisoning include fatigue, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. Symptoms can occur within a few hours after eating contaminated foods and last up to 48 hours.
Step 3
Recall if you've been in a densely populated place. The most common type of food poisoning is caused by a virus that can be contracted by feces coming into contact with water, vegetables or shellfish as well as spread by person-to-person contact. It's common in densely populated places like prisons, nursing homes, schools and cruise ships. Most cases of this type of food poisoning are mild and do not require professional medical attention.
Step 4
Contact your local health department if you think you have food poisoning, but can't determine the cause. A representative may be able to tell you of any possible outbreaks in your area or supermarket product recalls of affected foods that you may not be aware of. Knowing if you ate food that has made others ill can help you figure out if you have food poisoning or a stomach bug.
Step 5
Go to the emergency room or see your doctor immediately for an examination if your symptoms are severe. Severe symptoms include blood in your stool or vomit, a fever higher than 101 degrees F, problems breathing, a skin rash, or symptoms which last longer than two days. A stool sample will need to be cultured in a laboratory to identify a bacteria or examined under a microscope to identify a parasite. Treatment options vary depending on the cause of the illness, so correct diagnosis is important.
Tips and Warnings
- Over-the-counter hydration drinks like Pedialyte or Rehydralyte can help you stay hydrated. Sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade should be diluted with water because of their high sugar content. Contact your local health department to report the food poisoning to help identify a possible outbreak and stop others from becoming ill. Food poisoning is rarely an isolated incident, so if you have food poisoning and not a stomach flu, others will also be affected.
