If you've eaten food that's contaminated with bacteria, you'll know it--usually within just a few hours. Food can easily become contaminated with bacteria that can make you violently ill if the food is undercooked, prepared in an area that's unsanitary or is left unrefrigerated for too long. Most cases of food poisoning, though they make you feel terrible, clear up within just a few days--although you do need to be careful to replenish fluids and avoid dehydration.
Vomiting
Vomiting is one of the most common signs of food poisoning. If you've eaten something bad, your body needs to get rid of it. Food poisoning often causes severe nausea and heavy vomiting, which may last for days. Sometimes, food poisoning may cause you to vomit blood--the Mayo Clinic says this requires immediate attention from your doctor. Because of the nausea and vomiting, it's also normal to lose your appetite when battling food poisoning.
Diarrhea and Abdominal Pain
In addition to vomiting, food poisoning often causes diarrhea--it's another way for your body to expel the harmful bacteria. Diarrhea is usually accompanied by severe stomach cramping and pain in the abdomen. The diarrhea can be severe and persist for days, and it may be very watery or even have blood in it. Bloody diarrhea and diarrhea that lasts longer than three days should be checked out by a doctor, says the Mayo Clinic.
General Symptoms
The infection can cause you to run a fever, and experience the chills--similar to signs of the flu. You may also experience a bad headache from food poisoning. A general feeling of extreme fatigue and muscle weakness may also occur, but the U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that muscle weakness can be a sign of botulism, a very serious type of food poisoning.
