Symptoms of Food Poisoning: Have you ever felt them before?

Published at 27 October 2024

Food poisoning is a health emergency caused by consuming food or drink that contains harmful toxins or bacteria. This condition causes annoying symptoms such as: sudden vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and others. (1) Find out more symptoms of food poisoning and how you can manage them?

Symptoms of food poisoning

The severity of food poisoning symptoms varies from mild to severe, depending on the type of infection, and symptoms include the following: (2)(3)

Sudden and persistent nausea and vomiting; It is one of the main signs of food poisoning.
Diarrhea: i.e. increasing the number of defecation times during the day or suffering from watery diarrhea. It may contain blood or mucus.
Abdominal pain and cramps.
Increased body temperature: This is a natural reaction of the body to infection.
Muscle pain and general fatigue.
Other symptoms include:

o Anorexia.

o Headache.

When do symptoms of food poisoning appear?

Symptoms of food poisoning appear after consuming contaminated food or water within half an hour for several days or weeks, which may reach 8 weeks, depending on the type of infection affecting your digestive system. (4)

When do the symptoms of food poisoning relieve?

Most symptoms relieve several days to a week after infection. In rare cases, some infections may cause symptoms that last for a long time, up to months. (5)(6)

When should you see your doctor?

See a doctor immediately in any of the following cases: (7)

If you are pregnant.
If you are over 60 years old.
If you think your baby or young child has food poisoning.
You have chronic disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, liver disease.
You suffer from a compromised immune system due to cancer, certain medications, or others.
If you develop severe symptoms, such as: (6)

o Bloody diarrhea.

o Diarrhea lasting more than 3 days.

o Increased Body temperature to more than 38.9 C^o.

o Severe vomiting.

o Dehydration, and its signs include: dry mouth and throat, dizziness when standing, and others.

Have you eaten food that you think was contaminated and started showing symptoms of food poisoning? We advise you to book an appointment in the Gastroenterology department at Al-Ahli Hospital. The medical team there will perform all the necessary investigations and labs to comprehensively evaluate your condition and provide integrated health care.

How do you manage the symptoms of food poisoning?

Food poisoning often does not require any medication treatment, as symptoms usually disappear on their own within a week of infection. However, in severe cases the doctor may suggest using antibiotics or antiparasitics to overcome the infection. (1)

There are some guidelines that can help reduce the severity of symptoms, including: (7)

Drink plenty of water during the day to prevent dehydration.
Eat foods that are soft and light on the stomach, such as bananas, rice, biscuits, and toast.
Get enough rest.
Stay home as long as you are sick, and for two days after the diarrhea and nausea are gone.
Consult your pharmacist about oral rehydration solutions (ORS) available at your pharmacy.
Avoid fatty and spicy foods, soft drinks and caffeine.

Prevention of food poisoning

Follow the following guidelines to reduce your chance of getting food poisoning: (3)

Hand hygiene: Washing hands well with soap and water before preparing and eating food, and after using the bathroom helps prevent the transmission of germs.
Storing food correctly: Make sure to store food at the appropriate temperatures and check the expiry date of the food before consuming it to avoid eating spoiled food.
Cook meat well: Make sure meat is cooked well before eating it.
Avoid raw foods: Avoid eating raw meat, fish, and undercooked eggs.
Ensure surfaces are clean before cooking: Avoid using the same surfaces and utensils for raw and cooked foods.