Food Poisoning, Part I

Some germs can make you sick within a few hours after you swallow them. Others may take a few days to make you sick. Joining us tonight on House Call with all the details is a medical professional from WVU Medicine United Hospital Center.

1). What are the most common symptoms of food poisoning?

You can get sick from food poisoning after swallowing certain germs, like Salmonella or E. coli. Your symptoms may vary, depending on the germ you swallowed. Symptoms can range from mild to serious and can last for a few hours or several days.

The most common symptoms of food poisoning are:

• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain or cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever

If you have diarrhea or vomiting, you want to be sure to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration (not having enough water in your body).

2). When should you see your doctor if you have any symptoms that are severe?

You should plan to see your medical professional if you experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Bloody diarrhea
• Diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days
• High fever (temperature over 102°F)
• Vomiting so often that you cannot keep liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, which include not urinating much, a dry mouth and throat, and/or feeling dizzy when standing up

See your medical professional if you are pregnant and have a fever and other flu-like symptoms. Some mild infections can cause problems with pregnancy. If you think you got sick from food, report it to your local health department so it can be investigated.

3). Can a food poisoning illness lead to other health problems?

Most people have mild illnesses, but some infections spread by food are serious or even life-threatening, these complications include:

• Meningitis
• Kidney damage
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can cause kidney failure
• Arthritis
• Brain and nerve damage

For some people, these health problems can last for weeks or months after recovering from a foodborne illness. For others, they never go away.

This content was originally posted on the WDTV News website here.

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