Food poisoning is a potentially severe condition caused by the consumption of tainted foods. However, those who haven't had it before often mistake it for other health issues, including the flu. But by familiarizing yourself with the basics, described in the guide below, you can be on the lookout for any symptoms and seek emergency care when necessary.

A Guide to Food Poisoning

What Is It?

Food poisoning is clinically termed as a foodborne illness, which results from eating food infected by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. While contamination can happen at any stage of the processing or manufacturing, it can also be caused by improper food handling within your own kitchen. Storing raw meat with cooked meat, for example, can lead to the development of disease-causing microorganisms.

What Are the Symptoms?

The symptoms produced may vary based on the type of foodborne illness. In general, people with food poisoning will experience vomiting, abdominal pain and cramping, watery diarrhea, or fever. Symptoms can manifest hours after consumption, but in some cases, they may take days or weeks to develop.

When Should You See a Doctor?

In some cases, food poisoning may pass on its own. However, if vomiting is frequent, your stool or vomit contains blood, or diarrhea persists for more than three days, visit emergency care. Temperatures exceeding 100.4 degrees and extreme abdominal cramping should also be addressed by a doctor. 

They can perform tests such as blood work to detect the presence of bacteria or pathogens, which may require medication to treat. Additionally, if you’ve lost fluids and are unable to keep water down, emergency care providers can administer intravenous fluid replacement to treat dehydration.

If you suspect you could be suffering from a foodborne illness, don’t wait to seek treatment. Get emergency care at Superior Urgent Care, serving Keller, TX, and the surrounding areas. This family business is veteran-owned and -operated and performs on-site lab work to provide prompt, comprehensive treatment for a broad range of medical concerns. View a list of the injuries and illnesses that they treat on their website. Or speak to a friendly staff member by calling (817) 576-4050.