Treatment Of Food Poisoning

 

Luckily, for most people, food poisoning is more of a short diversion from normal every day life than a big event. Most healthy people who have the symptoms of food poisoning recover in around forty-eight hours. As noted earlier, some people never even consider that they have food poisoning but just think they picked up a bug of some kind or have a forty-eight hour case of the flu.

Because of the symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting, it is important to stay as well-hydrated as possible. If you have vomiting or diarrhea so bad that you can keep nothing at all down for a couple of days, you need to seek treatment right away. Dehydration can be a complicating factor with food poisoning. If you cannot keep down liquids or solid foods for too long a period of time, you will need to stay in a hospital where they can give you fluids intravenously until you recover from the food poisoning and you body gains some strength.

There can be some various serious complications with food poisoning cases. Not everyone suffers from these complications, but if you do have other physical problems or chronic diseases your doctor is going to want to see you to prevent these complications from developing. Some of these disorders are of the nervous system, problems with kidney function, and respiratory ailments. People who suffer from E. coli can develop bleeding disorders.

The biggest concern with food poisoning is what caused it. For instance, if you just had a little bit of contaminated mayonnaise, in two days you will probably be back to your normal self. But, if you are poisonous mushrooms or developed botulism from improper canning techniques, you might get sicker and sicker and die. That’s why you have to take food poisoning very seriously.

Food poisoning prevention

You can do a lot at home to prevent getting the symptoms of food poisoning. One of the most important preventative measures is to wash your hands and dishes frequently, especially if you have just made hamburger patties or the like. Washing your hands and handling meat properly are both at the top of the list when it comes to preventing food poisoning.

If you eat meat, make sure that you fully cook it every time before eating it. If you have a hard time telling if your meat is fully cooked or not, buying a meat thermometer can solve the problem. Look up in a cookbook or on the internet the appropriate temperatures for determining if your meat is cooked or needs a little more time in the oven or pan.

Other preventative measures include refrigerating leftovers in a timely manner after meals, not eating foods when the expiration date is past, and not to eat foods that smell like they are going bad. This is very easy to do, especially with milk products. Improper canning is also one of the biggest causes of food poisoning, because it can lead to botulism. Botulism is a very serious condition that can even cause death, especially in people with weak immune systems. If you eat canned foods--vegetables, meats, fruits or other products--don’t use any can that has a bulge anywhere on it.

Finally, mushrooms and shellfish are both foods which people love to eat, but if you are not an expert in mushroom identification, don’t eat wild mushrooms. The same with shellfish--if shellfish have been exposed to red tides, they can cause very serious cases of food poisoning. Always buy your fish from reputable sellers who know where the fish were obtained and that they are free of disease.

While you may not be able to prevent every case of food poisoning, if you take these precautions, you should be safe from harm most of the time. However, if you do experience the symptoms of food poisoning, and they have not disappeared in 48 hours, see your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency room ASAP.