Recognizing and Treating Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is a common illness that can strike unexpectedly and vary in severity. Understanding its causes, symptoms, and treatment options is key to protecting your health and knowing when to take action.

This article will help you identify symptoms of foodborne illnesses. You’ll also learn how healthcare professionals diagnose and treat food poisoning. At the end of this page, you’ll find a list of resources to help you learn more about food safety and foodborne illness.

This article also touches on how to get legal help for a food poisoning claim. You can also contact a product liability attorney near you to discuss your situation. An experienced attorney can determine if you have a valid claim. If so, they will explain next steps and fight for fair compensation.

Common Symptoms of Food Poisoning

To know if you have food poisoning, you must be able to recognize the symptoms. They’re similar to when you have the stomach flu.

Some of the primary symptoms of food poisoning include:

• Stomachache
• Headache and lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Dry mouth
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pains and stomach cramps
• Fever
• Bloody diarrhea
• Bloody stool

Most food poisoning cases are minor. However, some foodborne illnesses can become more severe, like hepatitis A, Staphylococcus aureus (staph), or botulinum.

Symptoms of Foodborne Illnesses

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of food poisoning can allow you to determine if you ate anything suspicious. Many foodborne illness symptoms are similar across the different types of food poisoning:

• E. coli (Escherichia coli): The symptoms of E. coli are similar to those of most other foodborne illnesses. E. coli bacteria can cause severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. In extreme cases, you may experience kidney failure, stroke, coma, and even death.
• Salmonella: If you have salmonella illness, you’ll experience the same symptoms as you would with E. coli. But in extreme cases, it can cause arterial infections, arthritis, and endocarditis.
• Listeria: Like E. coli, Listeria bacteria can cause nausea. You can also have vomiting, severe diarrhea, fever, and headaches. One of the unique symptoms of listeria illness is muscle and body stiffness. In extreme cases, it can cause stillbirths and miscarriages in pregnant women.
• Norovirus: Most people who say they have a stomach flu or “bug” have norovirus. This is very contagious. The symptoms are the same as if you had the flu. The difference between norovirus and the ordinary flu is that the symptoms are more severe.
• Botulism: You may experience trouble swallowing, muscle weakness, and slurred speech. Botulism can also cause issues with your eyes, including blurred vision, drooping eyelids, and difficulty moving your eyes.
• Campylobacter: This strain of bacteria can cause bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever.
• Shigella: Expect diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain.

When you first meet with your personal injury lawyer, tell them which type of illness you had. You’ll need to give them a copy of your medical records so they can determine exactly what injuries you suffered.

Food Poisoning or the Flu?

There are a few questions to ask yourself to rule out food poisoning. Some of these include:

• How long ago did you start feeling sick? Typically, you will not feel the effects of food poisoning immediately after eating contaminated food.
• Did you feel sick before eating anything that you believe may have been tainted or spoiled?
• Are your symptoms persistent for more than a few hours?
• Do other people in your family or social circle have a similar illness unrelated to food?

The general rule is that most foods will take four to six hours to make you sick.

If your symptoms appear before that, the odds of food poisoning are low. But if your symptoms persist, you should visit the local emergency room or call a nurse line.

When To Seek Medical Attention

There’s no need to visit the ER every time you get a stomachache. But you may need medical attention if your severe symptoms persist. You should also go to the emergency room or see a doctor if you learn that you ate contaminated food items.

If you exhibit any of the following symptoms, you may have a severe case of food poisoning and should see a healthcare provider immediately:

• High fever (temperature over 101.5 F, measured orally)
• Blood in the stools
• Prolonged vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down
• Dehydration
• Dry mouth and throat
• Dizziness when standing up
• Diarrhea that lasts more than three days

Have a friend or family member take you to the ER. It’s unsafe to drive if you feel ill.

Watch Out for Signs of Dehydration

Food poisoning cases that cause diarrhea or vomiting can cause dehydration. When you lose fluids and salts (electrolytes), you must increase your hydration to replenish them. Many assume that popular sports drinks like Gatorade can make up for lost fluids, but there are better options. Drink an oral rehydration solution such as Ceralyte, Pedialyte, or Oralyte.

Over-the-counter aids can also help with stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea. For example, many people use bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) or loperamide (Imodium A-D) to lessen the duration and severity of diarrhea.

Antidiarrheal medications may also provide symptomatic relief if your diarrhea and cramps persist. Avoid these medications if you have a high fever or bloody stool, as they can make your illness worse.

Supplements and Homeopathic Remedies for Food Poisoning Symptoms

If you develop a minor case of food poisoning, there are some home remedies you can try. You should be able to find the supplements below at a health food store or pharmacy. Some of the supplements recommended by homeopaths include:

• Arsenic Album
• Veratrum Album
• Aloe
• Colocynthis

It’s still a good idea to see your doctor or visit the emergency room if you remain sick after 12-24 hours. You should also consult your doctor before taking any of the above supplements.

What To Eat While Food Poisoning Runs Its Course: The BRAT Diet

Not everybody who develops food poisoning goes to the hospital. Often, people don’t even realize that they have a foodborne illness. They address their symptoms the same way they’d handle a stomach bug.

While you wait for your symptoms to resolve, certain foods can help you feel better. These foods, when eaten together, make up the BRAT Diet.

This diet consists of the following foods:

• Bananas
• Rice
• Applesauce
• Toast

These foods are all easy to digest. While on the BRAT diet, you’ll give your digestive system a chance to return to normal. You can always supplement these four foods with ginger ale, peppermint, and probiotics such as yogurt.

Do Antibiotics Help With Food Poisoning?

It depends on whether a virus, bacteria, or parasite caused your illness. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if you have severe symptoms or if you belong to a high-risk group.

Using an antibiotic to treat a viral infection could cause more harm than good. Taking an antibiotic, even with a mild bacterial infection, is often unnecessary. Overuse of antibiotics is the principal reason many bacteria are becoming resistant. The antibiotic no longer kills resistant bacteria.

Other treatments can help, and washing your hands helps prevent the spread of infection.  

Severe Food Poisoning Complications

Severe cases of food poisoning may involve more serious symptoms. For example, if you contract gastroenteritis or the norovirus, you may experience severe dehydration. Some victims find blood in their stool and vomit.

Severe foodborne illness can cause other serious health issues like arthritis, brain and nerve damage, and meningitis. It can even lead to kidney damage and kidney failure.

Some groups are at greater risk of developing severe food poisoning:

• Pregnant women
• Older adults
• People with weakened immune systems or chronic medical conditions
• Infants and young children

These cases often require hospitalization and time away from work. If you don’t get immediate treatment, your illness may be life-threatening. This is also true if you consume a dangerous food such as pufferfish or ackee fruit.

How Doctors Diagnose and Test for Food Poisoning

When you first get to the hospital, a healthcare professional will do a thorough physical examination. They’ll check your blood pressure and vital signs.

Food poisoning is usually diagnosed by laboratory tests, which help identify specific organisms that can cause the illness. Stool sample culturing, for example, can identify bacteria, including Campylobacter, E. coli, and Salmonella. Lab technicians then identify the bacteria growing in the lab’s controlled environment. Lab technicians can also identify parasites by examining stools under a microscope.

Viruses are not as easy to identify. They are difficult to culture and cannot be seen with a light microscope, as they are too small. Viruses are typically identified by stool sample tests that find genetic markers. These markers can determine a specific virus.

The timeline for food poisoning varies, depending on what you ate. This will also determine the treatment approach your doctor takes. Let your medical team know when the symptoms started. Also, tell them if you’ve visited any restaurants recently.

Who Will Pay Your Medical Bills and Other Expenses?

You may be wondering whether you’ll be responsible for medical bills if you get sick from eating food at a restaurant. Initially, you must submit a claim to your primary health insurance carrier. However, if you prevail in your personal injury case, your attorney will demand that the defendant pay your medical bills.

In most product liability law cases, plaintiffs can recover some or all of the following types of damages:

• Medical expenses
• Future medical bills
• Emotional distress
• Lost wages
• Lost future income
• Pain and suffering
• Punitive damages

Remember that it’s rare for a judge to award you punitive damages. These are limited to cases where the courts want to punish the defendant.

How a Diagnosis Can Support Your Legal Claim

Your attorney must prove your illness to prevail in a legal claim against a restaurant, store, or other food distributor. It’s easier to do this if you have a formal diagnosis.

Your doctor must enter specific information in your medical record. For example, they will note your illness timeline and the type of organism. Your medical records will help prove your claim and injury. Your attorney can help gather evidence and medical documentation to support your injury claim.

How a Lawyer Can Help With a Food Poisoning Claim

If you suffer a severe case of food poisoning, you may have a legal claim. It depends on the facts of your case and the cause of food poisoning. For example, if you know which food made you sick, you can sue the company that prepared or served it.

If you became sick from the food you bought at the grocery store, your personal injury attorney could sue several parties, including:

• The food product’s manufacturer
• The distributor
• The retailer
• Farmer (originator)

Your attorney will handle your food poisoning lawsuit like any other product liability claim. Most product liability cases require that you prove negligence.

However, in some product liability lawsuits, your attorney can argue that strict product liability applies. If this is the case, the only two things you’ll need to prove are that you suffered food poisoning and that the defendant was responsible for your illness.

FindLaw’s directory of personal injury lawyers can connect you with trusted legal advisors in your area. Select your state or city to review contact and ratings information for local experts. Your search results will also link you to additional details about the attorneys’ experience with food poisoning cases.

Food Safety Agencies and Food Poisoning Resources

Several organizations and government agencies provide updated information on foodborne illness and tips on handling food. Some sites also allow you to search for food products the FDA has recalled.

For example, FoodSafety.gov is an online service offered by the U.S. government. It updates the public on how to prepare and store food safely. You’ll also find details on recent food product recalls.

If you learn of a food poisoning outbreak, alert your local department of health.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• CDC Food Safety Office: The CDC’s Food Safety section home page includes links to state-specific outbreak alerts, ways to avoid food poisoning, and more.
• Food Safety and Irradiation: Protecting the Public From Foodborne Infections: Find information on food irradiation, a controversial method of killing disease-causing organisms. It involves treating food with ionizing radiation to kill bacteria and parasites that would otherwise cause foodborne disease.
• Foodborne Outbreaks: Find links to report suspected food poisoning to your local or state health department. It also provides the CDC reporting number of 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
• Travelers’ Health: Safe Food and Water: This portal will help you determine precautions to take when traveling to specific countries.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Food Safety: Visit USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) hub for food safety resources and programming. You can also find an updated listing of all active USDA food recalls and alerts.
• A Consumer Guide to Food Safety: Hurricanes and Storms: Learn how to keep your food safe during fires, floods, power outages, and other natural disasters.
• USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: Ask a live person your questions about egg, meat, or poultry products.
• Report a Problem With Food: Find contact information to file a complaint if you suspect tainted food.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• FDA Food: This links to all FDA food-related sections, including alerts, recalls, fact sheets, and other food safety resources
• “Bad Bug Book”: Basic Facts on Foodborne Pathogens and Toxins: The FDA’s definitive guide to the most notorious kinds of organisms that cause food poisoning, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites
• Recalls, Outbreaks & Emergencies: Recalls of biological products, including food
• Safety Alerts & Advisories: Provides links to safety alerts, consumer advisories, and other safety information about food and beverages, dietary supplements, and infant formula
• FDA Enforcement Report Index: The FDA publishes this report weekly. It includes recall and field correction actions, safety alerts, and more.
• Foodborne Pathogens: The FDA helps educate the public on food poisoning and offers tips to avoid it.