How to Recognize When to Seek Medical Care for Food Poisoning

Many cases of food poisoning remain mild and do not require any medical care beyond bed rest and proper hydration. However, when symptoms are more severe, you should recognize that medical care might be necessary to prevent serious long-term disability or even death.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Poison control center

Know When to Get Medical Help in Cases of Food Poisoning

1. Assess the severity of the symptoms. Relatively minor ailments, such as mild abdominal pain and flatulence, will generally pass in a few hours without terrible discomfort. However, you should closely monitor such symptoms and seek medical care if they worsen.

2. Call a poison control center if you experience the sudden onset of fever, diarrhea, vomiting and/or muscle weakness and fatigue. These are symptoms of a more serious case of food poisoning, and a poison control counselor can advise you as to whether or not you should seek medical care.

3. Recognize that more severe symptoms. Unexplained shivers, irrepressible diarrhea or vomiting, dizziness and migraine headaches should be investigated by a doctor. You should go, or have someone take you, to the nearest hospital emergency room as soon as possible if you experience such symptoms.

4. Learn to recognize the lesser-known symptoms of food poisoning, which are generally indicative of a very serious case of food borne illness. Raw or undercooked fish, mussels, oysters, clams or shellfish sometimes cause skin lesions or changes to the color of the skin. Skin will typically turn bluish or yellowish in hue. Such cases should be treated as emergencies and medical attention should be sought at once.

5. Be cautious. It's better to be safe than sorry. If your symptoms are causing you a serious level of discomfort, you are better off to seek the advice of a doctor than simply try to fight off the illness on your own. Because some types of food poisoning can be fatal, your doctor will need to determine what kind of bacteria is causing your illness. Treatments are time sensitive. The faster they are administered, the greater their efficacy.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that prevention is the best cure. Make sure all cooking utensils, cutting surfaces, tools and cutlery are thoroughly sterilized. Ensure that food is properly stored at all times and that meat and animal products are thoroughly cooked before consumption.
• Take extra care when traveling. Often, local people are accustomed to the levels of bacteria in their food and drinking water that make visitors ill. Carry travel insurance when abroad and seek medical attention immediately if you suspect you have contracted a food borne illness while in another country.

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