Food Poisoning: Types, Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

You will hardly find someone who could say no to street food, especially ‘Phuchka’, which epitomises the concept of street food; cheap, unhealthy yet delicious. Many gourmet restaurants nowadays serve variants of ‘Phuchka’ with a lot of jazz and garnish, but nothing matches the roadside, traditional ‘phuchkawallas’ who patiently serve and count your ‘phuchkas’ standing in the sweltering heat. 

This craving is so addictive that you ignore the basic food hygiene which you would usually follow while eating at home or in any fancy restaurant. WHO (World Health Organisation) emphasises that street food consumed in most Southeast Asian countries is often a major causes of food poisoning. In 2017, food poisoning was the second most common cause of outbreaks of highly infectious diseases, in India. It is no surprise that all health insurances cover outpatient consultations and even diagnostic tests during your regular check-ups. Keep reading as we are discussing the 6 major aspects of food poisoning such as causes, symptoms and treatments of food poisoning in this article.

Food Poisoning: 6 Major Aspects to Consider

In order to prevent the adversity of food poisoning, it is essential to know these aspects in advance:

What is Food Poisoning?

Simply put, the toxins released by microbes like bacteria, viruses, and parasites which are ingested through stale, contaminated food, disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal system finallycause food poisoning. Contaminated food can also mean undercooked, expired, unprocessed and improperly packaged food or drinks.

Reasons for Food Poisoning 

The types of food poisoning caused by naturally occurring pathogens or toxins can be:

Bacteria: The most commonly heard among these pathogens are Salmonella, Campylobacter and E.coliwhich daily affect millions around causing severe health hazards. They can be easily ingested through, raw milk, undercooked meat, uncleaned fruits and vegetables, eggs, poultry products and even contaminated water. 

Viruses: Norovirus also called as ‘stomach bugs’ can be fatal to infants, children and the elderly who have weak immune systems. It is resistant to severe temperatures and disinfectants and hence is highly contagious. It can be found in leafy vegetables, fresh fruits and shellfish. 

Hepatitis A, another deadly virus affecting the liver spreads through raw seafood and contaminated ice or water. 

Parasitesand Prions: Tapeworms like TaeniaGiardia and Entamoebahistolyticaenter  into leaves and roots of vegetables via water or soil and keep multiplying. Prions are infectious agents made of protein, which causes neurodegenerative disease e.g. Mad Cow Disease. It is a prion disease in cattle that is transferred to humans by the consumption of meat from specific areas. 

Toxins in Nature: Certain common foods like corn, cereals, and mushrooms can contain natural toxins, which can cause degenerative neural conditions and even malignancy if exposed for a long time. 

Types of food poisoning caused by Human-induced health hazards are: 

POPs or Persistent Organic Pollutants: These are industrial wastes dumped in water bodies like dioxins, which get incorporated into our food through water and soil and make their way to our plates through raw and fresh vegetables, fruits and fish. 

Heavy Metal Poisoning: Heavy metals like lead, mercury and cadmium that are disposed of in the environment from factories and the laboratories are the main causes of kidney and nerve damage. 

Other Chemical Poisons: These can include radioactive materials released from military operations or ammunition industries and also food allergens from drug residues improperly disposed of by pharmaceutical companies. 

All these artificially created hazards silently lead to terminal illnesses like cancer, neurological defects and even heart blockages. 

Symptoms of Food Poisoning 

There are some very common food poisoning symptoms which you might be well aware of. These include: 

1. Diarrhoea: This can finally cause severe dehydration as you constantly tend to pass loose stool and you are unable to intake food due to bloating and stomach ache.
2. Nausea: Forceful vomiting also may be caused due to stale food which your body will try to throw out.
3. Fever: You may experience high temperature if the infection is severe depending on the type of poisoning.
4. Headache: A throbbing pain in the temples may be experienced due to overall weakness and vomiting. 
5. Extreme Fatigue and Weakness: Since there will be a loss of energy due to water and mineral loss, you will feel extremely worn out or weak.

You may wonder as to how long food poisoning lasts. You may have diarrhea after eating the spoiled food immediately or after a few hours or days. Since the signs of food poisoning are very common to other diseases like flu, abdominal illness, irritable bowel syndrome, and gastritis, it is difficult to distinguish between them. However, if your symptoms seem severe and persist for days, it is best to go for an OPD consultation. Did you know with Care Supreme one of the popularhealth insurance products from Care Health Insurance can cover OPD consultations along with in-patient hospitalisation care if the need arises. 

Stomach Flu vs Food Poisoning 

Since food poisoning and stomach flu share similar symptoms it is difficult to understand what you are suffering from just by judging the signs. However, certain cues can help you distinguish between the two. 

Stomach Flu or Gastroenteritis is caused by a virus and is transmitted from person to person by touch or cough. Food poisoning is caused essentially by pathogens transmitted through food. 

One of the major differences between food poisoning vs stomach virus is the incubation period. The signs of food poisoning are visible within 2 to 6 hours after consuming infected food. But symptoms of stomach bug usually start to show after 24 to 48 hours of exposure to the virus. 

Food poisoning usually gets better within 2 days but a stomach infection may take 10 days or even 2 weeks to run its course.

Treatment for Food Poisoning 

Depending on the severity of the infection and the condition of the patient, food poisoning treatment can be done at home. If the symptoms persist for days then one should go for consultation.

A few ways in which you can start treatment at home are: 

• Stay Hydrated: You should drink plenty of water and electrolytes like coconut water, and juices to compensate for the loss of body fluid due to diarrhoea and vomiting. 
• Plenty of Rest: Take rest to combat fatigue and weakness as diarrhoea and vomiting can cause severe weakness. Let your stomach settle for a few hours before you eat again. Go for simple home-cooked, easily digestible food and avoid spicy, oily, and caffeine-rich food. 
• Soothe Digestive Tract: Have some soothing probiotics and herbal teas like chamomile, and peppermint which are anti-inflammatory and help to sleep.
• Over-Counter Medicines: Some easily available OTC medicines like loperamide can be taken for nausea and vomiting. But do consult your physician for any further advice on antibiotics if need be. 

Other than these home remedies for food poisoning, you can visit your doctor if symptoms seem unmanageable at home. Antibiotics like azithromycin, metronidazole or ciprofloxacin are often prescribed for food poisoning. Anti-parasitics like Zentel, Mebex and nizonide are also commonly used to treat severe cases. In case of extreme dehydration, dizziness and blurry visions hospitalisation may be essential for intravenous drip. 

Prevention is Better than Cure 

Instead of suffering consequences, is it not better to know how to get rid of food poisoning in the first place? If simple everyday habits and tips can prevent such conditions and improve lifestyles, they should be considered a welcome change.

• Clean and wash hands and scrub for at least 15 seconds especially after using the public places. 
• Cleaning utensils, knives and cutting board after preparing raw meat or fish preferably with hot water should be a regular habit.
• You should avoid buying or using unpasteurised milk and milk products, especially for children.
• Raw vegetables and fruits should be washed and cleaned properly before consumption. They should be peeled and used if possible.
• Always store the raw food like meat, fish and poultry separately from cooked food.
• You need to check expiry dates while purchasing perishable goods like milk, frozen meat, juices, or any other good with a short shelf life. Use them as instructed and discard them when expire.
• Ensure red meats like beef, pork, and goat etc. are properly cooked at the required temperature. Lean meats like chicken and turkey can be cooked in a shorter time and fish needs to be cooked till it's done. 
• Any leftovers are to be refrigerated immediately once the meal is over. Do not mix vegetarian with non-vegetarian items. Defrost them in a microwave or cold water before consuming them next time. It should not be thawed by keeping it at room temperature. 
• Drink filtered water and store water in a clean vessel. Keep only fresh water in the drinking water vessel. Avoid stored juices or salads and consume them as soon as prepared. 

Concluding Note

While it is true that government and regulatory bodies need to take food safety guidelines more seriously and establish effective food safety rules, it is also a fact that consumers and food producers need to be aware of the importance of safer food handling for a healthier society. Along with aforementioned aspects, you should also consider buying a comprehensive health insurance to take care of your finances in case of a medical emergency that can arise due to the effects of food poisoning. 

>> Also Read: How to treat food poisoning: Best home remedies

Disclaimers: All plan features, benefits, coverage, and claims underwriting are subject to policy terms and conditions. Kindly refer to the brochure, sales prospectus, and policy documents carefully.