5 early warning signs of food poisoning

Recognizing the first warning signs of food poisoning such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, etc. helps you promptly take care of your health.

Doctor, Dr. Vu Truong Khanh (Head of Gastroenterology Department, Tam Anh General Hospital in Hanoi) said that food poisoning occurs when a person eats food contaminated with infectious bacteria. In the hot summer, improper food storage can make food easy to go rancid, creating favorable conditions for bacteria, viruses and parasites to multiply. The signs and duration of symptoms of food poisoning can vary depending on the germ causing the illness. However, you can know the common first signs of food poisoning so that you can take care of yourself and recover quickly.

Stomach-ache

People with food poisoning often initially have signs of abdominal pain. Harmful toxins irritate the lining of the stomach causing abdominal pain and spasms when the abdominal muscles work to push the foreign organisms out. According to Dr. Khanh, abdominal pain and spasm in the epigastrium can be caused by poisoning, but it can also be caused by acute inflammation of the stomach and intestines.

When eating foods that are not cooked properly such as sliced ​​meat, pudding, cakes, and sandwiches that are not hygienic, you can get food poisoning caused by e.coli, campylobacter, staphylococcus, bacillus dysentery. ... Symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, stomach cramps usually appear after eating from 30 minutes to 8 hours.

Abdominal pain is one of the common signs of food poisoning. Photo: Freepik

Diarrhea

Watery stools and loose stools occur within about 24 hours of food poisoning. Symptoms of diarrhea are often accompanied by a feeling of urgent need to go to the bathroom, fullness or pain in the abdomen. However, diarrhea that occurs can be caused by an infection that prevents the intestines from absorbing water and other fluids.

When some shellfish are eaten raw, especially oysters, you can contract vibrio bacteria within 24 hours. Typical early symptoms can be recognized as watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting. People with severe poisoning often show symptoms of fever, chills, and stomach cramps.

Meat, poultry, gravy, and foods cooked in large batches and stored at unsafe temperatures can cause food poisoning by contracting the bacteria campylobacter, clostridium perfringens. Patients have initial symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach cramps lasting less than 24 hours, vomiting.

When eating raw fruits or vegetables or herbs contaminated with cyclospora, patients may experience symptoms of watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, bloating, nausea, and fatigue for about a week.

Nausea, vomiting

According to Dr. Khanh, nausea and vomiting are common reactions that occur when the body tries to push harmful microorganisms and substances out of the body. Many people with food poisoning may experience persistent vomiting for several days. You should add electrolytes, fruit juices to avoid dehydration when poisoning.

Chicken, raw or undercooked meat, eggs, milk, unpasteurized juices, raw fruits and vegetables... can make you sick if they contain salmonella. Initial symptoms are common in 6 hours to 6 days such as diarrhea (possibly bloody), fever, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps.

Headache

Headache is a fairly common symptom. Headaches can be caused by stress, alcohol, dehydration or fatigue, but they can also be caused by food poisoning. People with food poisoning who experience vomiting and diarrhea also have an increased risk of headaches due to dehydration.

Norovirus can be found in green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, shellfish (raw oysters), contaminated water, contaminated surfaces, etc. People who are poisoned by this virus may experience headaches, aches and pains. body, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain . Symptoms usually last from 12-48 hours.

Fatigue, weakness

Food poisoning often causes loss of appetite and fatigue as the immune system reacts to the infection. The body releases infection-fighting cytokines.

Canned or fermented foods, homemade alcohol... can cause users to get food poisoning if infected with Clostridium botulinum (botulism). Patients may experience initial symptoms such as muscle weakness, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing. These initial symptoms may worsen within 18-36 hours.

In addition, the common disease-causing bacteria e.coli can be found in undercooked beef, milk, unpasteurized juice, raw vegetables, and contaminated water. Initial symptoms are similar to food poisoning caused by other bacteria. Dr. Khanh said that about 5-10% of people diagnosed with e.coli infection can progress to severe disease, prone to life-threatening complications.

Food is often contaminated with bacteria such as campylobacter, salmonella, e.coli... Food poisoning is usually not serious. Most people who ingest contaminated food recover within a few days and do not need treatment. If the initial signs do not improve along with vomiting, rapid heart rate, sunken eyes and little or no urine, bloody diarrhea, high fever, you need to see a doctor for timely diagnosis and treatment. , avoid dangerous complications.