Food poisoning

Treatment

You will usually recover from the most common types of food poisoning within a couple of days. The goal is to make you feel better and avoid dehydration.

• Don't eat solid foods until the diarrhea has passed, and avoid dairy products, which can worsen diarrhea.
• Drink any fluid (except milk or caffeinated beverages) to replace fluids lost by diarrhea and vomiting.
• Give children an electrolyte sold in drugstores.

If you have diarrhea and are unable to drink fluids (for example, due to nausea or vomiting), you may need medical attention and intravenous fluids. This is especially true for young children.

If you take diuretics, you need to manage diarrhea carefully. Talk to your doctor -- you may need to stop taking the diuretic while you have the diarrhea. NEVER stop or change medications without talking to your doctor and getting specific instructions.

For the most common causes of food poisoning, your doctor would NOT prescribe antibiotics. Antibiotics can make diarrhea last longer and keep the organism that caused the poisoning in your body longer.

If you have eaten toxins from mushrooms or shellfish, you will need medical attention right away. The emergency room doctor will take steps to empty out your stomach and remove the toxin.

Outlook (Prognosis)

Most people fully recover from the most common types of food poisoning within 12 - 48 hours. Serious complications can arise, however, from certain types of food poisoning.

Possible Complications

Dehydration is the most common complication. This can occur from any of the causes of food poisoning.

Less common but much more serious complications include:

• Arthritis (Yersinia and Salmonella)
• Bleeding disorders (E. coli and others)
• Death (from mushrooms, certain fish poisonings, or botulism)
• Kidney problems (Shigella, E. coli)
• Nervous system disorders (Botulism, Campylobacter)
• Pericarditis (Salmonella)
• Respiratory distress, including the need for support on a breathing machine (botulism)

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call your doctor if:

• Diarrhea lasts for more than 2 - 3 days.
• There is blood in your stools.
• You are on diuretics and have diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.
• You have diarrhea and are unable to drink fluids due to nausea or vomiting.
• You have a fever over 101°F.

Call 911 if:

• Bleeding is excessive or your stools are maroon or black.
• You are short of breath or having trouble breathing.
• You have any nervous system symptoms such as weakness, double vision, difficulty speaking, or paralysis.
• You have signs of dehydration (thirsty, dizzy, lightheaded, faint).
• You have trouble swallowing.
• You may have poisoning from mushrooms, fish, or botulism.
• Your heart is racing, pounding, or skipping.

References

Diagnosis and management of foodborne illnesses: a primer for physicians. Atlanta, Ga. American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture; 2001. MMWR Recomm Rep; 50(RR-2): 1-69.

Tam CC. Campylobacter coli - an important foodborne pathogen. J Infect. 2003; 47(1): 28-32.

Tintinalli JE, Kelen GD, Stapczynski JS, eds. Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed. New York, Ny :McGraw Hill Professional; 2003.