Food Poisoning Signs

Food poisoning mainly occurs due to bacteria like Staphylococcus, Clostridium perfringens, E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria that infest the food. It can also be caused due to toxoplasmosis or shigellosis. It occurs if a person consumes old dairy products, foods kept in a refrigerator for long, salads or vegetables cut long time ago, unwashed salads and undercooked meat, etc.

The food poisoning signs and symptoms vary according to the kind of bacteria that affected the food you consumed (contaminant). The severity of food poisoning also depends on your age, overall health and immune system. Most of the time, the symptoms of food poisoning appear after a few days of consumption of poisonous food. But, sometimes the symptoms start appearing within hours after the consumption of poisonous food. Food poisoning outbreak can occur if a number of people consume contaminated food, like people consuming poisonous food in the cafeteria or in a party. If a person consumes food containing mayonnaise, like coleslaw or potato salad which was kept in the refrigerator for a long time, then it can cause food poisoning.

Some of the severe signs and symptoms of food poisoning are pain in the chest, weak or rapid pulse rate, shallow breathing, clammy, cold and pale skin, sunken eyes, low blood pressure and increased heart rate and breathing.

What is Food Poisoning?
The consumption of germs affected food, which affects our body in a negative manner, thus affecting our overall health, is referred to as food poisoning. Food poisoning is also referred to as bacterial gastroenteritis. The most commonly observed sign of food poisoning is diarrhea and vomiting.

Signs of Food Poisoning
The first signs of food poisoning include abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, stomach cramps, fever and loss of appetite. These early signs of food poisoning are seen within hours of consuming poisonous food.

The severe food poisoning signs are vomiting blood, bouts of vomiting for more than 2 days, diarrhea which persists for more than three days, blood in stools, temperature of mouth more than 38.6 degree Celsius, fever without chills or shivers, intense weakness and dizziness. Symptoms and signs of dehydration like dry mouth, sticky saliva, frequent and excessive thirst and no or little urination, are also observed. Fainting, tingling or numbness in the arms or legs, severe exhaustion, and rapid heart rate are also a few signs of food poisoning. Severe food poisoning symptoms are common among infants and old people with weak immune system.

Ways to Prevent Food Poisoning
In order to avoid food poisoning, it is suggested to eat well washed and well cooked food. Always wash your hands before you consume food. Cover the food vessels with lids so as to keep the flies away from the food. This will prevent its contamination. This was about how to prevent food poisoning.

This was all about the signs of food poisoning. Most of the time, the effect of food poisoning is mild and limited to a moderate level. You can surely cure it with a few home remedies for food poisoning. But, if not proper care and treatment is not administered, these food poisoning signs might persist and may become severe.