Is it Stomach Flu or Food Poisoning

Stomach flu and food poisoning are two different types of illnesses. Though both the illnesses tend to affect the digestive system and also have parallel symptoms, there is a considerable difference found in both the illnesses, that has been elaborated as follows.

Stomach Flu Vs. Food Poisoning
In order to distinguish between the two concepts of stomach flu and food poisoning, the characteristics of both these illnesses have been explained and highlighted.

Stomach Flu
The basic fact that one must take into consideration is, that stomach 'flu' has got nothing to do with the Influenza virus or the normal flu virus, scientifically known as the RNA virus, that causes flu. The stomach flu is basically caused as a result of some of the viruses and bacteria infecting the digestive system. The early symptom that is observed is diarrhea. Here's what actually happens inside your stomach.

Stomach flu viruses and bacteria, such as salmonella, shigella, staphylococcus or campylobacter jejuni, enter your digestive system. These viruses and bacteria, react with the digestive organs from inside. Sometimes the bacteria also tends to react with the diet that enters the digestive track, causing a severe infection. The reactions also produce some kind of toxic substances that further damage the organs from inside. Thus, an immediate symptom that is observed as a result of the action of these viruses and bacteria is diarrhea. An inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract is observed and is prominently seen in the stomach and small intestine. The inflammation of stomach is termed as gastritis and the inflammation of small intestine is termed as enteritis. To know more about stomach flu you may read more on stomach flu.

Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is basically caused as a result of the consumption of food that has unwanted organic toxins and microbes like pathogenic bacteria, viruses, prions and parasites. These toxins and microbes infect the digestive track, which result into symptoms like vomiting, abdominal pain and stomach upset. One would always notice that the symptoms of stomach flu and food poisoning are some what similar.

The basic difference that can be pointed out in the debate, stomach flu vs. food poisoning is that, many substances that are generated within the food itself, prove to be toxic for the digestive health. These toxic substances are generally produced by the degradation that is carried out by the micro organisms. In some cases, however, the food poisoning signs are seen as a result of action of the toxic substances as well as the microbes that produce these toxic substances. To know more on the topic you may also refer to food poisoning.

Is it Stomach Flu or Food Poisoning?
The following table will give you a brief idea about stomach flu or rather gastroenteritis, stomach flu symptoms and also stomach flu signs, food poisoning symptoms and food poisoning signs.

	Stomach Flu	Food Poisoning
Cause	Viral and bacterial infection.	Consumption of contaminated food.
Spread	Can spread by touch, through water and also food.	Spreads through any contaminated food product.
Symptoms	Watery diarrhea, muscle aches, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and weakness.	Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and fever.
Severe symptoms	Dehydration.	Dehydration, fatal to unborn babies, can cause kidney failure.
Remedies	Rest, bland diet, medication as prescribed by doctor, drinking healthy fluids and diet for gastroenteritis.	Rest, drinking healthy fluids, antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor.
Prevention	avoiding contact with an infected person, maintaining personal hygiene.	keep the cooking and food storage place clean, store food appropriately, avoid eating old and stale food.

Stomach Flu or Food Poisoning
The nagging worry that thus tends to ponder our brains is that, how to recognize, whether the digestive upset and disturbance is as a result of stomach flu or food poisoning? Well, to give a very quick and honest answer, on our own we would never recognize the difference between stomach flu and food poisoning. The difference can be stated, only by a trained medical professional such as a doctor. Many a times the doctors will ask us random questions, the answers of which would describe our illness. However, in some cases, even doctors need to resort to stool and blood tests.

So, in case you have that pricking pain in your stomach, do not stop to think whether it is stomach flu or food poisoning. Just rush to the doctor and get yourself cured.