Food Poisoning: Symptoms, Home Care and When to Get Help

5 min read · Conditions · By the Asthra Health Care team

What is food poisoning?

Food poisoning happens when you eat or drink something contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites or the toxins they produce. Symptoms can start within a few hours of eating, or sometimes a day or two later. Often, several people who ate the same meal, such as at a wedding, party or hostel, fall ill around the same time.

In India, food poisoning is more common in the hot summer and rainy months, when cooked food left at room temperature spoils quickly and water supplies are more easily contaminated. Large gatherings where food is cooked hours in advance and served later carry a higher risk.

Common causes of food poisoning

Common culprits include bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Salmonella, E. coli and Bacillus cereus, and viruses like norovirus. Some bacteria produce toxins in food that is left out too long, and reheating does not always destroy these toxins. Rice, biryani, meat, eggs, dairy sweets and cream-filled bakery items are often involved.

• Cooked food kept at room temperature for many hours
• Undercooked meat, chicken, eggs or seafood
• Unpasteurised milk and milk sweets that have spoiled
• Raw salads, chutneys and cut fruits washed in unsafe water
• Unclean hands of people handling food

Symptoms of food poisoning

The usual symptoms are nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and loose motions. Some people also have fever, headache, weakness and body ache. Symptoms usually settle within one to three days. Vomiting that starts within a few hours of a meal often points to a toxin already present in the food.

A rare but serious form, botulism, can come from badly canned or preserved foods and causes blurred vision, drooping eyelids and difficulty swallowing or breathing. This is an emergency needing immediate hospital care. Some types of fish and mushrooms can also cause poisoning with tingling, dizziness or confusion, which need urgent medical attention.

Home care and fluids

The most important step is to prevent dehydration. Sip oral rehydration solution (ORS) often, in small amounts if you are vomiting. Plain water, rice water, tender coconut water, buttermilk and clear soups also help. Avoid sugary soft drinks, alcohol and strong coffee, which can make things worse.

Rest and let the stomach settle. When you feel ready, start with bland food such as plain rice, curd rice, idli, toast, bananas and boiled potatoes. Return to your usual diet slowly over a few days. Avoid milk, oily and spicy food for a day or two if they upset your stomach.

Medicines and tests

Most food poisoning does not need antibiotics and settles on its own. A pharmacist may suggest medicine for nausea or ORS; follow the label or your pharmacist's advice. Avoid anti-diarrhoeal tablets if you have blood in stools or high fever, as they can keep germs in the gut longer.

If symptoms are severe or last longer than two to three days, a doctor may check stool tests, blood counts, kidney function and salts in the blood. Antibiotics or medicines to stop vomiting are prescribed only when the doctor feels they are needed, and only on a doctor's prescription.

Who needs extra care

Young children, elderly people, pregnant women and people with diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease or weak immunity can become seriously ill or dehydrated more quickly. Pregnant women should be especially careful to avoid unpasteurised milk, soft cheeses and undercooked meat, as some food-borne infections can harm the baby. These groups should see a doctor early rather than waiting.

People with diabetes may find their blood sugar goes too high or too low when they cannot eat normally. Check sugar levels more often and ask your doctor whether any diabetes medicine needs adjusting while you are unwell. Do not stop or change these medicines on your own.

Prevention and when to see a doctor

Wash hands with soap before cooking and eating. Keep raw meat separate from other foods, cook food thoroughly, and eat it hot. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and reheat them until steaming hot. Drink boiled or purified water, and be careful with street food, cut fruit and ice in hot weather.

See a doctor if vomiting stops you keeping fluids down, if loose motions last more than two to three days, or if any warning sign below appears. If you think food from a hotel, canteen or event made several people ill, inform the local health authorities so they can check the source. Your doctor or pharmacist can guide you on safe treatment.

This article is general health information, not medical advice. Do not start, stop or combine medicines on your own — always follow your doctor's prescription and ask your pharmacist if unsure.