Food poisoning happens when you swallow food or water that’s contaminated by germs or other toxins. Your body acts to remove the toxins from your digestive tract through vomiting or diarrhea, or both. This may go on for a day or two. The symptoms of food poisoning are your body’s way of working to return to health. It’s not pleasant, but it usually works. Rest up, and you should feel better soon.
Symptoms and Causes
Food poisoning symptoms
Symptoms of food poisoning can include:
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Headache
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Vomiting
Signs of food poisoning can kick in within two to six hours after you ingest contaminated food or liquids. But it depends on the germ you get. Some types need more time in your body before they become harmful. Symptoms tend to go away quickly, too. They typically last 12 to 48 hours. The food poisoning timeline is generally quicker than many other common illnesses. Though, it may not feel like it at the time.
Food poisoning causes
The most common causes of food poisoning are bacteria. Bacteria can grow in food when it isn’t:
- Fresh
- Washed or filtered
- Handled in a sanitary way
- Cooked to a safe internal temperature
- Refrigerated or frozen promptly
- Kept at proper temperatures
Other germs, like viruses, parasites and fungi, can also poison your food. They might live in the environment where your food or water comes from. Or they might transfer to your food from somebody who handles it, if that person is infected. Food poisoning happens everywhere. But it’s especially easy to get it when traveling abroad. This is sometimes called traveler’s diarrhea.
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