How long does food poisoning take to kick in

 Food poisoning means difference things and here are what it means fully.

Food poisoning, a type of foodborne illness, is a sickness people get from something they ate or drank. The causes are germs or other harmful things in the food or beverage.

Symptoms of food poisoning often include upset stomach, diarrhea and vomiting. Symptoms usually start within hours or several days of eating the food. Most people have mild illness and get better without treatment.

Sometimes food poisoning causes severe illness or complications.

 

Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on what is causing the illness. They may begin within a few hours or a few weeks depending on the cause.

Common symptoms are:

• Upset stomach.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Diarrhea with bloody stools.
• Stomach pain and cramps.
• Fever.
• Headache.

Less often food poisoning affects the nervous system and can cause severe disease. Symptoms may include:

• Blurred or double vision.
• Headache.
• Loss of movement in limbs.
• Problems with swallowing.
• Tingling or numbness of skin.
• Weakness.
• Changes in sound of the voice.

When to see a doctor

Infants and children

Vomiting and diarrhea can quickly cause low levels of body fluids, also called dehydration, in infants and children. This can cause serious illness in infants.

Call your child's health care provider if your child's symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea and any of the following:

• Unusual changes in behavior or thinking.
• Excessive thirst.
• Little or no urination.
• Weakness.
• Dizziness.
• Diarrhea that lasts more than a day.
• Vomiting often.
• Stools that have blood or pus.
• Stools that are black or tarry.
• Severe pain in the stomach or rectum.
• Any fever in children under 2 years of age.
• Fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius) or higher in older children.
• History of other medical problems.

Adults

Adults should see a health care provider or get emergency care if the following occur:

• Nervous system symptoms, such as blurry vision, muscle weakness and tingling of skin.
• Changes in thinking or behavior.
• Fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius).
• Vomiting often.
• Diarrhea that lasts more than three days.
• Symptoms of dehydration — excessive thirst, dry mouth, little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness, or lightheadedness.

food poisoning treatment