Food poisoning: drugs, symptoms, causes, etc. & bull; hello healthy

Definition

What is food poisoning?

Food poisoning is a digestive problem that occurs after you eat food and drink that is contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites.

Symptoms appear within hours, usually in the form of nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Most cases of food poisoning are mild and can be treated at home. But there are also people who are severely poisoned and have to be treated by medical personnel.

How common is food poisoning?

Food poisoning is common and can affect anyone of all ages.

You can avoid food poisoning by reducing the risk factors. Please discuss with your doctor for more information.

Differentiating food poisoning from gastroenteritis (vomiting)

Many consider food poisoning the same as gastroenteritis. This is because they both have the same main symptoms, namely vomiting and diarrhea.

However, the two conditions are different and can be distinguished by the mode of transmission. Vomiting is generally transmitted through contact with objects or surfaces that a person with vomiting has touched.

You can also get vomiting through:

eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated with germs,
direct contact with a person infected with vomiting, for example eating using the same spoon or touching a patient's hand contaminated with feces, and
air around the vomit or feces of an infected person.

Meanwhile, food poisoning can generally occur through:

consuming food that is not properly processed and hygienic,
keep raw meat close to cooked food on the counter, in the refrigerator, or freezer the same, as well
do not cover dishes when they are served on the table, which increases the risk of food being infested by germ-carrying insects such as flies.

Signs and symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of food poisoning?

The signs and symptoms of food poisoning can vary, depending on what caused them. Some of the common symptoms include:

nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea,
stomach pain and cramps,
fever,
lack of energy and feeling weak,
loss of appetite,
sore muscles, and
shivering.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When to see a doctor?

You should call your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms of severe food poisoning with signs of:

gag,
bloody stool or vomit,
diarrhea for more than three days,
extreme stomach pain or severe stomach cramps,
the oral temperature is higher than 38.6 ° Celsius,
excessive thirst, dry mouth,
little or no urination, severe weakness,
dizzy,
blurred vision, muscle weakness, as well
tingling in the arm.

This symptom is also a sign of dehydration which can be fatal if left alone. Generally, dehydration due to food poisoning is easier for children or the elderly to experience.

Causes and risk factors

Poisoning is most common when you eat contaminated or unripe food or drink. For example, if you eat food cooked in dirty water or if you eat beef that has not been cooked until cooked.

These foods contain bacteria, viruses, or parasites that are still alive. As a result, once eaten, these organisms will infect your digestive system.

Many things can cause this condition, the following are among them.

1. Bacteria

Bacteria are one of the most common causes of poisoning. Each type of bacteria can cause symptoms of different severity. Various types of bacteria are often the masterminds are:

Campylobacter,
Salmonella typhi, which is also a cause of typhoid fever,
E. coli O15,
Shigella,
Clostridium botulinum, which is also the cause of botulism, and
Staphylococcus aureus.

2. Viruses

Norovirus can infect within 12 - 48 hours after you eat contaminated food.

Symptoms are the same as for conditions caused by bacteria. These include stomach cramps, watery diarrhea (more common in adults), or vomiting (more common in children).

3. Parasites

Apart from viruses and bacteria, parasites can also cause food poisoning. Parasites are organisms that obtain food from other living organisms which are also known as hosts.

One of the parasites that can cause poisoning is Giardia which can live in the intestines of animals and humans.

If these parasites enter your body through food, they can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, and foul smelling stools, within about one to two weeks of exposure.

4. Poison

Apart from bacteria, viruses, and parasites, some cases of poisoning can also occur due to natural toxins or chemical additives that are consumed from food.

What increases the risk of developing this condition?

Improper processing and storage of food can increase your risk of poisoning. Mistakes in processing this food can make bacteria move on the food and multiply.

Food can cause food poisoning if it is washed with dirty water, undercooked, or stored in the wrong place or in the wrong way.

This condition can also occur when someone who is experiencing poisoning prepares food without washing their hands.

The bacteria that cause this disease can also move from one object to another. For example, when you cut raw meat that has bacteria Salmonella using a knife. After that you cut the lettuce using the same knife without washing it.

In addition, foodstuffs can become contaminated with disease-causing germs where they are processed, prepared, or stored, especially in places where water sanitation is poor, the environment is not sterile, and people are not kept clean.

Food poisoning often occurs in:

food manufacturers that do not comply with hygiene protocols,
restaurants that do not follow hygiene protocols,
shops, food stalls, or snack places like food court and the school canteen, or
home.

Foods that are processed, prepared, and served in dirty places can become infested with germs that cause food poisoning.

Another factor

Other factors that can increase your risk include the following.

AgeAs we get older, our immune system naturally weakens when it comes to fighting infection, while babies and young children are equally vulnerable because at a young age their immune systems are not as perfect as adults.
Pregnancy, the period of pregnancy can reduce endurance and change the work of the body's metabolism, thereby increasing the risk of pregnant women experiencing infections that can be felt more severe.
Have a chronic disease, such as diabetes, liver disease, or AIDS.
Have allergies, poisoning reactions can also occur when people who have allergies eat foods containing allergens.

Diagnosis and treatment

How is this condition diagnosed?

Food poisoning is somewhat difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be very similar to those of other digestive problems, and there are many sources of infection that can cause them.

During a medical history check, your doctor will first ask you some questions about your food poisoning symptoms, including their duration and severity.

The doctor may also ask about the pattern of the disease. For example, whether everyone in your family also gets sick after eating certain foods or whether you just came home from a trip.

From your answers, the doctor can draw several suspicions that point to the cause of food poisoning.

Then the doctor will check your blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and weight. He will also press on your stomach or listen to stomach sounds. This is to isolate the diagnosis of other conditions that may resemble symptoms of food poisoning, such as appendicitis.

The doctor will usually confirm the diagnosis through a dehydration symptom test, complete blood count, basic metabolic panel blood test (BMP), urine test, or stool test after performing a basic physical exam and checking your medical history.

How is food poisoning treated?

In most cases, symptoms can resolve on their own within 1-3 days without the need for special treatment from a doctor. In some people, symptoms can last a while.

If the condition does not improve or gets worse, your doctor may recommend hospitalization or more intensive treatment depending on the cause and severity of your symptoms.

Below are some food poisoning medications that doctors can give you.

1. Rehydration

Your doctor may recommend rehydration medication to replace fluids lost when food poisoning is accompanied by severe diarrhea and vomiting.

Mineral ORS fluids such as sodium, potassium, and calcium can be prescribed to restore the balance of fluids in your body that are lost due to diarrhea. The doctor can also give electrolyte fluids intravenously so that the effect is felt more quickly.

To stay hydrated, it's also important to eat fortified foods and drink mineral water when at home. Children who are still breastfed can continue to be breastfed for longer if they experience this condition.

For adults, preventing dehydration during food poisoning can be done by consuming ORS powder that is sold in pharmacies.

Pour the ORS powder and add water. You can also make ORS at home by adding 6 teaspoons of sugar and 0.5 teaspoons of salt to 1 liter of water.

2. Diarrhea medicine

The doctor will also give diarrhea medicine to help solidify the liquid stool during food poisoning.

According to the Ministry of Health in Indonesia, diarrhea medicines that can be given are those containing kaopectate and aluminum hydroxide. This medicine is only used if your diarrhea condition lasts for more than a few days.

3. Antibiotics

In cases of food poisoning caused by a severe bacterial infection, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Antibiotics are generally given for shigellosis infection (Shigella infection).

Home remedies

What are some home remedies that can help manage this condition?

The following lifestyle and home remedies can help you deal with food poisoning.

Let your stomach rest. You should not eat or drink for several hours after symptoms appear.
Try sucking on an ice cube or drinking a little water. You can also consume fresh sparkling water, broth, or non-caffeinated isotonic drinks.
After feeling a little better, try to slowly go back to eating. Eat bland, low-fat, low-fiber foods like bread, bananas, and white rice.
Rest at home as food poisoning puts you at risk of dehydration. This condition can also weaken your body.

Prevention

How can you prevent food poisoning from occurring?

The best way to prevent this condition is to avoid and prevent the food you eat from being contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites.

There are several things you can do to reduce your risk of developing this condition.

Do not eat or snack carelessly.
Wash your hands after using the toilet, before cooking, before serving food, and before eating.
Eat less raw meat, raw eggs, and raw poultry.
Use kitchen utensils such as clean knives and cutting boards. After cutting meat or other raw food ingredients, first wash the knives and other cooking utensils.
Wash fresh fruits and vegetables with boiled water.
Store perishable foods such as meat at temperature freezer 4º Celsius or less.
Beef, mutton and lamb should be cooked thoroughly, at least to a temperature of 62º Celsius in the meat.
The ground beef should be cooked until the inside of the meat is at a temperature of 71º Celsius.
Poultry needs to be cooked to 73º Celsius.
Leftovers should be heated to 73º Celsius before serving.