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Food poisoning can come on like a tornado—strong, fast, and without warning. A delicious meal can devolve into stomach cramps, vomiting, and worse. In only a matter of hours, the symptoms may totally derail your plans for the next several days. Knowing how to avoid food poisoning and what to do once it strikes can save you a lot of trouble and frustration. This guide has all the information you need to keep food poisoning at bay, from common treatments and medications to home remedies.
What is food poisoning?
Food poisoning is a broad term used to describe a variety of foodborne illnesses caused by ingesting spoiled or contaminated foods. Common symptoms of food poisoning include upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea. Many cases of food poisoning will simply resolve on their own with adequate rest and rehydration, but more severe cases can warrant over-the-counter medications or prescription antibiotics.
If you have a case of food poisoning, you're certainly not alone. According to Foodsafety.gov, around 48 million people in the United States fall victim to foodborne infectious diseases per year—that's nearly one in six Americans. And there are more than 250 different types of food poisoning germs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so it's sometimes difficult to pinpoint the culprit. Some of the most common causes of food poisoning are:
Bacteria
You've probably heard of salmonella and E. coli (Escherichia coli). These two bacteria have earned plenty of news coverage after outbreaks from contamination of produce, meats, and restaurant chains. Salmonella is particularly prolific, causing over 1.3 million infections per year, according to the CDC. But other foodborne bacteria can be just as harmful, including listeria, Clostridium botulinum (which causes botulism), Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus ("staph" infections), shigella, and Campylobacter.
Viruses
Norovirus is an extremely contagious virus that can be contracted via food or contact with a contaminated person. Along with typical food poisoning symptoms, it can cause gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines), which is commonly called a "stomach bug" or "stomach flu" but has no relation to the influenza virus. Hepatitis A is another common foodborne virus that can lead to kidney disease or liver disease if untreated.
Parasites
Parasitic food poisoning isn't as prevalent as bacteria or viruses, but it can still be quite serious. The most common parasites you might find in contaminated food are cryptosporidium and Giardia.
So, which foods carry these microscopic scourges? While a broad range of foods can cause food poisoning, the most common culprits are raw meat (chicken, beef, pork, and turkey), raw fruits and vegetables, eggs, and dairy products like soft cheeses or unpasteurized milk.
How is food poisoning diagnosed?
Anyone can contract a foodborne infection, but babies, young children, pregnant women, and older adults—essentially anyone with a weakened immune system—have a higher risk. Typically, a primary care provider or pediatric primary care provider will be able to diagnose your foodborne illness after a physical examination and, in certain cases, additional tests. If digestive symptoms become chronic or severe, you might want to visit a gastroenterologist or infectious disease specialist as well.
Making a diagnosis, however, is not quite as simple as declaring that you have food poisoning, because the provider also needs to determine the root cause. It's useful to start each evaluation by reviewing the patient's history. "If a person who normally feels well and is otherwise healthy, all of a sudden becomes very ill with vomiting and diarrhea, this fits the initial picture of food poisoning," said Jesse P. Houghton, MD, senior medical director of gastroenterology at Southern Ohio Medical Center.
Your healthcare provider will likely ask a series of questions about your recent activities and food consumption to narrow down the possible causes. Dr. Houghton's line of questioning includes asking patients if they: "A) ate a restaurant in the previous 24-48 hours, B) have eaten anything unusual, C) were out of the country recently (to rule out a parasite or more unusual pathogen), and D) if there is anyone with similar symptoms in the house or that they have recently come into contact with." This, he explained, usually provides enough information for an accurate diagnosis.
Establishing a symptom timeline can be especially helpful, "Different microorganisms have different incubation periods that transpire before symptoms appear and this can be a clue to the agent responsible," according to Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Symptoms may appear anywhere between 30 minutes to four weeks after exposure, says the CDC, depending on the infection.
Your doctor might also order tests to rule out certain causes or confirm a diagnosis. A stool sample analysis, for example, can reveal certain bacteria (like E. coli and salmonella) and blood tests are useful in identifying listeria and hepatitis A.
Food poisoning treatment options
When you're dealing with the symptoms of food poisoning, your biggest question is probably, “Where can I find relief?” No matter what's causing your condition, the top priority in treatment is to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids and replenishing electrolytes. You may also require an IV if you experience dry mouth, dark urine, headaches, muscle cramps, and other signs of dehydration.
There's no one-size-fits-all cure for food poisoning. Usually, medical care is focused on managing symptoms, as most foodborne infections simply need to run their course. Beyond rehydration, this means extended rest and a restricted diet. Once you can eat again, consume only bland foods (like crackers, toast, and rice) and avoid dairy, caffeine, alcohol, and fatty or spicy foods. Certain medications can also help in managing your infection. Antidiarrheal agents and antacids can help calm your stomach and slow down your symptoms.
Your healthcare provider might also recommend probiotics to help restore healthy digestion. Or, in rare cases, you might receive an antibiotic. "Fortunately, most of these illnesses will be fought off by our immune system after a few days," said Dr. Houghton. "And most do not require antibiotics." Meaning, you'll simply need to ride it out. However, if your symptoms don't subside, you should see a doctor right away.
Food poisoning medications
Hydration, rest, and a proper diet can go a long way in treating food poisoning, but certain medications can provide further relief. Here are the most common medicines your doctor might recommend.
Antidiarrheal agents
As the name suggests, these are drugs that help decrease the frequency of diarrhea. There are two common antidiarrheal drugs, and they each work in different ways. The first is loperamide, known as the brand Imodium, which decreases the amount of water in the intestines and slows down your intestinal contractions, decreasing the number of bowel movements. Second is bismuth subsalicylate—sold over-the-counter as Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol, and Bismatrol—which is an anti-inflammatory that reduces overactivity of the intestines and the amount of water entering your bowels.
Common side effects can include constipation, nausea, and black stool or tongue. If you're experiencing bloody diarrhea, don't use OTC antidiarrheal medication; consult your doctor instead. One contraindication to taking antidiarrheal agents is if you suspect a bacteria or parasite is causing the diarrhea. Your body needs to get rid of the toxin causing diarrhea and taking an antidiarrheal could worsen your condition. Speak with your healthcare provider prior to taking antidiarrheal agents if you suspect a bacteria or parasite is causing your symptoms.
Oral rehydration therapy
One of the biggest risks that food poisoning poses is dehydration. Vomiting and diarrhea expel a lot of your body's fluids, and it's critical to replenish them. Oral rehydration therapy means drinking fluids with sugars and salts to effectively replace your electrolytes. Pedialyte and Gatorade are well-known and useful oral rehydration beverages, although you can also purchase oral rehydration salt packets online and at outdoor sporting stores.
Antibiotics
These are only necessary and effective in certain cases. Antibiotics are specifically useful for fighting bacterial infections but have no effect on viruses. They aren’t used to combat food poisoning often, but in a small percentage of severe cases where bacterial infection causes hospitalization, or “in more severe outpatient cases where the patient may be elderly or immunocompromised,” Dr. Houghton said doctors might prescribe macrolide antibiotics like Zithromax or fluoroquinolone antibiotics like Cipro or Levaquin. "It should also be mentioned," he added, "that there are very few, if any, large, well-conducted studies to show that antibiotics significantly shorten disease course or severity with gastroenteritis or food borne illness." These medications can cause side effects like nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, and headache.
What is the best medication for food poisoning?
Because foodborne illnesses can arise from numerous sources, there isn’t one “best” medicine or treatment. The ideal treatment route depends entirely on your specific case, including your age, health, medical history, and current medications. A healthcare provider will consider all of these factors as he or she develops your treatment plan and prescribes medications. That said, here are some medications used to treat food poisoning.
| Best medications for food poisoning | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Drug class | Administration route | Standard dosage | Common side effects |
| Imodium (loperamide) | Antidiarrheal | Oral | 1, 2 mg capsule after each unformed stool (not to exceed 16 mg per day) | Constipation, nausea, dizziness |
| Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) | Antidiarrheal | Oral | 30 mL every 30–60 minutes as needed (not to exceed 8 doses per day) | Black stool, darkened tongue |
| Kaopectate (bismuth subsalicylate) | Antidiarrheal | Oral | 30 mL every 30–60 minutes as needed (not to exceed 8 doses per day) | Black stool, darkened tongue |
| Pedialyte | Fluid and electrolyte replacement | Oral | 32–64 fl oz per day (as needed) | Mild nausea and vomiting |
| Zithromax (azithromycin) | Macrolide antibiotics | Oral | Variable dose depending on suspected organism | Nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue |
| Cipro (ciprofloxacin) | Fluoroquinolone antibiotics | Oral | 250-750 mg every 12 hours | Nausea, vomiting, liver function tests abnormal, diarrhea, rash |
| Levaquin (levofloxacin) | Fluoroquinolone antibiotics | Oral | 500–750 mg once per day | Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, diarrhea |
| Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) | Antibiotics | Oral | 800 mg every 12 hours | Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue |
Dosage is determined by your healthcare provider based on your medical condition, response to treatment, age, and weight. Other possible side effects exist. This is not a complete list.
What are the common side effects of food poisoning medications?
As with most medications, food poisoning treatments can have side effects. If you and your healthcare provider decide to stick with over-the-counter antidiarrheal drugs, like Imodium or Pepto-Bismol, you may experience constipation, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness or darkened stools, although these side effects are typically mild.
As a more intensive treatment, antibiotics can potentially have more serious side effects, including increased nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as headaches, abdominal pain, itching, and rash. Levaquin and Cipro also carry a warning that they can cause tendon damage and/or rupture, but this only occurs in rare cases.
Oral rehydration treatments like Pedialyte don't have side effects unless used improperly, in which case they can cause a sodium imbalance in the blood, resulting in dizziness, high blood pressure, gas, bloating and more.
This is not a full list, and side effects largely depend on your specific medication, condition, and medical history. Consult a healthcare professional for a more complete list of adverse effects and drug interactions.
What are the best home remedies for food poisoning?
The best way to treat food poisoning is by taking preventative measures to reduce your chances of exposure. Here are some tips to ensure food safety and avoid situations where contamination could occur:
- Washing your hands while preparing food
- Cutting raw meat on separate cutting boards and storing it separately
- Cleaning utensils and surfaces that touched raw meat, fish, and eggs before reuse
- Cleaning your cooking station and utensils thoroughly
- Cooking food thoroughly
- Respecting "use-by" dates.
- Keeping your hands and food clean while traveling
If you've already come down with a foodborne infection and you're looking for some at-home relief, try one or more of these:
- Water and sports drinks: If you can't keep liquids down, try sucking on ice chips or taking small sips.
- Apple cider vinegar: Its natural antibacterial properties can help if your infection is caused by E. coli or other bacteria.
- Oregano or thyme oils: They each have antimicrobial properties. Just add a couple of drops to your water.
- Ginger tea: It can help your body absorb essential nutrients, calming your stomach.
- Garlic: If you don't mind the smell, eat a garlic clove. Its antimicrobial and antifungal properties can help with diarrhea and abdominal pain.
And once you're ready to eat again, ease back into it with bland foods like toast, rice, and crackers. Avoid spicy or fatty foods, along with alcohol, caffeine, and dairy until you're back to normal.
Frequently asked questions about food poisoning
How long does it take to recover from food poisoning?
Depending on the cause of your food poisoning, symptoms can begin as early as one hour to as late as one week after exposure. At that point, they may last anywhere from one to five days.
How do I know if it's food poisoning or a stomach virus?
Food poisoning and stomach viruses generally have the same symptoms, although food poisoning symptoms can be more severe. Food poisoning can also be traced back to a specific source, while stomach viruses cannot. Further, in some cases, the onset of food poisoning symptoms is sooner than stomach viruses, which have a 24- to 48-hour incubation period. So, if you eat a meal and almost immediately feel sick, chances are it's a foodborne illness.
Can one person get food poisoning and not another?
Yes. When two people eat the same food, one can end up with food poisoning and not the other. How? Most often bacteria, viruses, and parasites contaminate food via improper preparation and items like cooking utensils, dishes, cutting boards, and other surfaces. Your food might have been prepared using different utensils and dishes. Additionally, some bodies are simply better equipped to fight off foodborne infections than others.
Do you have a fever with food poisoning?
Yes. A low-grade fever can be a common food poisoning symptom. However, if your fever spikes above 102 degrees, you should see a doctor.