What you need to know about food poisoning

It's happened to most of us… you enjoy a seemingly harmless meal only to find yourself sprinting to the bathroom a few hours later. While you're dealing with the miserable physical symptoms brought on by a case of food poisoning, you may find yourself wondering, "what caused this and how do I make myself feel better?"

Causes

Food poisoning is caused by eating contaminated food. Our food is handled in many different places — from the farm to the grocery store to the kitchen it's prepared in — so there are a lot of opportunities for it to become contaminated with bacteria, a virus, a parasite, or some kind of toxin. Some of the most common causes of food poisoning include salmonella, E. coli, norovirus, and hepatitis A. Around 48 million people in the United States are stricken with food poisoning each year, often because of something as simple as undercooked food or improper handwashing by the person preparing it. In many cases, it may not be possible to identify the source or cause of your food poisoning unless others experience similar symptoms from a shared meal.

Symptoms

The symptoms of food poisoning often come on quickly and include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever. Food poisoning usually only lasts a few days, but during that time, it can be debilitating and put you at risk for dehydration. Older people and young children are particularly at risk to experience bouts of foodborne illness.

Treatment

In most cases, you have to just hunker down and wait it out. Rest and drink plenty of water and electrolyte drinks to replace what your body is losing to diarrhea and vomiting. Once you feel up to it, trying eat bland foods such as bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast — often referred to as the BRAT diet.

If you become especially dehydrated or don't begin feeling better within 48 hours, it's important to contact a health care professional. Your doctor may recommend an office visit for an examination and tests to identify the cause of the foodborne illness and potentially prescribe an antibiotic.

While food poisoning generally isn't a long-term health concern to worry about, it can lead to an intensely unpleasant several hours and days. When that happens, the best thing you can do is stay hydrated, gradually reintroduce bland foods to your diet, and get plenty of rest so your body can recover. At home, you can lower your risk of foodborne illness by washing your hands with soap and warm water often, keeping track of expiration dates, and being smart about food handling and storage.

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