Last Updated on January 6, 2008

Food Poisoning Symptoms

Food poisoning is one of the leading public health issues facing people today. Food poisoning from food at local restaurants, national chains and even from the supermarket are major public health concerns. Food poisoning is mostly an inconveniencing disease but in extreme cases, it can lead to death or permanent disability. Many food poisoning cases are caused by bacteria and can be treated early without complication. This is why it is so important to recognize food poisoning symptoms.

Because there are many different types of food poisoning, food poisoning symptoms do vary from case to case, but there are general symptoms of food poisoning. One of the most prevalent symptoms of food poisoning is watery diarrhea. It’s your body’s natural way of ridding yourself of harmful substances. You may also experience vomiting accompanying your diarrhea. You may also feel nauseous.

Other food poisoning symptoms are a loss of appetite. You may experience severe stomach cramps and abdominal pain. All of these symptoms may be signs of infection such as fever and extreme fatigue. Food poisoning attacks the body and how the body is able to fight the poisoning.

Food poisoning symptoms do not occur right after eating infected foods. Depending on the type of food poisoning case, the first symptoms may begin as soon as several hours after exposure to the pathogens. Other times it may take up to several days for the food poisoning symptoms to appear. In these cases, it becomes more difficult to trace back to the offending food.

Typically food poisoning symptoms will last from several hours to up to two weeks. It’s important to seek medical treatment if you suffer from food poisoning. Food poisoning cases can unexpectedly turn dangerous and even life threatening, especially for young children or the elderly.