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Severe food poisoning goes beyond the mild inconvenience of minor food poisoning. For many with healthy immune systems and mild or moderate infections, food poisoning may not be serious.
Treat the symptoms. Eat bland foods. Stay close to the bathroom. Rest for a few days. It isn’t fun, but it is survivable.
Some people, on the other hand, are not so lucky.
When severe food poisoning strikes, it is important to know what to do. Even more important, is preventing food poisoning from happening in the first place.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that around 48 million people are sick with foodborne illnesses each year. Somewhere around 128,000 people are hospitalized from severe food poisoning and 3,000 people die from those infections.
The most common germs responsible for severe food poisoning are Campylobacter spp., C. perfringens, invasive Listeria, norovirus, Salmonella, and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli.
If you have eaten something you later determine questionable, monitor yourself for the common symptoms of food poisoning.
These often include:
Most instances of mild or even moderate food poisoning go undiagnosed. People with minor food poisoning symptoms often do not seek medical treatment for their illness and therefore are never tested for common foodborne germs. Those cases go unreported.
It is, however, important to understand when it is time to seek medical attention.
Some germs can cause serious, or even life-threatening illnesses that can quickly escalate to severe food poisoning complications.
It may seem like a matter of perspective as to when it is a good idea to reach out for medical attention. Regardless of symptoms, if you are feeling really bad you should trust your gut and get seen.
There are, however, certain symptoms that should warrant emergency medical care.
If you have a fever over 102° F, you should reach out to your health care provider or seek emergency medical care. This could be a sign of an infection (either bacterial, parasitic, or viral) that may require medical treatment.
If you have severe abdominal pain, you could have something a little more than a minor infection. Abdominal pain could also be a sign of bowel obstruction.
If you see blood in your stool or vomit, it could be a sign of severe food poisoning or gastrointestinal damage. Both are conditions that should be assessed by a health care provider.
If you are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours or vomiting so much that you are unable to keep down fluids, you should seek medical attention. This could lead to severe dehydration. You may need IV fluids.
Be on the lookout for signs of severe dehydration. This can include (but is not limited to) confusion, dizziness upon standing, dry mouth, dark urine, and/or sunken eyes. Severe dehydration can lead to additional complications and organ failure.
Certain neurological symptoms warrant emergency medical care. Certain foodborne pathogens may cause blurred vision, difficulty speaking, muscle weakness, or even paralysis. Seek medical attention right away if you are experiencing neurological symptoms.
Should you make an appointment with your primary care provider (PCP)? Or opt for the neighborhood urgent care or larger emergency room instead?
Each office has its own limitations.
If you are only experiencing mild symptoms, your PCP is likely your first thought. However, in most cases, you will (hopefully) be better before you are able to get an appointment.
If you are able to see your PCP quickly, give that a try first. They should be able to run appropriate laboratory tests to help determine the germ responsible for your illness.
If your symptoms are a bit more serious but not life-threatening, an urgent care center is likely your best bet. These facilities can administer IV fluids and prescribe medication for your symptoms. They can also run appropriate laboratory tests to help determine the germ responsible for your illness.
If you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms, such as severe dehydration, blood in your stool or vomit, or any neurological issues, go immediately to the emergency room.
These facilities have more extensive diagnostic tools and generally have the ability to admit patients for intensive care if the patient needs additional medical support.
Your healthcare provider may order certain tests to assess your body’s functions and help determine the germ responsible for your illness.
Your health care provider will likely obtain a stool sample to diagnose your illness. Foodborne illnesses shed into the feces (poop) of those infected with the pathogen. So, a stool specimen is a common diagnostic tool.
Your healthcare provider will likely also run additional laboratory tests on your blood. Information about organ health, dehydration, and signs of infection can be found in those results.
A urinalysis is often performed on patients suspected of severe food poisoning to assess kidney function. Hydration levels are also evaluated using this diagnostic tool.
Your health care provider may also request certain types of imaging. Diagnostic imaging such as CT scans or ultrasounds can reveal certain complications like intestinal obstruction.
The treatment protocol your health care provider chooses will likely depend on many factors. Your particular risk factors, the specific pathogen responsible for your illness, and the severity of your condition.
However, IV fluids with electrolytes along with probiotics and supportive care are often provided. Some illnesses benefit from anti-nausea medications to help the body hold onto precious fluids.
Antibiotics or anti-parasitic medications may also be prescribed, depending on the pathogen and the patient’s specific needs.
Prevention is always the best approach to severe food poisoning. Small steps can make a huge difference.
Good hand hygiene goes a long way. Thoroughly wash your hands before and after preparing or eating food. Use soap and running water with vigorous scrubbing for best results.
Avoid cross-contamination with raw meat. Keep meat separate from ready-to-eat foods starting from the grocery store, to home storage, and cooking. Clean utensils and contact surfaces that come in contact with raw meat before using them for anything else.
Always cook food to a recommended minimum safe internal temperature. Refer to temperature charts for the specific food you are cooking. Store perishable foods in the refrigerator and refrigerate leftovers right away to prevent germs from growing at room temperature.
Certain foods are considered higher risk, in that they are more likely to contain harmful germs that cold make you sick. Foods like unpasteurized (raw) dairy, undercooked meat, and raw seafood make the list. But any food handled improperly could become cross-contaminated and make you sick.
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “What to Do When Severe Food Poisoning Strikes,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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