While not all food poisings lead to death, signs of food poisoning are something you should always look out for. Because the truth is, no one is perfect when it comes to kitchen and food safety.
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “A watched pot never boils,” meaning that something that’s being carefully monitored or waiting for a long time may never happen. Something similar happens with food poisoning…no, not that kind of moldy, disgusting-smelling food (eww). I’m talking about food poisoning in the literal sense.
The thing is, the more you know about particular types of food poisoning and their symptoms, the better able you are to spot them if they do occur. If you’ve never had food poisoning before or want some extra information on it then this guide is for you.
Food poisoning can occur in a matter of minutes, and with the right information, you can recognize these symptoms before it’s too late. Read to learn more about the signs of food poisoning.
1. Headaches
The first sign one must pay attention to is how frequent or severe is your headache. When you notice strange headaches are affecting you it is a sign you might have eaten a poisoned food.
Severe headaches such as migraines are symptoms that you are infected with poison. Most of the time you will not resonate this to be the food you ate. But clearly, it is because you consumed a portion of food with bacteria.
2. Nausea
This is another common sign of food poisoning. Nausea is an urge you get to vomit. Eating poisoned food will cause an obstruction in your digestion.
This results in constant vomiting; including food, you ate previously. Getting stomach nausea is not normal and it occurs only something goes wrong with your body so you have to pay keen attention to your body. Know when this occurs so you can treat yourself accordingly.
3. Weakness
You will get tired and weak when you are infected with food poison. This is because there is a release of chemical messengers called cytokines. These messengers are responsible for body weakness and lack of zeal to engage in your basic activities. You will feel the difference no matter how active you have been described.
It can be easily detected especially when you notice active individuals suddenly get weak to partake in activities.
4. Diarrhea
Much of the time when you have been infected through bad food, diarrhea occurs. It is worse if it extends to three days. Diarrhea is a condition when you have to excrete liquid feces at intervals. It is a rupture in the flow of digestion as a result of toxic items in the food you ate.
This symptom is very common in adults. The worst form of diarrhea is the moment you begin to poo blood. It is one of the most dangerous signs, the reason why you must avoid food poison at all costs.
SEE: If It is Safe To Eat Expired Bread
5. Tummy ache
Next in line is stomach ache. The quantity of the poisoned food you consume will determine how severe the pain will be. Aches occur in the tummy when wrong and indigestible elements enter.
In this process, the digestion process of the tummy goes wrong if it detects a mayday. Exactly what happens when you consume poisoned food. You are bound to experience tummy aches which can get worse making you feel weak to engage in any activity.
6. Inconsistent temperature
A Series of signs occurs when an individual takes in bad food. Among the listed is the feeling of hot and cold. There is an imbalance in your feelings. One time you feel hot another you feel cold. It a sign of food poison you mustn’t ignore. Sometimes you could mistake this to be a sign of malaria or fever, but trust me do not ignore it – it could simply mean you are poisoned.
7. Dehydration
It is a symptom linked with diarrhea and vomiting. As an individual infected with food poison, you are bound to lose fluid when food cannot stay in your tummy to give you the required nutrient. Your body needs at least 8 liters of water per day so when it doesn’t get the daily measure, dehydration sets in.
Here is the most common complication of food poisoning to look out for.
- You will experience extreme thirst and a dry mouth even if you drink a lot of water.
- Dizzy feeling and wanting to faint when you stand.
- Eyes and cheeks become sunken and swollen.
- Urine changes color – the most common is the dark color.
- You will notice changes in your skin reactions. It does not flatten when hit or pinched.
- For children, there will be no tears when crying.
8. Cramps and Muscle Pain
No pain, no gain that’s the common slang gym instructors use to motivate students. But some muscle pains are negative and are also caused by food poison. Some delicate body parts like the back, legs, and thighs will be affected.
9. Loss of appetite
Loss of appetite is one of the signs of food poisoning. If you’re feeling really sick, you might not have much appetite—but if you’re feeling under the weather in a more mild way, you might be able to muster up a bit of an appetite. That’s why a loss of appetite is often one of the first signs that people notice.
If your loved one or friend seems to be trying to eat but can’t get their food down, it could be a sign that they’re coming down with food poisoning. However, if they’ve already eaten and are no longer interested in food, this could just mean that they are not hungry at that moment.
What are the Causes of Food Poisoning?
Food poisoning simply means contaminated food. How then can your food be contaminated? Let’s find out below.
Food can get poisoned at any point in food production. Be it harvesting, production, growing, shipping, storing, and most importantly cooking. There are four main causes of food poisoning and three of them are scientifically known as microbes.
1. Bacteria
Funny fact: not all bacteria are harmful, some are needed by the human body. For instance, Lactobacillus acidophilus is good for all humans as it is needed for food digestion. It can be found in the human intestine.
Here, only harmful bacteria infects food especially when they are stored at the wrong temperature. When your food is stored in temperatures between 40 to 140 degrees, you risk the presence of bacteria on your food. Freeze your food in degrees more than 40 to be on the safer side. It is the most common of all food infections.
SEE: Does Beef Jerky Go Bad? All the Answers You Need Are Here
2. Parasites
In the United States, parasitic food infections are rare. Parasites enter into food through another living organism. Likewise, parasites can infect you with poison when they gain entrance into your digestive system through the water you drink.
It is very dangerous for pregnant women and children to get infected with parasitic food poisons due to the possibility of weak immune systems. Ensure your children are protected and your spouse consumes only treated water and food.
Some of the parasites that infect food are Giardia, Toxoplasma, and Cryptosporidium.
3. Viruses
Food poisoning caused by viruses is usually fatal. Food gets in contact with viruses in situations where your cooked food gets contaminated with dirt from the trash or other germ-inhabited elements.
For instance, when water used in washing your grocery is mistakenly splashed on your cooked food; such food is virus-infected and must not be consumed. Similarly, using the same chopping board for different types of food gives room for viruses to infect your food.
SEE: How Long Frozen Bread Is Good For
4. Traveler’s Diarrhea
This is a type of diarrhea that affects travelers who go into developing nations. Food and drinks consumed during tours to these countries are mostly infected and they cause diarrhea for travelers and tourists.
SEE: Find Out If Tortillas Go Bad
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are food poisoning symptoms immediate?
Not all symptoms of food poisoning can be detected instantly. Some are noticeable in hours and others in a day.
2. Are food poisoning symptoms similar to Covid-19?
No. Food poisoning is a direct impact on the stomach alone with symptoms reflecting pain in related areas when food is not consumed. There are just about two to three similar symptoms to that of the coronavirus.
For Covid-19, the symptoms include; fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, loss of taste and smell, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
3. Is food poisoning fatal?
Yes, food poisoning can be fatal. There are some signs to look out for when determining if a food poison is fatal or not. Some food poisoning symptoms are mild and others are severe. Such cases of severe symptoms are fatal and such symptoms include when your oral temperature is higher than 100.40F, bloody stools, blurry vision, flu in pregnant women, and diarrhea in newborns or infants.
Conclusion
The signs of food poisoning need to be tracked as early as possible. However, the best way to tackle food poisoning is to prevent it rather than solve it. A major step to prevent food poisoning is to learn ways to cook your food well and hacks to preserve your food by obeying all temperatures of freezing and heating and avoiding all mistakes perfectly.
You might think that you know what to look for when you’re concerned that you or someone else has food poisoning, but the reality is that you may not be looking for the right things. Here are some of the common symptoms:
If you’re in doubt, it’s best to check with a doctor. If you have any signs that could be signs of food poisoning, call your doctor immediately. The good news is that food poisoning is rarely serious, and it’s easy to treat with medication if it isn’t too advanced.
The best way to prevent food poisoning is to keep your kitchen clean. Therefore, I will encourage you to check out these transformative ways to keep your kitchen clean always. Please feel free to explore Cheffist for more tips and guides.
Thank you for reading.
