Poisoning can be more serious than it sounds, especially when we are present with alcoholic beverages, medications or even spoiled food, it is a matter of great care that requires a lot of attention.
In this article we will know what food poisoning is and what its proper treatment is, as well as the symptoms and causes that you should know, in order to act appropriately.
What is food poisoning?
Food poisoning is that physiological reaction of the human body, before a poisoning caused by food , ingested before time, wrongly cooked or expired. It also uses poor cooking, raw meat or the presence of toxins such as clostridium botulinum and bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus.
This poisoning occurs, since this kind of food contains fungi, bacteria, mold or microorganisms that rapidly infect the immune system, acting as a poison that impairs the functioning of the organism. It can be mild and last for minutes, or it can be severe, ending in death.
Note: A medical study mentions that “Food poisoning is defined as that poisoning caused by a food product containing toxic substances, germs, metals, additives, hormones, etc. ” (1)
Causes of food poisoning
Food poisoning has various causes , which are not difficult to recognize, but are warning signs for someone who suffers from it. These are the main causes:
Microorganisms and toxins
Normally microorganisms and toxins are the main cause of food poisoning, since they are present in foods that have not been cooked (such as pork that contains various bacteria such as Escherichia coli ) or by fungi such as mold present in meat or food . in poor condition, also in the environment and acts as a harmful toxin, it is also called clostridium perfringens .
Important: Thanks to a medical study, the following is known “The most common bacterial cause of food poisoning is Campylobacter, present in raw poultry, unpasteurized milk, red meat and untreated water. As well as listeria, shigella (traveler’s diarrhea), clostridium, staphylococcus aureus and bacillus cereus . (two)
weak immune system
The probability of avoiding poisoning from meat or toxic food is not very high , but with a very strong immune system, the most serious and lethal symptoms can be endured.
On the other hand, with a weakened organism, the poisoning can spread to the tissues of the organs, eventually causing death or deterioration of these organs. This can lead to digestive diseases caused by bacteria such as Campylobacter jejuni.
Important: Bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes are considered the most lethal in terms of food poisoning due to their degree of mortality.
Chronic diseases
These chronic illnesses also play a key role during food poisoning, as they complement a weak or overly sensitive immune system . Remembering that chronic diseases are long and develop slowly, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and even diabetes.
To highlight: It is important to know that “People with chronic diseases have to permanently deal with them in the physical, mental and symbolic areas of individuality”, which if it involves food poisoning or the presence of bacteria, can make the case worse of people with these delicate diseases. (3)
Symptoms of food poisoning
It is important to recognize the types of symptoms of food poisoning, since at first glance they can be quite worrying to the person who suffers from it, without really knowing the cause of the problem in case they cannot go to a doctor.
Abdominal pain and headache
Abdominal pain is caused by burning and poisoning of the stomach that occurs from intoxication. It is usually very uncomfortable and unbearable . In addition, it can be accompanied by a headache or joint pain due to anxiety, anguish and the point of concern of extreme or persistent pain. In addition to this, the body feels weak and the eyes are sunken.
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
Other main symptoms and perhaps the most uncomfortable. Due to the poisoning of parasites such as giardia lamblia , nausea and dizziness can be generated, as well as vomiting or diarrhea, although the latter are a reaction of the organism in order to naturally purify or cleanse the human body of the toxins present. Drinking water speeds up this process remarkably.
Fever
Fever is recurrent during food poisoning , it can be uncomfortable and causes body temperature to rise a lot, in addition to being accompanied by rapid heartbeat and dehydration due to lack of fluids such as water.
general weakness
It is the most common during poisoning, weakness occurs because the body is fragile due to the poisoning that spreads and affects most of the body, stopping the functioning of the organs and leaving the body in a slow recovery process, accompanied by weakness . muscular.
Note: During general weakness, calm and a short rest should be maintained , the moment should not be forced.
Treatment for food poisoning
Fortunately, there are adequate treatments for food poisoning, which must be taken into account when being in a situation like this. Therefore, we leave you the following measures for treatment:
prescription drugs
This is in the case of a medical visit, during or after food poisoning, where the specialist prescribes certain medicines or drugs, which act safely.
Note: Some medications may be those that cleanse the body of the poison, such as loperamide or pepto-bismol, ideal for relieving stomach ailments.
drink enough liquid
This is in the case of dehydration , you should drink enough water, sometimes in small sips to alleviate this problem, apart from mineral salt drinks or very cool drinks, but never liquids such as sodas.
Take rest
You must give yourself rest time , so as not to force the body, since this can make the matter worse. Think of it as a sanitizing process , sometimes slowly but surely, never force the moment.
Note: Take rest as needed and as determined by a specialist doctor.
Avoid foods that worsen the condition
During the rest , you should not eat a variety of foods that worsen the situation , such as fats, heavy seasonings, smoothies or sweet foods such as chocolate.
In this case, fruits or foods rich in vitamins should be eaten , as well as the use of antibiotics indicated by the specialist doctor. However, they must be consumed with great caution, since the body can reject them through vomiting.
Eat solid foods gradually
This is in order to feed the patient and above all, to recover the taste and habit of eating food, it is a training for the stomach. Since if you are going through a process of food poisoning, it can be difficult to consume solid foods , so the recommendation is to introduce them little by little.
Note: You should consider solid foods such as oats, bananas, vegetables, pumpkins among other healthy foods, at cold temperatures or at room temperature. Functioning as a kind of food safety diet.
Key Findings
- Food poisoning is a reaction of the body to a poison, transmitted through spoiled food.
- It may be accompanied by symptoms such as headache, vomiting, fatigue, and diarrhea.
- Food poisoning can be mild or very serious , depending on the fungus or bacteria that is present.
- There are effective treatments and means to prevent or alleviate the discomfort of food poisoning, as well as drinking plenty of water.
- In the face of a serious case of poisoning, the recommendation is to go to the doctor who will indicate the best treatments.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.