How can I say the difference between food poisoning and stomach flu?
The difference between food poisoning and the so -called "gastric flu" is in fact a bit difficult to define, mainly because the term "stomach flu" is not actually an exact description. In both cases, symptoms are very similar to treatment, as the condition often leads its course without medical intervention. Medical assistance should be required if symptoms persist for more than 24 hours or if they become extreme. This may be the result of poor hygiene or incorrect manipulation of food and symptoms may occur between two and 24 hours after eating, depending on the agent that causes food poisoning. First, there are often headache, fever and fatigue, followed by nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Other people who ate the same thing and also fell ill. For example, if everyone gets sick after a family food, food poisoning is very likely. Food poisoning can be a little more complicated when people eat in a restaurant because symptoms maydiscover for some time. For example, if people get sick two hours after dinner in a restaurant, dinner may not be the cause; It could have been the fruit that everyone had for lunch.
"stomach flu" is not really flu at all, because the flu is caused by a flu virus that attacks the respiratory system. More precisely, gastric flu should be known as gastroenteritis. This is due to a viral intestinal infection that causes irritation, and symptoms very similar to the above: nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, fatigue and chills. Gastroenteritis may be caused by consuming contaminated food or former virus through poor hygiene. Food is the most common vector for gastroenteritis, so it is possible to think of stomach flu as a special subgroup of food poisoning.
In both cases, the best thing for the patient is to stay hydrated and rest. Symptoms usuallyThey will take place within 24 hours, although the patient may feel a little weak for several days. They can also help eat bland meals, as well as drinking products specially designed for people with diarrhea, such as pedidialyte and other fortified drinks that offer nutrition in addition to hydration.
If the symptoms persist or the patient begins to vomit or excrete blood or develop a changed level of consciousness, it is time to see a doctor. The physician can narrow the cause and prescribe a drug that is dealt with with virus, bacteria, parasite or toxin that causes the condition. It may be useful to know what the patient ate over the last 48 hours, because certain foods are more susceptible to contamination than others; For example, if the patient had chicken, campylobacter and Salmonella would lead suspicious.