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Food Poisoning
Treatment: What to
Expect
Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
 Medically Reviewed by Christine Mikstas, RD, LD
on April 19, 2021

When you have food poisoning, the first

thing you want is relief. Your symptoms
depend on what caused you to get sick, but
you usually have diarrhea, throwing up, and
an upset stomach at the least. It’s no fun,
but it’s how your body tries to kick out the
toxins and get you better.

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You usually get it from eating food or

drinking water that is contaminated with
bacteria, viruses, parasites , or toxins
created from these. While some cases last
longer, it’s usually gone within a few days.

There’s not a whole lot you can do except

stay near a bathroom and ride it out. But
you can take some steps to support yourself
as you recover.

Common Causes of Food

Poisoning
Your treatment partly depends on what
gave you food poisoning and how sick you
are. Some of the causes, from most to least
common in the United States, are:

Norovirus: You can get this virus from raw

fruits and vegetables . You can also get
this from shellfish, such as lobster and
clams, that come from tainted water .
Food handlers who have norovirus can
also spread it as they prepare meals for
customers.

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STOMACH PAIN RELIEF
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[Link] can become infected with

this bacteria by eating contaminated
food such as beef, poultry eggs, vegetables
or fruits, drinking contaminated water, or
touching infecting animals and not washing
your hands afterwards.

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FOODS THAT MAKE
1. ›
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2. ›
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STOMACH PAIN RELIEF
3. ›
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FOODS THAT STOP
4. ›
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DIVERTICULITIS

Clostridium perfringens. Usually a

problem on foods left unrefrigerated for too
long, this is common in meats, stews, and
gravies.

Campylobacter. You get can this from raw

or undercooked meat, especially chicken,
as well as unpasteurized milk and tainted
water .

Shigella. Often spread when someone uses

tainted water to clean food, it can be found
on seafood and raw, ready-to-eat fruits and
vegetables .

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E. coli. You often get this one from

eating undercooked beef, especially ground
beef, as well as drinking unpasteurized milk
and cider. E. coli bacteria can also be
contracted through contact with the feces
of an infected person and by touching
animals and failing to wash your hands
afterwards.

Giardia intestinalis. This is a parasite found

in stream water or food contaminated by
stool.

Listeria. Less common than others on this

list, you can get it from packaged foods
such as hot dogs and lunch meats, soft
cheeses such as brie, and raw fruits and
vegetables . Pregnant women need to be
extra careful about listeria since it can
cause miscarriage.

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How to Treat Food Poisoning

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How Is Food Poisoning Treated?

In most cases, there isn’t much your doctor
can specifically do for you, and you get
better on your own within a few days.

Adults or children who lose a lot of fluids --

this is called dehydration -- may need to go
the hospital to get an IV. This will replace
your fluids and electrolytes more quickly.

For severe food poisoning caused by

certain bacteria, such as listeria, you may
get antibiotics .

But with most bacteria, you may not get any

medication unless you have a weak
immune system or you’re pregnant.

You may also get medicine for food

poisoning caused by parasites. For viruses,
there’s nothing you can take.

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What Can I Do at Home?

Diarrhea and vomiting can really throw
off your body’s balance of fluids and
electrolytes.

Electrolytes are minerals, such as sodium

and potassium, that help with everything
from keeping your heartbeat normal to
controlling how much water is in your body.

So your main job is to drink plenty of fluids.

Start with ice chips or small sips if you need
to. It’s also helpful to:

Avoid food for the first few hours as

your stomach settles down

Drink water, broth, or an electrolyte

solution, which will replace the
minerals that you lose with vomiting
and diarrhea

Eat when you feel ready, but start with

small amounts of bland, nonfatty
foods such as toast, rice, and crackers

Get plenty of rest

Stay away from dairy, caffeine,

alcohol, bubbly or fizzy drinks, or
spicy and fatty foods -- they can just
make everything worse

Let Nature Run Its Course

Tempting as it may be, you typically want to
avoid over-the-counter medicine to stop
your diarrhea.

That’s because the diarrhea is helping to get

rid of whatever is making you sick.

If you think you need it, check with your

doctor first. And don’t give it to children --
the side effects for them could be serious.

When Should I Call My Doctor?

Though food poisoning usually goes away
on its own, call your doctor if you have any
signs of dehydration :

Dry mouth or extreme thirst

Not peeing much (or at all) or dark,

concentrated urine

Rapid heartbeat or low blood

pressure

Weakness, dizziness, or a lightheaded

feeling, especially when going from
lying down or sitting to standing

Confusion

Also call your doctor if you see any of these

symptoms:

Blood in your vomit or poop

Blurry vision

Diarrhea for more than 3 days

Extreme pain or cramps in your belly

Fever over 101.5 F

Throwing up that won’t stop -- you

can’t even keep liquids down

Tingling in your arms

Weakness in your muscles

Food poisoning is more dangerous for some

people than others. It’s best to call a doctor
for:

Adults 60 and older

Babies and children

People with a chronic illness or weak

immune system

Pregnant women

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More About Food Poisoning 

Food Poisoning While Pregnant?

What to Do

E. coli Food Poisoning

What to Know About Salmonella

What is E. Coli?
Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
 Medically Reviewed by Sabrina Felson, MD on
December 12, 2020

E. coli (Escherichia coli), is a type of bacteria

that normally lives in your intestines. It’s
also found in the gut of some animals.

Most types of E. coli are harmless and even

help keep your digestive tract healthy. But
some strains can cause diarrhea if you eat
contaminated food or drink fouled water.

While many of us associate E. coli with food

poisoning, you can also get pneumonia and
urinary tract infections from different types
of the bacteria. In fact, 75% to 95% of
urinary tract infections are caused by E.
coli. [Link] is a normal resident of the bowel,
which is how it makes it way to the urinary
tract.

Some versions of E. coli make you sick by

making a toxin called Shiga. This toxin
damages the lining of your intestine. The
strains of E. coli that make the toxin are
sometimes called STEC, which is short for
“Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.”

One especially bad strain, O157:H7, can

make you very sick. It causes abdominal
cramps, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. It is
the leading cause of acute kidney failure in
children. It can also cause life-threatening
symptoms such as:

Adult kidney failure

Fever

Bleeding

Confusion

Seizures

You should get emergency help if you have

any of these symptoms.

How Do You Get Infected?

You can become infected when you swallow
even a small amount of E. coli bacteria.
Among the ways this can happen:

Ground meat: You eat ground meat

that carries E. coli, and the meat
wasn’t cooked enough to kill the
bacteria. When meat is processed,
sometimes bacteria from the animals’
intestines make their way into the
meat. This happens more with ground
meat because it comes from more
than one animal.

Untreated milk: You drink

unpasteurized milk, which hasn’t
been heated to kill bacteria. E. coli can
get into the milk from the cow’s udder
or from milking equipment.

Vegetables and fruit: You might eat

fresh vegetables or fruit that’s been
tainted by water that has the bacteria.
This happens most often when
manure from nearby animals mixes
with the water supply.

Other foods and beverages: You

might also get E. coli from
unpasteurized fruit juices and yogurt
and cheese made from raw milk.

Water: You swallow water that

contains E. coli, perhaps while
swimming in a pool, lake, or pond.

Other people: You might get E. coli

from another person who has it, such
as a child. The bacteria can be passed
to you if you clean up after an infected
person and then don’t wash your
hands really well before you touch
your mouth.

Animals: It can be found at petting

zoos or animal exhibits at fairs.

You can also contaminate food in your own

kitchen if you allow a knife or cutting board
that has touched uncooked meat (like
chicken) to come into contact with food
that will be eaten raw (like a salad).

Symptoms
You’ll probably start to feel ill 2 to 5 days
after you’ve taken in the E. coli bacteria. The
most common symptoms are:

Abdominal cramps

Diarrhea, which may be bloody

Nausea

Constant fatigue

You may not have a fever. If you do, it may

be slight.

Healthy people infected with E. coli usually

feel better within a week. But some people
have a serious complication called
hemolytic uremic syndrome, which affects
the kidneys. This is more likely to happen to
older people and children.

Treatments
The only way your doctor can know for sure
if you have an E. coli infection is to send a
sample of your stool to a lab to be analyzed.

Fortunately, the infection usually goes away

on its own.

For some types of [Link] associated with

diarrhea, such as the watery travelers’
diarrhea, antibiotics can shorten the
length of time you have symptoms and
might be used in moderately severe cases.

But if you have fever or bloody diarrhea or if

your doctor suspects Shiga toxin-producing
E. coli, antibiotics should not be taken. They
can actually increase the production of
Shiga toxin and worsen your symptoms.

It’s important to rest and get plenty of fluids

to replace what your body is losing through
vomiting or diarrhea.

Don’t take over-the-counter medications

that fight diarrhea. You don’t want to slow
down your digestive system, because that
will delay your body’s shedding of the
infection.

When you start to feel better, stick to low-

fiber foods at first such as:

Crackers

Toast

Eggs

Rice

Dairy products and foods that are high in fat

or fiber can make your symptoms worse.

Prevention
One of the most important things you can
do to protect yourself and your family
against E. coli is wash your hands ,
particularly in these situations:

Before you prepare food

Before preparing bottles or food for

infants or toddlers

Before touching anything, such as a

pacifier, that goes into a small child’s
mouth.

After you’ve used the bathroom or

changed a diaper

After you’ve had contact with animals,

even your own pets

After handling raw meat

You can also prevent E. coli infections by

being careful about the foods that carry the
greatest chance of contamination:

Cook hamburgers until they’re 160 F

inside.

Drink only pasteurized milk, juice, and

cider.

Wash all of your produce before you

eat it. Be especially careful to get dirt
off leafy greens such as lettuce
and spinach.

In your kitchen, a couple of simple rules will

help keep you safe:

Wash: Clean knives, counters, and cutting

boards with hot, soapy water after raw meat
has touched them.

Keep raw and cooked separate: Use

different cutting boards for food that you
eat raw, such as vegetables and fruit. Don’t
put cooked meat back on the same plate
you used for raw meat without washing the
plate first.

When you're swimming, try not to swallow

the water, whether it's a pool, a lake, or the
ocean. It may be tainted with E. coli from
feces.

Show Sources Share

© 2020 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

View privacy policy and trust info 

More About Food Poisoning 

Salmonella Infection (Salmonellosis)

What You Should Know About Food

Poisoning

E. coli Food Poisoning

What is E. Coli?
Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
 Medically Reviewed by Sabrina Felson, MD on
December 12, 2020

E. coli (Escherichia coli), is a type of bacteria

that normally lives in your intestines. It’s
also found in the gut of some animals.

Most types of E. coli are harmless and even

help keep your digestive tract healthy. But
some strains can cause diarrhea if you eat
contaminated food or drink fouled water.

While many of us associate E. coli with food

poisoning, you can also get pneumonia and
urinary tract infections from different types
of the bacteria. In fact, 75% to 95% of
urinary tract infections are caused by E.
coli. [Link] is a normal resident of the bowel,
which is how it makes it way to the urinary
tract.

Some versions of E. coli make you sick by

making a toxin called Shiga. This toxin
damages the lining of your intestine. The
strains of E. coli that make the toxin are
sometimes called STEC, which is short for
“Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.”

One especially bad strain, O157:H7, can

make you very sick. It causes abdominal
cramps, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. It is
the leading cause of acute kidney failure in
children. It can also cause life-threatening
symptoms such as:

Adult kidney failure

Fever

Bleeding

Confusion

Seizures

You should get emergency help if you have

any of these symptoms.

How Do You Get Infected?

You can become infected when you swallow
even a small amount of E. coli bacteria.
Among the ways this can happen:

Ground meat: You eat ground meat

that carries E. coli, and the meat
wasn’t cooked enough to kill the
bacteria. When meat is processed,
sometimes bacteria from the animals’
intestines make their way into the
meat. This happens more with ground
meat because it comes from more
than one animal.

Untreated milk: You drink

unpasteurized milk, which hasn’t
been heated to kill bacteria. E. coli can
get into the milk from the cow’s udder
or from milking equipment.

Vegetables and fruit: You might eat

fresh vegetables or fruit that’s been
tainted by water that has the bacteria.
This happens most often when
manure from nearby animals mixes
with the water supply.

Other foods and beverages: You

might also get E. coli from
unpasteurized fruit juices and yogurt
and cheese made from raw milk.

Water: You swallow water that

contains E. coli, perhaps while
swimming in a pool, lake, or pond.

Other people: You might get E. coli

from another person who has it, such
as a child. The bacteria can be passed
to you if you clean up after an infected
person and then don’t wash your
hands really well before you touch
your mouth.

Animals: It can be found at petting

zoos or animal exhibits at fairs.

You can also contaminate food in your own

kitchen if you allow a knife or cutting board
that has touched uncooked meat (like
chicken) to come into contact with food
that will be eaten raw (like a salad).

Symptoms
You’ll probably start to feel ill 2 to 5 days
after you’ve taken in the E. coli bacteria. The
most common symptoms are:

Abdominal cramps

Diarrhea, which may be bloody

Nausea

Constant fatigue

You may not have a fever. If you do, it may

be slight.

Healthy people infected with E. coli usually

feel better within a week. But some people
have a serious complication called
hemolytic uremic syndrome, which affects
the kidneys. This is more likely to happen to
older people and children.

Treatments
The only way your doctor can know for sure
if you have an E. coli infection is to send a
sample of your stool to a lab to be analyzed.

Fortunately, the infection usually goes away

on its own.

For some types of [Link] associated with

diarrhea, such as the watery travelers’
diarrhea, antibiotics can shorten the
length of time you have symptoms and
might be used in moderately severe cases.

But if you have fever or bloody diarrhea or if

your doctor suspects Shiga toxin-producing
E. coli, antibiotics should not be taken. They
can actually increase the production of
Shiga toxin and worsen your symptoms.

It’s important to rest and get plenty of fluids

to replace what your body is losing through
vomiting or diarrhea.

Don’t take over-the-counter medications

that fight diarrhea. You don’t want to slow
down your digestive system, because that
will delay your body’s shedding of the
infection.

When you start to feel better, stick to low-

fiber foods at first such as:

Crackers

Toast

Eggs

Rice

Dairy products and foods that are high in fat

or fiber can make your symptoms worse.

Prevention
One of the most important things you can
do to protect yourself and your family
against E. coli is wash your hands ,
particularly in these situations:

Before you prepare food

Before preparing bottles or food for

infants or toddlers

Before touching anything, such as a

pacifier, that goes into a small child’s
mouth.

After you’ve used the bathroom or

changed a diaper

After you’ve had contact with animals,

even your own pets

After handling raw meat

You can also prevent E. coli infections by

being careful about the foods that carry the
greatest chance of contamination:

Cook hamburgers until they’re 160 F

inside.

Drink only pasteurized milk, juice, and

cider.

Wash all of your produce before you

eat it. Be especially careful to get dirt
off leafy greens such as lettuce
and spinach.

In your kitchen, a couple of simple rules will

help keep you safe:

Wash: Clean knives, counters, and cutting

boards with hot, soapy water after raw meat
has touched them.

Keep raw and cooked separate: Use

different cutting boards for food that you
eat raw, such as vegetables and fruit. Don’t
put cooked meat back on the same plate
you used for raw meat without washing the
plate first.

When you're swimming, try not to swallow

the water, whether it's a pool, a lake, or the
ocean. It may be tainted with E. coli from
feces.

Show Sources Share

© 2020 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

View privacy policy and trust info 

FURTHER READING

A Visual Guide To Salmonella

Food Allergy Triggers,

Common and Uncommon

Food Poisoning Treatment:

What to Expect

Pufferfish Poisoning

Food Poisoning Treatment

9 Food Poisoning Myths

Understanding Diarrhea
Treatment

Food Poisoning Treatment Topics 

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

ARTICLE

What Is Listeria?

ARTICLE

What You Should

Know About Food
Poisoning

ARTICLE

Salmonella
Infection
(Salmonellosis)

ARTICLE

Food Poisoning
While Pregnant?
What to Do

ARTICLE

Norovirus:
Symptoms and
Treatment

QUIZ

Food Bacteria Quiz

SLIDESHOW

What to Know
About Salmonella

VIDEO

E. coli Food
Poisoning

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