When you are incredibly sick, you have to either see your regular doctor, visit the emergency room or walk into a local urgent care center. Since your primary care provides likely requires an appointment and emergency rooms can be crowded, visiting an urgent care clinic may be your best move. These centers are excellent resources for treating common injuries and illnesses. One common sickness that might warrant a trip to your walk-in clinic is a case of food poisoning.
Sometimes it can be difficult to know when to see a medical professional when you have food poisoning. While it usually takes many hours for symptoms of food poisoning to show up, it can potentially take days. The contamination that occurs that causes the food to be tainted can happen at any time during the food production process. However, the preparation and cooking of the food is a common culprit. Somewhere along the way, the food has been contaminated, which can allow bacteria, a virus or a parasitic into your body.
Some of the more common symptoms of food poisoning include:
When it comes to the severity of the symptoms, it will simply depend on the type of contaminant in your body. Also, how much tainted food you ate can affect your level of sickness.
Your body can naturally fight off minor cases of food poisoning. While you may feel sick or be in pain, you will eventually overcome the illness. For minor cases, be sure to drink plenty of fluids since dehydration can occur from multiple bowel movements. Try to get nutrients into your system through sports drinks or vitamin-enriched drinks. Eat simple foods like toast to prevent upsetting your stomach any further.
While it is not always necessary to visit an urgent care center when you have food poisoning, certain symptoms can be dangerous. Urgent care services are necessary when there is blood in the stool, when diarrhea lasts for more than three days or when you have been vomiting for more than two days. Get medical help if you have a fever over 101.5° F or when you are feeling dehydrated.
Urgent care services are also recommended for those who are included in high-risk groups. Food poisoning can cause high-risk people to have severe reactions. High-risk groups include young children, older adults, pregnant women and anyone who has been diagnosed with a chronic disease such as diabetes.
If you think you ate bad food, try to stay hydrated and eat simple foods that will not upset your stomach. If you notice any of the more severe symptoms of food poisoning, then visit our urgent care center. We welcome walk-in patients and can help you overcome the pain, cramps and dehydration caused by the tainted food.
Call us today at (281) 946-1351 for more information from Eldridge Urgent Care & Family Medicine.
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