Food Poisoning Vs. Stomach Flu

It has always been difficult to know if a person is suffering from food poisoning or stomach flu. In most cases, the symptoms are almost the same. Hence, it becomes difficult to diagnose the underlying medical condition. The most commonly observed symptoms are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, fever, headache, stomach cramps, and upset stomach.

Both these medical conditions are known to completely drain away your energy. A person suffering from both the conditions should eat easily digestible food. Let's go over the symptoms and treatments for these ailments.

Food Poisoning: The severity depends on the kind of bacteria that has affected the food. Bacteria like salmonella, Staphylococcus, or bacillus can cause food poisoning. In order to avoid it, eating healthy food is a must.

Stomach Flu: Inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and the stomach causes stomach flu. A variety of viruses also lead to this condition. A person can recover easily from this medical condition, without occurrence of any kind of long-term problems.

• It is caused due to consumption of food which contains bacteria. This medical condition is also referred to as food-borne illness, since the poisoning is caused due to food.

• It is most of the time a hazardous ailment. Hence, it should be treated as soon as possible, to avoid further complications.
• The symptoms start appearing 24 hours after consumption of poisonous food.

• It is caused due to viruses which are different from the viruses that cause influenza. The condition of stomach flu due to virus is referred to as gastroenteritis. It happens if a person eats contaminated food, or if he is exposed to virus due to poor sanitation.

• The viruses affect the intestinal tract. It is not very severe and does not cause anything more than dehydration. Except in rare cases, if left untreated, it can have a severe effect on one's health.
• The symptoms start to appear a few days after the virus has affected the system. The symptoms might start appearing anytime from the 1st to the 10th day.

Treatment
The most effective treatment is consumption of lots of water. Along with that, you can also drink juices of apple, grapes, etc. Also, different soups will help. You can also consume foods that speed up metabolism, as they help in clearing the system. If the symptoms start to become more severe, then taking medication is advisable. Also, make sure that you rest and drink plenty of fluids.

To avoid these ailments, eat well-cooked food, which is free of bacteria and virus and wash your hands regularly. Even though food poisoning and stomach flu make you weak, if proper treatment is taken, you will be fit, fine and back to work within a few days.

To avoid the above conditions, proper food safety is a must. Till the time you do not recover completely, avoid intake of calorie-rich food, which will further disturb your digestive system.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.