Food poisoning is an acute disease caused by the use of food or drink, in a large number containing pathogenic microorganisms, their toxins or poisonous substances. Most often, the "culprits" of poisoning are unwashed fruits, improperly stored dairy products, meat, fish and confectionery, mushrooms, canned foods. Symptoms of the disease can occur after 0.5-48 hours after receiving poor-quality or poisonous food and, depending on various factors, can have different intensity.
Help with food poisoning at home
Considering the possibility of treating food poisoning at home, you need to clearly understand in what cases this is permissible, and when you can not do without medical help. So, if the symptoms of poisoning include nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, in most cases an adult person can cope with the disease themselves. But if there are additional disturbing manifestations, you should not lose time, go to the doctor. Such manifestations include:
- high body temperature;
- confused speech;
- impaired swallowing;
- strong muscular weakness;
- double vision or darkening in the eyes;
- yellowing of the skin and sclera;
- a rash on the body;
- presence of blood in stool or vomit;
- difficulty urinating;
- cloudy, dark urine.
In addition, medical care is needed in cases where the cause of poisoning are mushrooms or canned food, as well as if the state of health does not improve within 1-2 days.
What to do and how to treat food poisoning at home?
Treatment of food poisoning at home with early symptoms (if they are observed after about half an hour after eating) is recommended to begin with the release of the stomach from poor-quality products. This can prevent the absorption of some of the toxins into the blood. This is achieved by artificially provoking vomiting with the introduction of fingers into the mouth and pressing on the root of the tongue, which must be preceded by the reception of a large amount of liquid at room temperature (at least half a liter). The procedure should be repeated until the fluid released during vomiting becomes clear. It is worth noting that if after eating bad food more than two hours have passed, artificial inducing of vomiting will definitely be useless, because poisonous substances during this time already move into the intestines.
Further actions for food poisoning at home consist in a constant abundant drink (to prevent dehydration and the early removal of poisons from the body), as well as the intake of enterosorbents that bind harmful substances. In this case, almost any sorbents are suitable:
- Activated carbon;
- Polysorb;
- Enterosgel ;
- Atoxyl;
- Smecta;
- White coal;
- Lifferan, etc.
As for drinking, it is advisable to use mineral water without gas, slightly sweetened tea, compote, as well as special rehydration preparations, which are sold in pharmacies, for example:
- Regidron ;
- Hydrovit;
- Orasan;
- Touring, etc.
Such drugs are available in the form of granules or powder for the preparation of solutions, the reception of which allows you to compensate for the loss of fluid and salts in the body. Especially rehydration therapy is required in the treatment of food poisoning at home, accompanied by repeated vomiting and diarrhea.
On the first day of poisoning, it is recommended to completely abandon the meal, and in the future when improving the condition - to adhere to a sparing diet. The diet can include rusks, biscuits, boiled rice, baked or boiled vegetables, porridges on the water, dietary boiled meat.