Complications of Food Poisoning

Food poisoning commonly irritates the digestive tract, causing diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain or fever. The main complication is loss of water and salts. Dehydration can cause thirst, a dry mouth, dizziness, weakness and reduced urination. Persistent vomiting may prevent oral fluids from staying down. Some infections can cause bloody diarrhoea, marked abdominal pain or illness outside the gut, especially in young children, older adults, pregnant people and those with reduced immunity. Symptoms can overlap with other conditions, so severity and progression matter.

Take frequent small sips of an oral rehydration solution, following its preparation instructions. Continue gentle foods as tolerated and rest. Avoid preparing food for others while vomiting or having diarrhoea, wash hands with soap and water, and clean contaminated surfaces. A clinician may recommend IV fluid therapy when dehydration is significant or oral fluids cannot be kept down. Do not use leftover antibiotics or anti-diarrhoeal medicine without medical advice, particularly if there is blood in the stool or fever.

Seek urgent care for confusion, fainting, severe weakness, very little or no urine, inability to keep fluids down, blood in vomit or stool, severe abdominal pain, breathing difficulty or a fever with marked deterioration. Get prompt advice when symptoms are worsening, last longer than expected, or affect an infant, older adult, pregnant person or someone with a significant medical condition. Severe dehydration can require supervised fluid replacement.

Ask which fluids are suitable, whether you need testing for an infectious cause, how to recognise worsening dehydration, when normal food can resume, and whether anyone exposed at home needs advice.