Does GP consultation treat food poisoning?

Food poisoning commonly causes diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach cramps, nausea and sometimes fever after contaminated food or drink. A GP will ask when symptoms began, what you have eaten, whether others are ill, how often you are passing stool or being sick, and whether you can keep fluids down. They assess dehydration and may decide whether a stool sample, medicine review or hospital assessment is needed. Antibiotics are not suitable for every cause.

Take frequent small sips of water or an oral rehydration drink. Rest, eat light foods when able and avoid preparing food for others while you have diarrhoea or vomiting. Wash hands with soap and water, since hand gel may not remove every cause of infectious diarrhoea. Avoid anti-diarrhoeal medicines if you have blood in the stool or fever unless a clinician advises them. Read more at [Food Poisoning](/conditions/food-poisoning/) and [GP Consultation](/treatments/consultations-and-assessment/gp-consultation/).

Seek urgent help for confusion, fainting, very little urine, severe weakness, blood in vomit or stool, severe or worsening abdominal pain, or inability to keep fluids down. Babies, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with a weakened immune system can become unwell quickly and should seek advice sooner. Emergency assessment is needed if dehydration is severe or symptoms follow a suspected toxin or chemical exposure.

Ask how to replace lost fluids, which foods and medicines to avoid, whether anyone else who ate the meal needs advice, when you can return to work or school, and which symptoms should trigger reassessment.