How long does food poisoning take to go away?

Food poisoning often improves within a few days, although recovery time varies with the cause, your symptoms, and your general health. Some illnesses begin soon after eating contaminated food, while others take longer to appear. Diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and fever may not all start or stop together. Feeling tired or having a sensitive stomach can continue after the main symptoms ease.

The duration does not identify the cause by itself. Foodborne illness can result from bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins, and each can follow a different pattern. A short illness that steadily settles may be managed at home when you can drink and pass urine normally. Symptoms that are becoming more severe, returning after improvement, or continuing without a clear trend deserve clinical advice. People who are pregnant, older, immunocompromised, or living with significant long-term illness may need advice sooner.

Food poisoning is a condition, while symptoms such as diarrhoea or vomiting describe what you are experiencing. You can read more about [Food Poisoning](/conditions/food-poisoning/) and its common symptoms, including [Diarrhoea](/symptoms/diarrhoea/), [Nausea](/symptoms/nausea/), and [Vomiting](/symptoms/vomiting/).

Take frequent small sips of water or an oral rehydration solution, especially after loose stools or vomiting. An [Oral Rehydration Therapy](/treatments/acute-and-urgent-care/oral-rehydration-therapy/) plan can help replace fluid and salts. Rest, eat small amounts when you feel able, and choose foods that are easy for you to tolerate. Avoid preparing food for other people while you are unwell and wash your hands carefully after using the bathroom.

If you cannot keep fluids down, dehydration can develop through repeated vomiting or diarrhoea. A clinician may assess you and, when needed, recommend [IV Fluid Therapy](/treatments/acute-and-urgent-care/iv-fluid-therapy/) in an acute-care setting.

Seek urgent medical help if you are confused, unusually drowsy, faint, unable to drink, passing very little urine, or noticing blood in vomit or stool. Get prompt advice for severe or worsening abdominal pain, a high or persistent fever, repeated vomiting, or signs of dehydration such as a very dry mouth and marked dizziness. You should also contact a clinician if symptoms are not settling, or if you have a condition or treatment that weakens your immune system. See related information about [Abdominal Pain](/symptoms/abdominal-pain/) and [Fever](/symptoms/fever/).

Ask whether your symptoms fit a foodborne illness, how to judge hydration, and which drinks or foods are suitable for you. Tell the clinician when symptoms began, what you ate beforehand, whether anyone else became ill, and whether you have travelled recently or taken antibiotics. Ask what changes should prompt urgent review and when you can safely return to work, school, or food preparation.