How long does stomach pain from food poisoning last

Food can become contaminated at any stage during its production, processing or cooking.

Table of Contents Show

Types of infection
Campylobacter
Escherichia coli (E. coli)
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Lifestyle and home remedies
Preparing for your appointment
What you can do
What to expect from your doctor
What you can do in the meantime
How long does it take to recover from food poisoning?
Why does my stomach still hurt after food poisoning?
What helps with stomach pain from food poisoning?
Does food poisoning cause severe stomach pain?

For example, it can become contaminated by:

not cooking food thoroughly (particularly meat)
not correctly storing food that needs to be chilled at below 5C
keeping cooked food unrefrigerated for a long period
eating food that has been touched by someone who is ill or has been in contact with someone with diarrhoea and vomiting
cross-contamination (where harmful bacteria are spread between food, surfaces and equipment)

Cross-contamination can occur, for example, if you prepare raw chicken on a chopping board and don't wash the board before preparing food that won't be cooked (such as salad), as the harmful bacteria can be spread from the chopping board to the salad.

It can also occur if raw meat is stored above ready-to-eat meals and juices from the meat drip on to the food below.

See preventing food poisoning for information about reducing these risks

Types of infection

Food contamination is usually caused by bacteria, but it can also sometimes be caused by viruses or parasites. Some of the main sources of contamination are described below.

Campylobacter

In the UK, campylobacter bacteria are the most common cause of food poisoning. The bacteria are usually found on raw or undercooked meat (particularly poultry), unpasteurised milk and untreated water.

The incubation period (the time between eating contaminated food and the start of symptoms) for food poisoning caused by campylobacter is usually between two and five days. The symptoms usually last less than a week.

Salmonella

Salmonella bacteria are often found in raw or undercooked meat, raw eggs, milk, and other dairy products.

The incubation period is usually between 12 and 72 hours. The symptoms usually last around four to seven days.

Listeria

Listeria bacteria may be found in a range of chilled, "ready-to-eat" foods, including pre-packed sandwiches, cooked sliced meats and pâté, and soft cheeses (such as Brie or Camembert).

All of these foods should be eaten by their "use-by" dates. This is particularly important for pregnant women, because a listeria infection (known as listeriosis) in pregnancy can cause pregnancy and birth complications, and can result in miscarriage.

The incubation period can vary considerably, from a few days to several weeks. The symptoms will usually pass within three days.

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

Escherichia coli, often known as E. coli, are bacteria found in the digestive systems of many animals, including humans. Most strains are harmless but some can cause serious illness.

Most cases of E. coli food poisoning occur after eating undercooked beef (particularly mince, burgers and meatballs) or drinking unpasteurised milk.

The incubation period for food poisoning caused by E. coli is typically one to eight days. The symptoms usually last for a few days or weeks.

Shigella

Shigella bacteria can contaminate any food that has been washed in contaminated water.

Symptoms typically develop within seven days of eating contaminated food and last for up to a week.

An infection caused by Shigella bacteria is known as bacillary dysentery or shigellosis. See the topic on dysentery for more information about it.

Viruses

The virus that most commonly causes diarrhoea and vomiting is the norovirus. It's easily spread from person to person, through contaminated food or water. Raw shellfish, particularly oysters, can also be a source of infection.

The incubation period typically lasts 24-48 hours and the symptoms usually pass in a couple of days.

In young children, the rotavirus is a common cause of infection from contaminated food. The symptoms usually develop within a week and pass in around five to seven days.

Parasites

In the UK, food poisoning caused by parasites is rare. It's much more common in the developing world.

Parasitic infections that can be spread in contaminated food include:

giardiasis – an infection caused by a parasite called Giardia intestinalis
cryptosporidiosis – an infection caused by a parasite called Cryptosporidium
ameobiasis – a type of dysentery caused by a single-cell parasite (ameoba) called Entamoeba histolytica (this is very rare in the UK)

The symptoms of food poisoning caused by a parasite usually develop within 10 days of eating contaminated food, although sometimes it may be weeks before you feel unwell.

If left untreated, the symptoms can last a long time – sometimes several weeks or even a few months.

Diagnosis

Food poisoning is often diagnosed based on a detailed history, including how long you've been sick, your symptoms and specific foods you've eaten. Your doctor will also perform a physical exam, looking for signs of dehydration.

Depending on your symptoms and health history, your doctor may conduct diagnostic tests, such as a blood test, stool culture or examination for parasites, to identify the cause and confirm the diagnosis.

For a stool test, your doctor will send a sample of your stool to a lab, where a technician will try to identify the infectious organism. If an organism is found, your doctor likely will notify your local health department to determine if the food poisoning is linked to an outbreak.

In some cases, the cause of food poisoning can't be identified.

Treatment

Treatment for food poisoning typically depends on the source of the illness, if known, and the severity of your symptoms. For most people, the illness resolves without treatment within a few days, though some types of food poisoning may last longer.

Treatment of food poisoning may include:

Replacement of lost fluids. Fluids and electrolytes — minerals such as sodium, potassium and calcium that maintain the balance of fluids in your body — lost to persistent diarrhea need to be replaced. Some children and adults with persistent diarrhea or vomiting may need hospitalization, where they can receive salts and fluids through a vein (intravenously), to prevent or treat dehydration.
Antibiotics. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if you have a certain kind of bacterial food poisoning and your symptoms are severe. Food poisoning caused by listeria needs to be treated with intravenous antibiotics during hospitalization. The sooner treatment begins, the better. During pregnancy, prompt antibiotic treatment may help keep the infection from affecting the baby.
Antibiotics will not help food poisoning caused by viruses. Antibiotics may actually worsen symptoms in certain kinds of viral or bacterial food poisoning. Talk to your doctor about your options.

Adults with diarrhea that isn't bloody and who have no fever may get relief from taking the medication loperamide (Imodium A-D) or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol). Ask your doctor about these options.

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Lifestyle and home remedies

Food poisoning often improves without treatment within 48 hours. To help keep yourself more comfortable and prevent dehydration while you recover, try the following:

Let your stomach settle. Stop eating and drinking for a few hours.
Try sucking on ice chips or taking small sips of water. You might also try drinking clear soda, clear broth or noncaffeinated sports drinks. You might also try oral rehydration solutions if you have severe dehydration symptoms or diarrhea. You're getting enough fluid when you're urinating normally and your urine is clear and not dark.
Probiotics. Your doctor may recommend trying probiotics. Ask your doctor before trying probiotics.
Ease back into eating. Gradually begin to eat bland, low-fat, easy-to-digest foods, such as soda crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas and rice. Stop eating if your nausea returns.
Avoid certain foods and substances until you're feeling better. These include dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and fatty or highly seasoned foods.
Rest. The illness and dehydration can weaken and tire you.

Preparing for your appointment

If you or your child needs to see a doctor, you'll likely see your primary care provider first. If there are questions about the diagnosis, your doctor may refer you to an infectious disease specialist.

What you can do

Preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time with your doctor. Some questions to ask include:

What's the likely cause of the symptoms? Are there other possible causes?
Is there a need for tests?
What's the best treatment approach? Are there alternatives?
Is there a need for medication? If yes, is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
How can I ease the symptoms?

What to expect from your doctor

Some questions the doctor may ask include:

Has anyone in your family or otherwise close to you developed similar symptoms? If so, did you eat the same things?
Have you traveled anywhere where the water or food might not be safe?
Are you having bloody bowel movements?
Do you have a fever?
Had you taken antibiotics in the days or weeks before your symptoms started?
When did symptoms begin?
Have the symptoms been continuous, or do they come and go?
What foods have you eaten in the past few days?

What you can do in the meantime

Drink plenty of fluids. Stick with bland foods to reduce stress on your digestive system. If your child is sick, follow the same approach — offer plenty of fluids and bland food. If you're breast-feeding or using formula, continue to feed your child as usual.

Ask your child's doctor if giving your child an oral rehydration fluid (Pedialyte, Enfalyte, others) is appropriate. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems might also benefit from oral rehydration solutions. Medications that help ease diarrhea generally aren't recommended for children.

How long does it take to recover from food poisoning?

Food poisoning often improves without treatment within 48 hours. To help keep yourself more comfortable and prevent dehydration while you recover, try the following: Let your stomach settle. Stop eating and drinking for a few hours.

Why does my stomach still hurt after food poisoning?

Abdominal Pain and Cramps This can result in painful inflammation in your stomach, which may cause pain in your abdomen. People with food poisoning may also experience cramps, as the abdominal muscles contract to speed up the natural movements of your bowel to get rid of the harmful organisms as quickly as possible.

What helps with stomach pain from food poisoning?

Avoid food for the first few hours as your stomach settles down. Drink water, broth, or an electrolyte solution, which will replace the minerals that you lose with vomiting and diarrhea. Eat when you feel ready, but start with small amounts of bland, nonfatty foods such as toast, rice, and crackers. Get plenty of rest.

Does food poisoning cause severe stomach pain?

Yes, both stomach flu and food poisoning cause abdominal pain, but they are triggered by different organisms. A stomach bug is caused by a virus (norovirus) and is highly contagious—you become contagious as soon as you begin to have the symptoms and also a few days after you recover.