Can an IV help if I've had food poisoning? YES!

Have you ever suffered from gastroenteritis? It begins with a feeling of nausea and perhaps some diarrhea, and within hours, your entire body aches. Before long, you feel awful and vow never to eat that particular food again. As it continues, you might experience vomiting, and before you know it, you are in the bathroom a lot and find yourself feeling pretty rotten. Gastroenteritis is unpleasant and can cause serious health problems, so you want to get immediate relief.

In the United States alone, bacterial infections lead to 48 million illnesses and 3000 deaths every year. Various strains of bacterial infections have different symptoms, ranging from short-term and mild ones to those that require hospitalization and antibiotics.

Some types and causes of common foodborne bacteria

• Shigella (fecal contamination of food and water)

• Listeria (ready to eat foods, like cold cuts and cheese)

• Vibrio (raw seafood)

• Campylobacter (contaminated water, uncooked food)

• Salmonella (2300 types: undercooked food)

• E. Coli (uncooked beef)

Food Poisoning Symptoms

Food poisoning is not like a virus. Instead, it is a kind of auto-immune response by the immune system against a foreign substance, such as bacteria or a chemical toxin. The body’s attack is designed to protect the host by getting rid of the intruder, and the symptoms we experience are mainly related to dehydration and low blood pressure. However, dehydration and low blood pressure are often exacerbated by an attack by the immune system against the foreign substances, rather than being the primary cause of these problems. In addition, even if we aren’t experiencing food poisoning symptoms, we can still feel the effects of dehydration, which includes things like a dry mouth.

The key to the effective treatment of food poisoning is to drink plenty of fluids quickly. Therefore, one way to do that is to drink lots of water. However, there is a better way to rehydrate quickly than just drinking water. This involves adding a couple of ingredients, making that rehydration not only quicker but also much more powerful.

"Our intravenous infusion of fluids provides the quickest route to relieve symptoms." Food poisoning patients are given the best care possible by using drugs that work fast to reduce symptoms and promote healing. These drugs are called prophylactics, because they protect the patient from illness before it develops. They include the anti-inflammatory Toradol and the anti-nausea drug Zofran. These agents work much faster than if taken orally, so that the primary goal is to speed up recovery. This happens by using IV infusions that bring the medication directly into the bloodstream, rather than the digestive system.

Common side-effects of Food Poisoning

• Bloody stools or vomit

• Diarrhea for more than three days

• Extreme pain and/or abdominal cramping

• A fever higher than 101.5

• Signs of dehydration

• Dizziness or blurred vision

• Tingling in the arms

Steps to avoid foodborne illness

• Clean. Wash hands, cutting boards, utensils, and countertops thoroughly.

• Separate. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods.

• Cook. Use a food thermometer to ensure that foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature: 145°F for whole meats, 160°F for ground meats, and 165°F for all poultry.

• Chill. Keep your refrigerator below 40°F and refrigerate food that can spoil.

• Don't cook or handle food for others if you have diarrhea or vomiting.

• Most of the foodborne diseases are infections that are caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Food can also be contaminated by toxins and chemicals.

Rapid Food Poisoning Relief

You can get rapid relief with our IV Therapy. Yes, getting treatment in the home not only allows you to stay in the comfort of your own surroundings but means there's no waiting in hospital or doctor waiting rooms while feeling wretched.