How long should food poisoning last?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
Most food poisoning burns through in one to three days. The job during it is fluids, not food: oral rehydration salts beat water alone, taken in small frequent sips.
Eat blandly when appetite returns; the gut heals faster with gentle use than with fasting.
Get medical help for blood in stool, high fever, signs of dehydration like dizziness and scant dark urine, symptoms beyond three days, or any severe case in the very young, very old, pregnant or immune-suppressed.
For vomiting or diarrhea
Rehydration salts replace fluid better than water or sports drinks. Keep a few sachets at home; nobody wants to shop for them while sick.
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Health education, not personal medical advice. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service now.