Lessening the Load on Hospitals – When does Food Poisoning Go From “Stay at Home” to “Seek Medical Attention”?
As we navigate what has become known as the ‘apex’ of the Covid-19 Pandemic, it is now, more than ever, important to understand food poisoning and when medical attention is important (or even mandatory). Hospitals in certain areas have (1) run out of beds; (2) do not have enough staff to handle the number of admitted patients; and (3) simply do not have the bandwidth to care for patients who are not in critical condition. Americans are isolating themselves to mitigate spread of the virus but also staying off the roads, out of harm’s way, so they do not risk needing to tap in to the precious resource of medical care. And yet, other illnesses – both chronic and acute – are are not taking a break.
There is still the need for diagnosis, intervention and treatment even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this includes food poisoning. In a time of such incertitude, the question often arises: How does someone address an illness generally deemed “non-life threatening” so as not to burden the overwhelmed healthcare system?
Because the symptoms of food poisoning can vary so much, how does one decide when it’s necessary for a trip to the doctor’s office?
Food poisoning, at its most basic level, is generally caused by germs such as viruses, bacteria or parasites, infecting food (often through the fecal-oral pathway). According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), millions of people become ill with food poisoning annually (about one-in-six). Many are hospitalized (approximately between 75 and 125 thousand annually) and some lose their lives (about three thousand). These statistics, while not as serious as OCVID-19, are not something to take lightly. Neither are they something to live in fear of, as food poisoning dangers can be mitigated even if they cannot always be avoided. Consumers can take measures such as safe food handling and storage to stave off many of these illness-causing germs even though most Americans will nonetheless still experience food poisoning in their lifetime. When they do, the type of germ having made its way into a person’s food and the underlying health of the individual will generally dictate the severity of illness and subsequent necessity for treatment.
Let’s consider some examples. Two of the most prevalent germs include Salmonella food poisoning (a bacteria) and Norovirus food poisoning (a virus – often called the stomach flu). These food-borne illnesses generally cause major discomfort (Salmonella for 5-14 days and Norovirus from one to three days, usually) but generally do not require hospitalization in those with a good immune system. Others, like E. coli food poisoning and Listeria food poisoning, are also household names, but known to cause much more damage to the human body – often requiring hospitalization. E. coli can present with significant blood in the stool and listeria can cause the symptoms of meningitis and be life threatening. Botulism food poisoning, by contrast, or cinguatoxin food poisoning, cause neurological symptoms such as blurry vision, numbness or paralysis, changes in tactile sensation, etc.
Since the symptoms can be all over the place, it is important to know what to look for. Food poisoning, in general, can begin with nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite, fatigue, aches, pains and fever. These can often (in health individuals) be treated with rest, hydration and time. However, symptoms can present in other ways, such as bloody vomit or stool, blurry vision, weakness and tingling in your extremities. The severity of these symptoms, then, is what important. How long has the diarrhea been happening? Is the individual now dehydrated? (Think headaches and fatigue). How high is the fever? How painful is the stomach cramping? Are their neurological symptoms? Is the stool bloody? Is the pain accompanied by a stiff neck or shoulder/head pain? These more severe or worrisome symptoms should prompt a call, at least, to your primary care physician (also, possibly a video conference with a physician?). And VERY IMPORTANT, certain groups of people are going to have a higher probability of danger associated with these symptoms- the elderly, children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems. They should contact their primary care physician or an urgent care facility immediately.
When traditional gastrointestinal symptoms are occurring, and an individual feels medical diagnosis is warranted, there are also options for getting tested (fr many, if not all) food borne pathogens without seeing a doctor in person. Many physicians will allow sick individuals to pick up a stool collection kit for drop-off. Once acquired, the stool sample can be sent to a laboratory for diagnostics. And then, based on results, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics, hospital admittance, or simply hydration and rest.
The benefits of testing are not only helpful in deciding a treatment path, but also can assist in determining if there is a food-borne pathogen outbreak. If multiple cases of one particular bacterial strain are observed, an investigation into a cause will, in general, follow. Consumers will be alerted and deterred from consuming the contaminated product. Not only does this reduce the number of ill consumers, it will keep the hospitals in a better position to deal with unprecedented medical crisis’ such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to remember, again, that individuals listen to their bodies. While so many are overwhelmed with anxiety about becoming ill or making others ill, it is still important to seek the proper medical attention, by the medical community, when appropriate. There are times it is important to seek care immediately – especially in those with underlying conditions or who are in a particularly vulnerable stage in life.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, both medical and health agency resources are being stretched thin. Nonetheless, they are here to assist the ill, whether COVID or not, to save lives nad prevent further harm.
https://healthfully.com/mild-food-poisoning-symptoms-4156970.html
https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/foodborne-germs.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-poisoning/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20356236
