Ask:

What are the signs of food poisoning and what should be done if the patient cannot be taken to the hospital in time? Can you advise?

Mai Hoang (Hanoi)

Dr. Ngo Chi Cuong, Head of Internal Medicine Department, Medlatec General Hospital answered:

The first signs of food poisoning include abdominal cramps, loose stools more than 3 times in 24 hours, nausea, vomiting or other symptoms such as high fever over 39 degrees Celsius; symptoms of dehydration include thirst, dry skin, dry lips, sunken eyes...

More serious cases include rapid pulse, rapid breathing, lethargy, convulsions...

In young children, there may be dry lips, dry tongue, sunken eyes, and crying without tears.

When poisoned, if not treated promptly, the disease will progress severely and can leave dangerous complications such as sepsis, organ failure, electrolyte disturbances, and in severe cases, affect life.

Depending on the stage, symptoms can be treated in the following ways:

Within 4 - 6 hours after eating, if symptoms of food poisoning appear, the food is still in the stomach and has not yet reached the intestines, so it is necessary to urgently expel the contaminated food from the stomach.

The usual way to induce vomiting is to tickle the throat if the patient is conscious. Or you can give the patient diluted salt water to drink (2 tablespoons of salt mixed in a cup of warm water), then tickle the throat to stimulate vomiting.

If the patient is lethargic, unconscious, or may have convulsions, do not induce vomiting to prevent choking.

People with diarrhea: Should drink plenty of water, should not drink milk. Mix 1 liter of water with 1 packet of Oresol, or if Oresol packet is not available, mix ½ teaspoon of salt with 4 teaspoons of sugar in 1 liter of water and give it to the patient to drink to avoid dehydration. In addition, drinking plenty of water also helps neutralize toxins in the body, limiting the effects of toxins.

In case of severe poisoning with signs of vomiting, repeated diarrhea, headache, numb lips, rash... go to a medical facility immediately for timely emergency treatment.