Food poisoning (diarrhea) diagnosis and treatment NYC
- SAME day Appt - Evenings - Saturdays.
- Accept most insurances.
- Discount for uninsured ($90).
- Board Certified Doctor.
- Convenient Manhattan Location
*Care provided for 18 years of age and older
Recent Patient Comments
My vacation to Las Vegas took a turn for the absolute worse when I decided to eat at an all-you-can-eat seafood bar—in the middle of the desert where there is no fish! Leave it to me. Anyway, the flight back was awful as I was up and down getting sick for the entire flight. Dr. F cleared me right up when I got back to the city. I just wanted to say thank you very much!
- Carmine R.
We accept most insurances
- 1199
- Admin. Concepts
- Aetna
- Aftra Health Fund
- AliCare
- Allied Benefit
- Allstate
- Amalgamated Life
- Ameriben
- Anthem
- Assurant
- Atlantis
- Beech Street
- Benefit Concepts
- Blue Cross
- Can Assistance
- CareFirst
- CD PHP
- Celtic
- Cigna
- CISI
- Companion Life
- Consolidated
- Coventry
- Delta Health
- EBS-RMSCO
- Emblem Health
- Empire Plan
- Fallon
- First health
- FreeLancers
- Frontier International
- GEHA
- GHI
- GHMSI
- Gilsbar
- Global Excel
- Golden Rule
- Great West
- Guardian
- Harrington Health
- Hartford
- HCC medical
- Health Choice
- Health Equity
- Health plan Admin.
- Healthnet
- HPHC
- IMG
FAQs
- What is food poisoning?
- What are the symptoms of food poisoning?
- What causes food poisoning?
- How might I get food poisoning?
- How long will my food poisoning last?
- Are there any home remedies I can use for food poisoning?
- What can I do myself if I think I have food poisoning?
- What should I do if I think I have food poisoning?
- What sort of examinations or tests will the doctor do?
- What is the treatment for food poisoning?
- How can I avoid getting food poisoning?
What is food poisoning?
Food poisoning is a gastrointestinal (stomach) illness that is usually caused by consuming contaminated food or water. People with impaired immune systems, young children, the elderly or people with chronic illnesses are especially vulnerable to food poisoning.
What are the symptoms of food poisoning?
The symptoms of food poisoning are:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach cramps
- Fever or chills
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Sometimes dizziness or blurred vision
What causes food poisoning?
Food poisoning can be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins or chemicals in food or water, or by food allergies. Common organisms that cause food poisoning include:
- E. coli
- Salmonella
- Norovirus
- Campylobacter
- Staphylococcus aurea
- Botulism
- Listeria
- Shigella
- Hepatitis A virus
How might I get food poisoning?
Eating contaminated food in restaurants, at large social functions or school cafeterias can result in food poisoning of a few or large numbers of people. There is also a high likelihood of contracting food poisoning in overseas countries which have poor standards of water and food hygiene.
How long will my food poisoning last?
Most types of food poisoning will resolve on their own within a couple of days. However, symptoms may last several days, in which case you should seek medical advice.
Are there any home remedies I can use for food poisoning?
Home remedies you can try include colloidal silver, activated charcoal, goldenseal root, or drink fresh lemon juice with a little sugar or make a hot tea with slices of fresh lemon and water.
What can I do myself if I think I have food poisoning?
Drink plenty of fluids, but not milk or caffeinated drinks, as fluid replacement is essential to recovery. Get plenty of rest and eat only small meals that don’t contain dairy products. If you are unable to drink fluids and have diarrhea, you should seek medical attention.
You should seek immediate medical attention at an emergency room or call 911 if your heart is pounding, racing or skipping, or if you suspect the source of the food poisoning to be shellfish or mushrooms.
You can obtain over-the-counter medications for diarrhea, but these should not be taken if you have fever or bloody diarrhea. It should be noted that this type of medication tends to prolong your symptoms and should not be given to children.
If you have diarrhea and are taking diuretics, these may need to be reduced in order to avoid dehydration. Always seek medical advice before doing this.
What should I do if I think I have food poisoning?
If your symptoms persist for more than a couple of days, if you are vomiting blood, have severe abdominal pain, difficulty speaking, black stools, muscle weakness that progresses downward, double vision, are unable to eat or drink, or if you have a temperature of over 100.4 degrees F, come to our walk-in clinic at 274 Madison Ave (between 39-40 Streets) Suite #304, New York, NY 10016, or call us on (212) 696 5900 for an appointment. Make sure to tell the doctor if you have recently been overseas.
What sort of examinations or tests will the doctor do?
Our doctor will question you about the foods you have eaten recently, ask about your symptoms and examine you for signs of food poisoning such as dehydration. Tests may be carried out on your vomit, blood or stools to try to establish the source of infection.
What is the treatment for food poisoning?
In most cases the doctor will not give treatment for food poisoning, but antibiotics may be prescribed.
How can I avoid getting food poisoning?
There are hygiene measures you can take to avoid food poisoning. Pregnant women should be especially careful to avoid contracting food poisoning.
- Wash hands before preparing food or eating
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Do not consume outdated foods
- Do not consume food from bulging or dented cans
- Cook meat and seafood thoroughly
- Do not eat wild mushrooms
- Do not eat grapes without washing them
- Keep refrigerator temperature below 40 degrees F
- Keep meat on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator
- If you are pregnant do not eat soft cheeses, especially imported ones, refrigerated pates or meat spreads, or rare cooked or raw meat.
- Wash hands after taking out the garbage, changing diapers, going to the bathroom, touching animals or blowing your nose
- When traveling overseas avoid eating salads, and only drink bottled water or water you have boiled or filtered yourself