When poisons or toxins enter the human body through the air, through food, medications or other routes, intoxication occurs. The condition is very life-threatening; the number and type of pathogenic microorganisms affects how long it takes for poisoning to manifest itself.
The sooner the patient receives medical assistance, the better the prognosis will be, because many bacteria affect the functions of organs important for life.
The woman feels bad
Development mechanism
Ate something wrong
Any manifestations begin after the entry of harmful bacteria into the body or their metabolic products. Each of the hazardous substances affects individual organs and disrupts their functioning. Timely assistance immediately when poisoning occurs will help avoid many complications in the future.
Symptoms of the disease are divided into three groups, regardless of the cause of the pathology:
signs of intoxication of the body;
dehydration;
manifestations of gastroenterocolitis or inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.
What are the dangers of pathology?
Intoxication of the body is divided into acute, subacute, moderate, severe and fatal. The routes through which infection enters the body influence how long it takes for poisoning to appear.
| It appears when eating poor quality food. Symptoms become noticeable after a few hours and depend on the amount of spoiled food and toxins that are present in it. |
| Occurs after inhalation of toxic gases (for example, methane). Intoxication can be immediate and result in death. |
| The time at which the first signs appear is affected by the toxicity of the chemicals. Some substances gradually accumulate, poisoning a person, while others, in the amount of one drop, cause severe consequences and death. |
| The tissues of internal organs and the skin on which the substance enters are subject to instant destruction. Burns, vomiting with blood, painful shock and other consequences depend on the volume of the substance. |
| Medicinal substances | Taking the pills incorrectly often leads to poisoning, which can appear within 30 minutes after taking it. |
| Ethanol begins to affect a person within 30 minutes to 2 hours, and the symptoms depend on the amount of alcoholic drinks. |
How long does it take for symptoms to appear?
The main cause of food poisoning is harmful bacteria that enter the stomach and intestines. They live on dirty hands, unwashed fruits, vegetables and other unprocessed foods. Disorders can manifest themselves chronically or acutely.
Pathogenic bacteria
This type of pathogen begins its active action immediately after penetration into a beneficial environment - the intestines. Bacterial microorganisms multiply and release toxic substances into the body. How quickly the first symptom appears depends on three factors - the type of bacteria, the body's immune system and the amount of dangerous food eaten. The following foods contribute to the rapid proliferation of microorganisms: fish, meat, fruits, offal, vegetables, chicken eggs. If you eat it unprocessed or insufficiently processed, the risk of intoxication is high. Elderly people and young children are especially susceptible to infection.
How long does it take for food poisoning to appear?
- Salmonella appears a day after entering the body. The patient complains of diarrhea and vomiting, he has a fever up to 40 degrees and headaches. Failure to provide timely medical care leads to death.
- Botulism. The danger lies in canned foods. The disease is fatal and causes impairment of vision, respiratory and swallowing function. It can manifest itself in up to a day. Proper treatment allows the victim to fully recover.
- Shiggelosis. Microorganism that reproduces in raw milk. The time period before the development of the first symptoms is 1-7 days.
- Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli are common inhabitants of meat. Symptoms develop quickly: from 30 minutes to 24 hours.
There are other causative agents of food poisoning, but they are the least dangerous and are much less common.
Bacterial poisoning
Intoxication occurs from food poisoning containing E. coli or staphylococcus. The patient may feel unwell and vomit within 30 minutes to 1 hour after eating spoiled food.
Main symptoms:
- trembling, chills;
- weakness in the body, a sharp deterioration in health;
- increased body temperature;
- vomiting, attacks of nausea;
- painful stomach cramps;
- hypotension;
- diarrhea.
Treatment started in the first hours of the disease helps improve the patient’s condition after one day.
The danger is posed by stale fish, meat and dishes prepared in violation of technology and sanitary standards. Toxic poisoning can be obtained from consuming milt, caviar and liver of the perch family, beluga, and pike caught during the spawning season.
If the food has been poisoned by salmonella, the acute period may begin in the first 24 hours:
- increased body temperature;
- diarrhea;
- vomiting, nausea;
- painful spasms in the stomach and intestines;
- headache.
This type of poisoning is dangerous because it can cause dehydration. Lack of adequate treatment can lead to death.
Without medical help, botulism is the most difficult to deal with. The onset of the disease is noted in the first hours and manifests itself in:
- body aches;
- difficulty swallowing;
- breathing and vision problems.
Mushroom poisoning
Fly agarics
The amount of mushrooms eaten and their type determines how long it takes for symptoms of poisoning to appear. Usually the first signs of intoxication are noticeable within a few hours. Some toxins take effect within a day. Many mushrooms have been studied today and antidotes have been found for them, but from many species a person can die.
The same mushroom causes completely different symptoms in each person, but they are similar to other manifestations of food or drug poisoning:
- nausea;
- vomit;
- sharp pain in the abdominal area;
- severe diarrhea.
Characteristic signs
One of the poisons, alpha-maitin, which is part of the pale toadstool, fly agaric (see Amanita poisoning: mechanisms of development, symptoms, first aid and treatment) and other common types of mushrooms, begins to actively act from 2 to 24 hours after entering the stomach. The patient begins to experience severe diarrhea almost immediately or on the second day. Then there is noticeable relief and improvement in the condition, but not for long.
After two or more days, the next phase begins and the patient develops yellowness of the skin due to liver dysfunction. The patient's blood sugar drops sharply. There is a high probability that the person will fall into a coma.
Without the right help, mushroom poisoning can lead to death. The photo shows the most popular mushrooms among the population that lead to intoxication.
Poisonous mushrooms
Consequences and prevention
The consequences of intoxication are different. In mild forms, recovery occurs quickly, and no serious disorders are observed. After severe poisoning, exacerbation of chronic diseases and the development of diseases of internal organs are possible. The most serious consequence is death, which is possible with certain types of food intoxication - salmonellosis, botulism.
It is possible to prevent the development of an overdose by following preventive rules.
Rules:
- monitor food expiration dates,
- do not eat raw eggs,
- Wash fruits and vegetables well, peel if necessary,
- refuse to purchase goods with poor packaging,
- Maintain hygiene rules in the kitchen.
Food intoxication is diagnosed most often. How long does it take for poisoning to occur? This depends on many factors, as does the duration of treatment. If signs are detected, the patient must be assisted and contact a medical facility.
Read further:
Which mineral water to choose in case of poisoning ✅ with food or alcohol
How long does alcohol intoxication and hangover last for the body ❶ ❷ ❸
Salmonellosis in quail and chicken eggs - how to recognize
Botulism in mushrooms - signs, treatment methods and prevention
Symptoms of E. coli poisoning in children and adults
Article rating:
( 1 ratings, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Share with friends:
You may also be interested in:
Poisoning and intoxication of the brain - causes and consequences of poisoning
Poisoning of the body with bile - what to do, symptoms and treatment methods
Tuberculosis intoxication - children, adolescents and adults
