When your stomach starts to bother you, there’s only one question you may have in mind. “What did I eat?” Food can trigger stomach sickness, and knowing the difference between the stomach flu and food poisoning can be difficult.
Both have similar symptoms, and they can happen quickly. Let’s look at each one and compare and contrast the symptoms. By paying attention to the differences in symptoms, you will be able to tell the difference.
The Stomach Bug
The stomach flu, also known as the stomach bug, is actually a very common gastrointestinal illness. Almost 21 million Americans get it every year. It is mainly caused by viruses like norovirus, rotavirus, and adenovirus. Unfortunately, the viruses spread very easily, so it’s easy to get it from others. Here are a few ways it can spread.
- Eating contaminated food or drink
- Touching germy surfaces
- Being in close contact with someone who is infected
Symptoms
If you have the stomach flu, you may have some of these symptoms:
- Stomach or intestinal cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Headaches
- Thirst
- Muscle/joint aches
Your symptoms may develop within the first 12-48 hours of being exposed to the virus. When it comes to how long your symptoms and the sickness might last, it depends on which virus got you sick. For some, the stomach flu is gone within a couple of days; for others, it might take up to 2 weeks.
Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is a general term for sickness caused by many different things, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It affects about 48 million Americans every year. There are over 250 known foodborne diseases. The common causes listed by the CDC are norovirus, salmonella, clostridium perfringens, campylobacter, and staphylococcus (staph). But when we talk about food poisoning, we usually mean bacteria like salmonella, E. coli, and staph.
Just like the stomach bug, it can be spread around easily. Here are the 2 main ways it is spread:
- Germ spreading: Germs from raw or uncooked foods can move to other foods. This is called contamination.
- Eating contaminated foods: Eating foods that aren’t cooked properly or might be raw, especially meat, dairy, and sauces, can make you sick.
Symptoms
If you have food poisoning, these are some of the symptoms you may have:
- Fever
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Muscle aches
- Thirst
In addition to these, some people may also experience bloody stool, vomiting, and severe cramping. These symptoms usually can appear hours after getting food poisoning. The average time symptoms begin to show is 2 days. For some, it may take some more days or weeks, depending on what caused the food poisoning.
Stomach Bug vs. Food Poisoning: Knowing The Difference
The symptoms of a stomach bug and food poisoning can be pretty similar, making it hard to tell them apart. But there’s a trick: The timing can help tell the difference. Stomach bug symptoms usually take 12 to 48 hours to show up, while food poisoning symptoms often appear much faster, usually within 6 hours of eating something bad.
Another thing to look at is how long you feel sick. Stomach bugs, especially those from norovirus, usually last about 1 to 3 days. But food poisoning episodes usually last only a few hours or a day.
Treatment
There’s no special treatment for a stomach bug or food poisoning, but both can make you dehydrated. So, it’s important to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. If you think you might be getting dehydrated or can’t keep liquids down, it’s a good idea to see a doctor at a clinic like MyCHN. Don’t take anti-diarrhea medicine without talking to a doctor first, as it could sometimes make things worse. And note that antibiotics don’t work on stomach bugs because they’re not caused by bacteria.
Prevent Yourself From Getting Stomach Troubles
The good news is that the steps to protect yourself from both stomach bugs and food poisoning are quite similar. Here’s how to keep yourself safe:
- Clean Hands: Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before eating or handling food.
- Safe Food: Rinse your fruits and veggies before eating or cooking them. Ensure your food is fully cooked, especially meat, because norovirus can survive high temperatures up to 140°F.
- Right Cooking Temps: Follow these safe meat temperatures:
- Pork, beef, veal, and lamb cuts: 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
- Ground pork, beef, veal, and lamb: 160°F.
- Poultry: 165°F.
For some extra protection:
Stomach Bug Prevention (CDC-Recommended):
- Clean things you touch a lot.
- Wash your dirty clothes right away and dry them.
- Wear gloves when dealing with vomit or poop.
- Stay home if you’re feeling sick.
Food Poisoning Prevention (CDC-Recommended):
- Use separate cutting boards and plates for raw meat.
- Keep raw meat away from other foods in the fridge.
- Put food in the fridge within 2 hours of buying it.
- Keep the fridge below 40°F.
- Defrost frozen foods in the fridge, cold water, or the microwave – not on the counter.
Follow these guidelines carefully, and your chances of getting either stomach trouble will drop significantly. If you’re ever unsure about what’s making you sick, whether it’s a stomach bug, food poisoning, or any other illness, don’t hesitate to visit a MyCHN clinic near you or make a virtual appointment with one of our providers. Remember, both stomach bugs and food poisoning will pass, and you’ll be back to feeling better soon.
Tolulope Ayoola
Tolulope Ayoola is the creative marketing content writer at MyCHN. She graduated from the University of Houston-Downtown with a degree in Technical Communications. Her goal and mission is to make healthcare patient content more relatable and interesting to interact with. She combines her creative eye with her technical communication skills to create content for patients. Tolu's past work includes creating blogs, press releases, and social media content for different sectors. She enjoys spending time with her family, writing, and listening to music & podcasts.
