Since the symptoms of food poisoning usually appear quickly and acutely, help should be provided as soon as possible. Not only the health, but also the life of the victim often depends on this. In case of food poisoning, vomiting and diarrhea cannot be stopped - in this way the body gets rid of toxins, it is necessary to give the patient plenty of water to drink and take an adsorbent -
Help with food poisoning should be provided as soon as possible. Not only the health of the victim, but also his life depends on speed and timely and correct actions. Food poisoning most often occurs in an acute form, the symptoms develop quickly and depend on the type of poisoning:
Providing assistance for food poisoning is based on four rules:
Independent actions to clean the stomach and neutralize poisoning are unacceptable in specific cases - calling an ambulance is necessary for the following categories of victims:
If intoxication is determined to be mild, the patient has no life-threatening symptoms (continuous vomiting, diarrhea with blood, drop in blood pressure, convulsions), the following can be done:
If the symptoms of poisoning do not subside after 4-6 hours, you should call a doctor, self-medication can worsen the condition of the victim.
Medical assistance for food poisoningThis is a clear implementation of already familiar measures. The action algorithm is as follows:
Contrary to popular opinion, cleansing enemas, taking antibacterial or astringent drugs can worsen the patient's condition and worsen the clinical picture of food poisoning . All appointments of this kind must be made by a doctor. Also, you should not make independent decisions and actions in case of dangerous symptoms, the only thing that needs to be done as soon as possible is to call an ambulance.
Emergency aid for food poisoningThis is pathogenetic therapy, which is carried out only by specialists with medical education. Such help is necessary in acute forms of intoxication, as well as in cases where we are talking about small children, the elderly or those suffering from chronic diseases (diabetes, bronchial asthma, cardiopathies, neuralgic diseases). The first thing an emergency physician does is to assess the patient's condition and make a primary differential diagnosis of the type of poisoning. The issue of urgent hospitalization is decided depending on the severity of intoxication and the threat to the victim's life.
In hospital conditions, the diagnosis is clarified with the help of a complex of laboratory tests. Further, the actions are almost identical to those carried out at home, but professional emergency care for food poisoning involves the use of specific detoxification measures, intravenous administration of saline solutions and symptomatic treatment.
The methods of removing toxins can be various — from washing the stomach with a probe and using an enema to diuresis and hemodialysis. In addition to detoxification measures, in parallel, the patient is prescribed intravenous infusions to restore the water-electrolyte balance, antibacterial therapy. Further, the actions of doctors are aimed at correcting the condition of the victim and eliminating all possible consequences of poisoning.
Helping a child with food poisoning
Help to the child is most often provided in a medical institution in inpatient conditions. There are often cases when parents try to help a sick child on their own, losing precious time. In children, food poisoning occurs in an acute form, so the call for emergency medical assistance is most often unavoidable. The following signs of poisoning are particularly alarming :
You can try to provide help to a child with food poisoning in a mild form at home. Mild intoxications include cases accompanied by stool disorder (no more than 3-5 times a day), a slight increase in temperature, and periodic vomiting.
The actions of parents should be as follows. Even in the case of mild poisoning, it is worth calling a doctor or an ambulance to inform about the poisoning and receive competent recommendations and advice on providing assistance to the child.
Before the doctor's visit or the arrival of an ambulance, the child needs to wash his stomach. Vomiting should not scare parents - this is how the body tries to remove toxins on its own. In order to speed up this process, you need to let the child drink clean water at room temperature. The volume of liquid (which can be given to a child at one time) depends on age and is calculated according to the following scheme:
The vomiting reflex can be activated by gently pressing the root of the tongue with a teaspoon or a clean finger. Actions should be repeated until the vomited mass is cleared of food residues.
Food poisoning in a mild form with correct and timely actions does not require urgent hospitalization and can be treated at home.
What not to do with food poisoning
Timely help with food poisoning mostly helps to avoid hospitalization, besides, sometimes it saves not only the health, but also the life of the victim.