Stomach problems are quite upsetting and are literally troublesome. Upset stomach can spoil your daily routine and reduce your efficiency in a considerable amount. You must have heard or had stomach bug in your childhood, mostly when people are not aware of it. Another condition which is quite common and is considered similar to stomach bug is food poisoning. Food poisoning is also very common and occurs to people of all ages. It is more prevalent in children but adults are no less affected. To understand the difference between these two stomach problems we will look at each condition separately and compare it with the other.
Stomach Bug Vs Food Poisoning
Well, even through stomach bug can be caused more easily, people get infected by food poisoning in most cases. Food poisoning can be very painful, irritating and disturbing. In food poisoning people start having vomiting, headaches, bowel problems, swelling and stomach related problems.
In case of stomach bug, it is caused by viral infection which spreads through the air or with the help of water droplets in the air. Today we have Senior Gastroenterologist, Dr. Sahil Ahmed from Ivory Hospital, Greater Noida to tell us difference between these two problems more briefly. He told that food poisoning needs to be addressed as soon as possible as it might cause some danger to the digestive system and other associated functions.
Stomach bug has become less common now because sanitization has improved in majority of areas. Stomach bug is a viral infection which causes fever and stomach pain which keeps on coming and going. Food poisoning comparatively has increased because of addition of chemicals in various edible products, vegetables, fruits and use of unhealthy used oils.
What Are Symptoms of Food Poisoning Vs Stomach Bug?
Stomach bug symptoms
Stomach bug may have various symptoms according to which this condition occurs. Stomach bugs are actually called viral gastroenteritis, which means that you may have these following symptoms of it-
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Vomiting
- Diarhhoea
- Nausea
- Stomach cramps
- Joint aches
- Muscle aches
- Thirst
- Headache
Stomach bugs can be determined by symptoms within a day or so because of which treatment can be started very soon. In majority of conditions, stomach bugs do not cause any major problems and can be cured with few medications and dietary changes.
Symptoms of Food poisoning
Food poisoning can be more problematic and infectious because it can be caused by a variety of reasons. This can be because of viral infections, bacterial infections and various other issues. Symptoms of food poisoning are as follows-
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Chills
- Muscle aches
- Headache
- Sweating
- Thirst
- General malaise
- Bowel movement having blood
- Severe abdominal cramps
- Shock
- Loss of consciousness
Difference in causes of Food poisoning and Stomach Bugs
There are number of virus because of which stomach bugs can occur. It can be because of norovirus, rotavirus or adenovirus. All three viruses are highly contagious and can prove to be virus causing inflammation. Due to high levels of inflammation in stomach, it causes the person stomach bug. It is said so because of the damage to the digestive system which acts like a bug to damage tissues and cells present in the digestive system.
On the other hand, food poisoning does similar damage to the tissues it is caused by food products containing chemicals that create an impact on the stomach. Food poisoning is caused because of these following conditions-
- Having raw or uncooked food
- Eating some kind of contaminated food
- Unpasteurised cheese
- Unwashed fruits and vegetables containing virus
- Having raw fish as food
- Drinking contaminated water
- Eating beverages containing chemicals
- Undercooked rice
Complications of Food Poisoning Vs Stomach Bug
Food poisoning can cause major complications whereas stomach bug can result in advancement or increase in symptoms caused while having stomach bugs. Here are some possible complications which may arise if you have food poisoning-
- Decrease in urine output
- Dry diapers
- Fast heart rate
- Excessive thirst
- Dizziness
- Dryness in mouth or throat
- Low blood pressure
- Sunken eyes in children
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