Food Poisoning Symptoms

You can get sick with food poisoning after swallowing certain germs, like Salmonella or E. coli. Your symptoms may vary, depending on the germ you swallowed. Symptoms can range from mild to serious and can last for a few hours or several days.

The most common symptoms of food poisoning are:

  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach pain or cramps
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Fever

If you have diarrhea or vomiting, be sure to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration (not having enough water in your body).

Should I See a Doctor for Food Poisoning?

See a doctor if you have any symptoms that are severe, including:

  • Bloody diarrhea
  • Diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days
  • High fever (temperature over 102°F)
  • Vomiting so often that you cannot keep liquids down
  • Signs of dehydration, which include not urinating (peeing) much, a dry mouth and throat, feeling dizzy when standing up

See your doctor if you are pregnant and have a fever and other flu-like symptoms. Some mild infections can cause problems with pregnancy.

Serious Health Problems and Long-Term Effects From Food Poisoning

Most people have mild illnesses, but some infections spread by food are serious or even life-threatening. Some people may need to be hospitalized, and some illnesses lead to other health problems, including:

For some people, these health problems can last for weeks or months after recovering from the foodborne illness. For others, they never go away.

How Soon Do Symptoms Start?

Some germs make you sick within a few hours after you swallow them. Others may take a few days to make you sick. This table provides details about the symptoms caused by different germs, when they usually start, and common sources for those germs. Search the table for symptoms you are having.

This provides details about the symptoms caused by different germs, when they usually start, and common sources for those germs.

Some germs make you sick within a few hours after you swallow them. Others may take a few days to make you sick. This list provides details about the symptoms caused by different germs, when they usually start, and common sources for those germs. Review the list for symptoms you are having.

30 minutes to 8 hours

Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea

  • Germ: Staphylococcus aureus (Staph food poisoning)
  • Common food sources: Foods that are not cooked after handling, such as sliced meats, puddings, pastries, and sandwiches

Within 24 hours

Watery diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, fever, chills

  • Germ: Vibrio
  • Common food sources: Raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters

6 to 24 hours

Diarrhea, stomach cramps that last for less than 24 hours—vomiting and fever are not common

6 hours to 6 days

Diarrhea (can be bloody), fever, stomach cramps, vomiting

12 to 48 hours

Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain—fever, headache, and body aches are also possible

18 to 36 hours

Difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, and difficulty moving eyes – symptoms start in the head and move down as the illness gets worse

2 to 5 days

Diarrhea (often bloody), fever, stomach cramps

3 to 4 days

Severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), vomiting

1 week

Watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea, fatigue

2 weeks

Fever and flu-like symptoms (such as muscle aches and fatigue), headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures

* Most often older adults and people with weakened immune systems

Report Food Poisoning
hands on stomach

If you think you or someone you know got sick from food, please report it to your local health department. Report it even if you don’t know what food made you sick. Reporting an illness can help public health officials identify a foodborne disease outbreak and keep others from getting sick.