Symptoms of food poisoning from fish

How Does One Get Poisoned by Food?

This is truly and odd situation, to say the least. Namely, one gets poisoned by food which contains harmful elements such as toxins, viruses and different bacteria in quantities larger that those we can cope with. In most cases people get poisoned by meat, either because it was not prepared well or because it is expired. However, fruits which have not been cleaned correctly, milk and dairy products which can easily get spoiled, vegetables as well as many other types of food, may also cause poisoning under certain circumstances. The worst thing about it is that, especially when it comes to meat, one cannot recognize the food not good to be eaten since it usually has the same smell, taste and looks as its fresh and healthy counterpart. Therefore, most people get poisoned without even being aware of it, enjoying their meal in the process. One of the most common ways of food poisoning is through shellfish and fish in general.

How Can One Get Poisoned by Eating Fish?

First of all, the ways are many. For example, a fish, while still alive and swimming, may eat something toxic. This substance may not leave its stomach and body even after being prepared in a restaurant or in the privacy of your home. Subsequently, after eating it, you get intoxicated by the substance and thus poisoned. Another way of getting poisoned by fish is by eating one with high levels of histamine. Histamine is a substance which fish releases when feeling threatened. Since, most fish are threatened while being caught, they release this substance and increase their body temperature. If the temperature is not lowered and histamine thus removed before cooking, people eating this wrongly prepared fish may get poisoned from this substance as well.

How Does One Know He or She Has Been Poisoned?

The symptoms are more or less straightforward. Extreme stomach pain, followed by strong cramps and constant feeling of nausea are all clear indicators. Additionally, vomiting, dizziness, and confusion of some sensations, mostly those regarding temperature, accompanied with constant redness in the face, add on to the list of symptoms.

Fish poisoning usually manifests itself about half an hour after consummation, redness being the first symptom. In cases of histamine poisoning an anti-histamine shot may be administered, but most of the times, time is the best cure. Once your organism has cleaned itself from the poison, you will recover. It usually takes about two weeks for this to happen. Extremely rarely, but happening regardless, comes death. Finally, the best precaution is to get informed about types of fish capable of being poisoned and avoid them. Also, taking care about keeping raw fish and meat in ideal, cool and sterile environments before preparation is crucial.