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Good Medicine for November 2009

Dear Readers: Welcome to Good Medicine for You featuring Peter Lund, MD, founder of the Institute for Good Medicine at the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and his member colleagues sharing general medical information to help you live healthier.

The Truth about Food Poisoning
You know the feeling—an unexpected queasiness that makes you wonder. Was the lunch meat bad, had the dip been out too long, should I have avoided the raw fish? All likely questions if you think you have food poisoning. But how do you know if you’re suffering from food poisoning or a stomach bug?

First, it’s not really “poisoning,” explains fellow member Frederic Becker, MD, an internal medicine physician in the Philadelphia area. “It’s a food-borne illness which means bacteria or other organisms in the food made you sick,” adds Dr. Becker.

Food poisoning symptoms generally come on quickly and can include vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, lasting about 6-12 hours. “You can usually relate it to an event—a recent meal that may have been contaminated.” A good way to know if it’s food-related is to ask if others who shared the same food/drink or ate at the same restaurant also became ill.

Watch for these signs:

• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea (may be bloody)
• Fever and chills
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weakness (may be serious and lead to respiratory arrest, as in the case of botulism)

On the other hand, viral gastroenteritis, commonly known as the stomach virus/bug/flu, is not really a flu, but a virus that takes about 12 – 24 hours to set in, and normally lasts 1 – 6 days. Dr. Becker explains that the symptoms are nearly identical to food poisoning, but may last longer.

As is the case with any illness that causes diarrhea or nausea, hydration is key. Replace lost fluids with water or drink clear soups, clear sodas, or juice mixed with water. You can also buy oral rehydration solutions that contain the right mix of salt, sugar, and other nutrients, but avoid sports drinks because they don’t contain the right balance of electrolytes.

Remember to store, cook and serve foods at the proper temperature and pay special attention to anything made with eggs, raw meat, or mayonnaise. And as Dr. Becker advises: “It’s really pretty simple. Wash your hands and cook your food.”

Strep
It’s sore and scratchy. But every sore throat feels that way. While only a small number of sore throats are strep, it’s important to know the tell-tale signs of Group A Streptococcus—a highly contagious bacteria.

According to Erie family physician Christopher Clark, DO, strep occurs most frequently in children ages 5 -15, but anyone of any age can get it. Strep also appears most frequently during the late fall, winter and early spring. Symptoms often last 3-4 days and include:

• Fever of 101-103 degrees
• Throat pain
• Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus
• Tiny red spots on the soft or hard palate—the area at the back of the roof of the mouth
• Swollen, tender lymph glands (nodes) in your neck
• Headache
• Sandpaper-like rash
• Stomach ache and sometimes vomiting, especially in younger children

“It’s important to note that the symptoms of strep do not include a cough or runny nose. If you have fever, sore throat and either of those, it may not be strep,” adds Dr. Clark. “But it’s always a good idea to call your doctor, especially if there’s a high fever.”

Can strep be prevented? “It’s the same as any contagious illness. The best practice is the same as for the flu—wash your hands thoroughly and avoid obviously sick people. If you do contract strep, stay home to keep from infecting others.”

Strep should be taken seriously. Group A strep bacteria can also cause rheumatic fever which can lead to permanent heart damage. “Always err on the side of caution,” notes Dr. Clark. “Treat strep promptly. Good old fashioned penicillin does the trick; just make sure to take the full prescribed course of antibiotics.”

For other editions of this column, visit www.goodmedicine.org. These and other health care stories may also be found at www.myfamilywellness.org.