Being sick with a stomach bug can be a miserable experience. When you’re dealing with nausea, vomiting, or other symptoms, all you want is relief.

The good news is that help is available. Amory Urgent Care provides care for a wide range of illnesses, including food poisoning and stomach viruses. Open 7 days a week for your convenience, our walk-in clinic features experienced providers and short wait times to ensure you get the care you need.

Stomach Flu vs. Food Poisoning: What’s the Difference?

Food Poisoning

Food poisoning happens when you eat contaminated food. Many different things can contaminate food and make you sick. Causes of food poisoning can include:

Bacteria.
Toxins.
Parasites.
Viruses.

Food poisoning can happen from eating food that is:

Undercooked.
Left out at room temperature for too long.
Kept in the refrigerator for too long.
Moldy.
Prepared by someone who is sick or didn’t wash their hands.

Stomach Flu

Gastroenteritis (stomach flu) is an illness caused by one of several viruses. Though stomach flu has “flu” in the name, this is a misnomer, as the influenza virus doesn’t cause it. Stomach flu is typically spread through germs from the unwashed hands of a sick person. Norovirus is one of the most common causes of stomach flu in adults, and rotavirus is more common in children.

Though these two illnesses are distinct, symptoms can be quite similar.

Symptoms of Food Poisoning

Some common symptoms of food poisoning include:

Nausea.
Vomiting.
Diarrhea.
Stomach cramps.
Stomach pain.
Headache.
Fever.

Symptoms of Stomach Flu

The symptoms of stomach flu may include:

Nausea.
Vomiting.
Watery diarrhea.
Stomach pain or cramping.
Fever.

How Long Does Food Poisoning Last vs. Stomach Flu?

How long it takes to get over each of these illnesses is one of the main differences between them. Food poisoning often runs its course after 24 to 48 hours. Once your body gets rid of the toxin or bacteria you ingested, you’ll usually recover fairly quickly.

Stomach flu, on the other hand, can last a bit longer. Though someone may feel better after a few days, it can sometimes take up to a week or more to recover fully.

When to Go to Urgent Care

Knowing when you should go to urgent care for food poisoning or the stomach flu is important. Ongoing vomiting or diarrhea can cause significant dehydration, and this can happen especially quickly in children or older adults.

You should get treatment in urgent care if you experience persistent nausea or vomiting or if you notice symptoms of dehydration:

Very dry mouth.
Sunken eyes.
Confusion.
Lethargy.
Fever.
Dizziness.
Minimal urine or very dark urine.
Rapid heart rate.

Other concerning symptoms include:

A persistent fever over 102°F.
Blurry vision.
Bloody or blood-tinged vomit or diarrhea.
Inability to keep any food or liquids down.

What Can Urgent Care Do for Food Poisoning vs. Stomach Flu?

If you’re experiencing symptoms of food poisoning or stomach flu, it can be hard to know which one you have. Urgent care providers can help reach a diagnosis and start the right treatment to relieve your symptoms and get you on the road to recovery.

When you visit Amory Urgent Care, an experienced provider will discuss your symptoms and perform a physical exam. You may need diagnostic testing—such as a blood or stool test—to confirm a diagnosis or rule out other conditions.

Your provider can order the appropriate medication to relieve nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. If you are dehydrated, you may benefit from IV fluid therapy, available onsite at Amory Urgent Care. IV rehydration involves infusing IV fluid directly into a vein to quickly restore lost body water and essential electrolytes. Your provider will order the appropriate type of IV fluid based on your condition.

If you or a family member is experiencing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea and you think you may have food poisoning or the stomach flu, don’t hesitate to visit us at Amory Urgent Care. We are open 7 days a week from 8 am to 7 pm to ensure you get the care you need when you need it.