Oyster poisoning: how long before symptoms appear, diagnosis

Oyster meat is popular all over the world. Almost every restaurant has a dish containing these sea creatures. They have a very delicate, pleasant taste and leave no one indifferent.

However, this product should be treated with extreme caution.

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Epidemiology

According to statistics, oysters rank first in the ranking of the most dangerous food products that can cause acute poisoning.

The meat of mollusks contains many useful elements and substances that promote health. At the same time, the oyster is a kind of filter, passing sea water through itself. Substances that disrupt the functioning of the body may remain inside the mollusks. Poisoning with oysters can be caused by low-quality raw materials.

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Causes oyster poisoning

• using already dead oysters in the cooking process;
• Cooking contaminated shellfish. If a shellfish has been contaminated with salmonella, botulism, or E. coli, it should not be served;
• norovirus (viral infection);
• improper storage of oysters;
• overdose. The shellfish contains a high level of natural protein. If it enters the body in large quantities, the digestive system may fail;
• insufficient heat treatment;
• individual intolerance.

Before getting to the table, sea creatures go through important stages: catching, transportation, storage. If mistakes were made at one of them, the product can become dangerous for the human body.

Risk factors

One person or a whole group can suffer from a poor-quality product. Poisoning is often an unpleasant consequence of a picnic, banquet, or eating in roadside cafes or restaurants.

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Pathogenesis

Shellfish poisoning is a kind of injury that occurs as a result of a toxic dose of a substance entering the body. The disease is accompanied by severe pain in the abdomen and a sharp increase in temperature.

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Symptoms oyster poisoning

Intoxication poses a serious danger to human health and life. Eating oysters can lead to irreparable consequences. How long does it take for the first symptoms to appear? This can happen several hours (5-6) after consumption. Sometimes the signs appear after a day. First of all, it depends on the amount of seafood eaten, the stage, and the degree of contamination of the oysters.

How does intoxication manifest itself?

Symptoms of oyster poisoning can be noticed even by an ordinary person, without having special knowledge and skills:

1. Sharp and severe abdominal pain;
2. Nausea;
3. Bloating and intestinal spasm;
4. Diarrhea;
5. Botulism;
6. Elevated body temperature.

Seafood poisoning has its own specifics. The listed symptoms can include convulsions and loss of sensitivity in the extremities. If the first signs of poisoning occur, it is necessary to call an ambulance. Before the arrival of doctors, the patient should be given a large amount of water and an attempt should be made to induce vomiting. If there is no diarrhea, laxatives can be taken to help remove the contaminated product from the body faster.

First aid provided in time will help avoid unpleasant consequences and complications.

Forms

Experts identify several main types of intoxication:

• neurotoxic. Poisoning occurs as a result of the action of the fat-soluble substance brevetoxin, which promotes an increase in current through the sodium channels of nerve and muscle cells. Accompanied by headache, burning sensation in the anus, diarrhea, vomiting. The incubation period lasts approximately 3 hours;
• paralytic. As a result of the action of saxitoxin, sodium channels are blocked. 10-15 minutes after consuming a poor-quality product, neurological disorders can be observed. There is a feeling of numbness in the oral cavity, dizziness appears. Poisoning can provoke complete or partial loss of vision. Therapy should be started as soon as possible, since death can occur within 12 hours;
• amnestic. The causative agent is domoiconic acid. In most cases, poisoning is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea and dizziness. Sometimes memory loss, epileptic seizures, ophthalmoplegia are observed. The first symptoms may appear within 5 hours of eating.

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Diagnostics oyster poisoning

After examining the patient, the doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. To determine the degree of poisoning and the cause, he needs to familiarize himself with the symptoms and send the patient for tests.

The main signs of intoxication are nausea and abdominal pain. Such symptoms also accompany other diseases, such as appendicitis. To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct differential diagnostics.

To establish an accurate diagnosis, instrumental diagnostics is also carried out. It is a whole complex of procedures that are carried out in a medical institution. For this, devices are used that allow analyzing the functioning of internal organs and systems.

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Treatment oyster poisoning

Often poisoning is accompanied by diarrhea or vomiting. When they first appear, you cannot take medications to stop the urge to vomit, since the stomach needs to be washed. After washing the stomach, Cerucal is used in injections. Doctors also prescribe Motilak. A single dose is 10 mg (one tablet). In case of strong vomiting, you can take two tablets.

A reliable and fast way to remove toxins from the body is activated carbon. It is taken depending on body weight, 1 tablet for every 10 kilograms.

Enterosgel is used to restore the structure of the gastrointestinal mucosa. A single dose is one tablespoon. The paste should be washed down with plenty of water. In mild cases of poisoning, Smecta is taken. One packet three times a day.

Vitamins of group A help restore the functions of the intestines and stomach. They help normalize the process of secretion of gastric juice.

In some cases, specialists prescribe physiotherapy treatment.

Poisoning and traditional medicine

In mild forms of poisoning, you can resort to folk remedies:

• cinnamon tincture. It is known that cinnamon is considered a natural sorbent. It also helps to get rid of spasms. To prepare the tincture, you will need ground cinnamon (about 0.5 teaspoon) and a glass of boiling water. After fifteen minutes, the tincture must be filtered. It must be taken warm. Per day - 1.5 liters;
• lemon juice. Squeeze the juice from 2-3 medium lemons and add a little sugar. To prevent the juice from being too concentrated, dilute it with boiled water. The drink will help prevent further bacterial growth. However, the remedy is not suitable for everyone. Lemon juice is strictly contraindicated for people with high acidity and stomach diseases;
• Ginger is an ideal solution for severe abdominal pain. Just mix a tablespoon of honey and a couple of drops of ginger.

Herbal treatments are also popular:

1. Dill decoction with honey. This remedy will help remove toxins from the body in the shortest possible time. For 1.5 cups of boiling water, you will need 1 teaspoon of dill seeds. The mixture should be left to infuse for 2-3 minutes. After that, the decoction should be boiled and a spoonful of honey should be added. You should drink about 1 liter of the resulting decoction per day;
2. Yarrow and wormwood. These herbs help remove harmful substances from the body. Take one teaspoon of dried plants per 500 milliliters of boiling water. Infuse the decoction for 15 minutes. Divide the resulting portion into 5 parts and take throughout the day;
3. Marshmallow. Leaves, flowers and roots of the plant promote a speedy recovery. To prepare an infusion, take 2 tablespoons of leaves or flowers and add 2 cups of boiling water. The remedy is infused for 4 hours.

The effectiveness of homeopathic remedies for poisoning

In acute poisoning, homeopathy helps relieve pain and ease the course of intoxication. The most effective drugs are:

• Arsenicum album. The drug is based on arsenic oxide, which quickly removes toxic substances from the body. To ease the poisoning, it is enough to take 2-3 drops of the drug and wash it down with plenty of warm water. Relief will come in 5-10 minutes;
• Lycopodium. The drug has a powerful effect in case of poisoning by seafood and oysters. The daily dose is determined by a specialist. Granules should be placed under the tongue until completely dissolved;
• Hina. The drug is effective against dehydration, is available in the form of drops. Depending on the degree of poisoning, the doctor prescribes a daily dose of the homeopathic drug;
• Aconite. The drug is widely used for food poisoning. It removes spasms, helps stop diarrhea, and relieves fever symptoms. In case of severe poisoning, take 8 granules 5 times a day. The duration is approximately two weeks. Then take 8 granules 2 times a day.

In case of acute intoxication, you should not self-medicate. You must immediately contact a medical institution and follow the recommendations of specialists. If the treatment methods were chosen correctly and assistance was provided in a timely manner, you can count on a positive prognosis.

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Prevention

To avoid unpleasant consequences and protect yourself from poisoning, you need to remember about prevention:

• When buying oysters in a supermarket, it is important to pay attention to the expiration date and storage conditions;
• The product packaging is of great importance. If its integrity is damaged, the product may be dangerous and it is better not to buy it;
• You shouldn't visit questionable restaurants or cafes. Especially don't order seafood dishes from them;
• It is recommended to consume oysters no more than three times a week.

Although oysters taste great, you should always be aware of the consequences and take care of your own health.

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