Whether it is the stomach flu or food poisoning, you are most likely miserable. It can be difficult to tell the difference between the two illnesses, as both bring on vomiting, diarrhea, chills, dizzyness and dehydration. But stomach flu is gastrointestinal and caused by various virus strains, while food poisoning is mostly the result of edibles that were prepared or handled incorrectly.
Instructions
Identifying the Illness
1. Make a list of what you ate recently. Did you eat something or someplace you usually don't? Are others who ate what or where you did also ill? If the answer to any of these is "yes," you may have food poisoning.
2. Know your acquaintances. Have you been around someone at work or in your family who is ill? Is a virus going around the office or your children's school? Have you avoided washing your hands regularly? If the answer to any of these is "yes," you may have stomach flu.
3. Know the symptoms. Do you have respiratory problems including sneezing, congestion of the chest or head or coughing? These symptoms can (but do not always) accompany the stomach flu. If the answer is "yes," then you most likely have stomach flu.
On the other hand, if most of your symptoms involve your intestines, are you experiencing more diarrhea than any other symptoms? If the answer is "yes," then you might have food poisoning.
4. Be aware of the length of the illness. Many flu virus strains last 24 to 36 hours. The most severe complication is usually just dehydration. In food poisoning cases, there is the possibility of other damage to the body. If you are ill for a long period of time and feel worse instead of getting better, see your doctor. She can run tests that would be more accurate in diagnosing the cause of the illness.
