The terms stomach flu (also referred to as tummy bug or stomach bug) and food poisoning are often interchanged, usually because people think they are one and the same. They are not. While both illnesses affect the digestive tracts, thereby causing similar abdominal pain and discomfort, they are actually different in several ways.
Many of the signs and symptoms for both conditions are indeed similar, so these are not the only means to determine if you are suffering from one or the other. It is important to be able to tell them apart because doing so helps determine the most appropriate treatment applicable. Admittedly, telling them apart will be tricky because of their similar signs and symptoms, but there are other signs and symptoms that differentiate one from the other.
The signs and symptoms provide doctors clues to determine whether a patient is suffering from stomach flu or food poisoning. These clues, combined with relevant laboratory tests, help doctors determine the most likely cause of the illness, arrive at a more accurate diagnosis, and decide on the next courses of action to take.
The following pages will show some ways of preventing and treating stomach flu and food poisoning.
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