How do I get help for food poisoning during Christmas?

Last week you wrote about when symptoms of food poisoning can occur after eating dodgy food.

- DR ROSEMARY LEONARD

But what I'd like to know is how best to treat diarrhoea and vomiting. When should you get advice, and how do you do this with the doctor's surgeries shut for most of next week? Symptoms of food poisoning can include diarrhoea, tummy cramps, feeling or being sick and sometimes a fever. If vomiting occurs, it usually only lasts a day or two, but diarrhoea may continue after the vomiting stops and can last for up to a week.

The main risk from food poisoning is becoming dehydrated, and the first signs of this are passing less urine than normal, with the urine you do pass being a dark yellow or orange colour, together with a dry mouth. It can also cause a headache and feeling lightheaded or dizzy.

To help prevent this, you should drink at least 200ml of fluid after each bout of diarrhoea, in addition to what you would normally drink (around one-and-a-half litres a day at this time of year). If you have been sick, wait for a few minutes then take frequent sips rather than a large quantity all at once.

It's generally best to drink water, but older people or those with health problems may benefit from rehydration drinks.

Eat small meals as soon as you feel able, avoiding fatty or spicy food. Paracetamol is a better option than ibuprofen for pain relief, and diarrhoea can be slowed down with loperamide (available from chemists) though if possible it is better to let the body clear out bacteria from the bowel as quickly as possible.