Woman goes viral on TikTok after revealing the ‘gross’ reality of contracting food poisoning abroad

Many will be familiar with the pain and discomfort of contracting food poisoning abroad.

But one woman’s experience appears to have struck a chord with TikTok users.

US-based travel influencer Aili Hillstrom revealed her encounter with the so-called ‘Bali Belly’ to her 2.4 million-member audience – in beautiful graphic detail (below).

The problem is essentially an upset stomach or traveler’s diarrhea.

It is often noticed within the first week of a trip abroad, as the body adapts to a new environment with new foods and other bacteria.

If you don’t have the same immunity as the local population, eating certain foods with a high risk of contamination is likely to make you sick.

Aili found out the hard way, as seen in her TikTok video that has been viewed almost 3 million times to date.

First, she warns people not to watch if they are “easily grossed out.”

“I have Bali Belly and I can tell you,” she says in the clip. ‘I’ve seen people talking about Bali Belly on this app and nothing could have prepared me for this, it’s about every tenth…’

Suddenly the camera shakes and the young woman jumps up and runs away – presumably to the bathroom.

She then turns back to the camera and continues, “…Every 10 minutes and it’s so painful.”

Symptoms of ‘Bali Belly’ — also known as traveler’s diarrhea — include abdominal bloating, cramps, nausea, urge to go to the toilet, loose stools and sometimes fever, according to Better Health.

Ways to prevent this include washing your hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before eating or preparing food.

Make sure hands are completely dry before handling food, plates, cups and other utensils.

Treatment for the condition includes: antibiotics to kill a bacterial infection, anti-nausea medications, and limiting alcohol consumption and high-fiber foods that can worsen diarrhea.

Also drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.