The term “swine flu” brings up a lot of extra panic and fear, which is why it is important for people to get informed on this subject before they start to worry. Also known as swine influenza, this infection is caused by swine influenza viruses, such as SIV or S-OIV. People wrongfully assume that swine flu can be transmitted from pigs to humans through direct contact or by eating pork products. This is not the case, since swine flu can only be transmitted from a person to another through respiratory droplets. This does not meant that it is not very contagious and it does not trigger alarming swine flu symptoms. It just means that while people with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk or developing this infection, ordinary people should relax if they see a porcine nearby.

The reason why people panic when hearing about swine flu is that this infection led to a global pandemic in 2009 and 2010. According to the World Health Organization, the pandemic is officially over as of August 2010, so people can finally relax. However, this does not mean that a swine flu pandemic cannot outburst again, which is why people should keep an eye out for any symptoms that are correlated with this condition. The thing is that the symptoms of swine influenza are very similar to the symptoms of regular, seasonal flu, so this infection should not be self-diagnosed by patients. They do need to know when they should see a physician, so here are the most common swine flu signs and symptoms. Swine flu typically starts with a sudden fever (of 100 F degrees or above) and a sudden cough.

Other common symptoms include runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, lethargy, headache, muscle aches, sneezing, weakness, dizziness, aching joints, chills and tiredness. Patients with swine flu might also experience loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, or nausea. These are the most common swine flu symptoms, which nearly every patient has experienced. Naturally, more worrisome symptoms occur in high risk groups such as children, pregnant women, elderly people, or people suffering from chronic disease and illnesses. If people in one of these risk groups experience any symptoms of swine flu, they should see a doctor on an urgent basis. In fact, everyone should see a doctor whenever two or more of the aforementioned symptoms develop, because it is important to be diagnosed by a specialist and receive the proper care and treatment.