What is the difference between regular flu and H1N1 or Swine Flu?

I just recovered from flu with fever and sore throat. My fever felt quite bad. I immediately went to the clinic to see the doctor. As during any normal doctor visit, the doctor took my temperature. Then he asked me to breath in and out while he listened with a stethoscope. He asked me to open my mouth and say “Ahhhhh” while he had a look at my throat. He typed a few things into his computer and said “Should be ok.” Then he prescribed me with a gargle for my throat, a cough syrup, an antihistamine for my cold, a nose spray, medication for my fever plus antibiotics.

So…… how do I know if I have regular flu or Swine Flu?

I tried to look for answers. I found The Star Online’s Live Chat on Influenza A (H1N1) with Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai on Thursday, July 30. Someone asked this question:

So, how do we know, then, that what we are having is normal flu or H1N1 ?

This was the reply that was given.

To know the difference between normal flu and H1N1 please go to our website, http://h1n1.moh.gov.my

I clicked on the website but I could not see the answer to that question. Maybe I didn’t look hard enough. So I searched further on the internet and found this video on YouTube.

It is by Dr. Joe Bresee, from CDC‘s Influenza Division. In it, he describes the symptoms of swine flu and warning signs to look for that indicate the need for urgent medical attention. I’m posting it here because I believe many of you will also be asking the same questions.

What is the difference between normal flu and H1N1? What are the symptoms of swine flu? Since the symptoms are so similar to regular flu, when do I seek urgent medical attention? The video describes the warning signs for both children and adults.