As soon as fall hits, so do the sneezes, coughs, aches and pains associated with the common cold and influenza.

But while you may think you are suffering from one, you may in fact be suffering from the other.

Knowing the difference between cold and flu and their symptoms can help determine the best course of treatment, even though both are viruses and can look very similar.

The flu and cold are both respiratory illnesses and they are both contagious. Yet in general, the flu can cause more serious illness than a cold. It can even cause death.

Each year, between 5 and 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu....