Coryza is a wor describing the symptoms of a head cold. It describes the inflammation of the mucus membranes lining the nasal cavity which usually gives rise to the symptoms of nasal congestion and loss of smell, among other symptoms. It should be noted that coryza may not always have an infectious or allergenic etiology and can be due to something as innocuous as a cold wind or spicy food. It is also a symptom of narcotic withdrawal.