From viral infections and allergies to environmental triggers, nasal conditions can be caused by a range of factors and are among some of the most common complaints seen in pharmacy.

Many of these conditions tend to have some degree of overlap, so it can be difficult to distinguish between them. For instance, it's possible for someone with rhinitis to report nasal congestion too, or for someone with a stuffy nose to suffer from sinus pain. It's therefore important to ask customers to describe their symptoms carefully as this will help you to offer effective treatment and advice.

Sinusitis

The term sinusitis simply means that the sinuses are inflamed. This is usually caused by an infection or an allergy.

Normally, mucus drains through small channels into the nose. However, if these channels get blocked, the sinuses can become congested and inflamed. Sinusitis is often acute (lasting two to three weeks). However, it can be chronic (lasting at least 12 weeks). Symptoms may include:

• Pain or tenderness in the forehead, cheeks or around the eyes, which is worse on bending down
• Headache
• Fever
• A blocked or runny nose
• Cough
• Loss of smell or taste
• Bad breath.

In addition, nasal secretions may be thick and range in colour from white to yellow/green or even tinged with blood. This may indicate an infection, so refer these customers to the pharmacist.