Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is when your tongue, roof of your mouth or lips feel like they’re burning. It can also occur anywhere else in your mouth or throat. BMS can happen fast, and you might not know why. It might feel like something really hot (like coffee) burned your tongue. The medical term for burning mouth syndrome is “glossodynia” (pronounced “glaa-sow-DI-nee-uh”). If you …

Hematuria is the medical name for the presence of blood cells in urine (pee). Healthcare providers label blood in urine as gross, microscopic or dipstick. Gross hematuria occurs when there’s enough blood present in your urine that it’s visible to the naked eye. It can turn toilet water a pale pink or bright red color. Microscopic hematuria happens when your …

A ureteral obstruction is a blockage in one or both of your ureters. Ureters are the tubes that carry pee from your kidneys to your bladder. Many different conditions and diseases can cause a blockage in your ureters. A ureteral obstruction prevents pee from moving into your bladder and out of your body. Without treating and removing the blockage, pee can back …

A blocked tear duct is a condition that happens when something keeps tear fluid from draining out of your eyes properly. These blockages slow or stop the flow of tear fluid, causing it to back up in the tear duct system and into your affected eye. The medical term for this condition is “nasolacrimal duct obstruction.” Your eyes need tear fluid to …

Blepharitis, pronounced bleh-fur-RY-tis, means inflammation of the eyelid. The edges of your lids turn red or dark in color and become swollen and scaly. Blepharitis usually affects both eyes. It can happen when a skin condition causes irritation, when you develop an infection or when oil glands become clogged. All of these things can even happen at once. Blepharitis is a term …

Blastocystis hominis is a single-celled parasite that infects humans and some animals. Infection with Blastocystis hominis is called blastocystosis. Blastocystis hominis was the original name of the organism found in humans. Later studies found that there are many different strains (subtypes) of Blastocystis and they vary widely from one another. Blastocystis has at least 22 subtypes, nine of which can infect humans. Scientists now call this group of …

Interstitial cystitis — now known as bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) — is long-term (chronic) discomfort, pain or pressure in your bladder area (suprapubic region). “Interstitial” means it affects the spaces between your tissues or organs. “Cystitis” means inflammation. If you have IC/BPS, you need to urinate (pee) more often than usual (frequency) and feel like you have to pee right away (urgency). Other …

Bladder exstrophy (ex-strUH-fee) is a congenital urinary abnormality in which a fetus’s urinary bladder develops outside the body. “Congenital” means the condition occurs during fetal development. The bladder can’t hold pee or function as expected, which causes urinary incontinence. In newborns with bladder exstrophy, the skin and pelvis don’t join as expected. As a result: The bladder sticks out of the skin on the outside of the belly …

Urinary incontinence is a condition that impacts many people’s lives. When you have incontinence, you may experience bladder control issues and leak urine. This leakage is often uncontrollable and can negatively impact your life. Your urinary system is made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. These parts do several jobs. They filter, store and remove waste from your body. Your …

Bladder cancer is a relatively rare form of cancer that starts in the lining of your bladder. Your bladder is a small hollow organ that holds your pee (urine). Healthcare providers have many ways to treat bladder cancer, including surgery to remove bladder cancer. Bladder cancer may come back after treatment, so people with bladder cancer should be vigilant about …