Your kidneys filter wastes from your blood and regulate other functions of your body. When your kidneys fail, you need treatment to replace the work your kidneys normally perform. Developing kidney failure means you have some decisions to make about your treatment. You may choose to forgo treatment. If you choose to receive treatment, your choices include hemodialysis, which requires a machine used to filter your blood outside your body; peritoneal dialysis, which uses the lining of your belly to filter your blood inside the body; and kidney transplantation, in which a new kidney is placed in your body. Each treatment has advantages and disadvantages. Your choice of treatment will have a big impact on your day-to-day lifestyle, such as being able to keep a job if you are working. You are the only one who can decide what means most to you. Reading this publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 08-2412) is a good way to learn about your options so you can make an informed choice. And, if you find that your choice is not a good fit for your life, you can change treatments. With the help of your health care team, family, and friends, you can lead a full, active life.

Hepatitis C is a liver disease. Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Inflammation is the painful, red swelling that results when tissues of the body become injured or infected. Inflammation can cause organs to not work properly. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 09-4229) provides information about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments for Hepatitis C. Other types of hepatitis exist. The National Institutes of Health has also provided additional publications about Hepatitis A - "What I Need to Know About Hepatitis A" - Publication No. 09-4244 - and Hepatitis B - "What I Need to Know About Hepatitis B" - Publication No. 09-4228.

The National Institutes of Health Publication 12-4280, "Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Mouth Healthy," addresses diabetes and how you can prevent or slow down related health problems. Too much glucose in the blood for a long time can cause diabetes problems. This high blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can damage many parts of the body, such as the heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys. Heart and blood vessel disease can lead to heart attacks and strokes. You can do a lot to prevent or slow down diabetes problems. This booklet is about mouth problems that can be caused by diabetes. Too much glucose in your blood from diabetes can cause pain, infection, and other problems in your mouth. Your mouth includes: your teeth, your gums, your jaw, and tissues such as your tongue, the roof and bottom of your mouth, and the inside of your cheeks. Glucose is present in your saliva-the liquid in your mouth that makes it wet. When diabetes is not controlled, high glucose levels in your saliva help harmful germs, called plaque, grow. Plaque also comes from eating foods that contain sugars or starches. Some types of plaque cause tooth decay or cavities. Other types of plaque cause gum disease. Gum disease can happen more often, be more severe, and take longer to heal if you have diabetes. In turn, having gum disease can make your blood glucose hard to control. Some studies show that treating your gum disease makes it easier to control your blood glucose. You will learn the things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems. This Publication is one of seven in a series that can help you learn more about how to prevent diabetes problems. These include: "Keep Your Diabetes Under Control," "Keep Your Heart and Blood Vessels Healthy," "Keep Your Kidneys Healthy," "Keep Your Eyes Healthy," "Keep Your Feet and Skin Healthy," "Keep Your Nervous System Healthy," and "Keep Your Mouth Healthy."

This National Institutes of Health Publication 12-5774, "What I Need to Know About Crohn's Disease," provides information on Crohn's disease from understanding the symptoms to obtaining the proper treatment so that you can lead a full, healthy life. Crohn's disease is a disease that causes inflammation, or swelling, and irritation of any part of the digestive tract-also called the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The part most commonly affected is the end part of the small intestine, called the ileum. Crohn's disease is one of two main forms of diseases of the GI tract named inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The other form, called ulcerative colitis, affects the large intestine, which includes the colon and the rectum. With Crohn's disease, chronic-or long lasting- inflammation may cause scar tissue to form in the lining of the intestine. When scar tissue builds up, the passage can become narrow, causing food and stool to move through the GI tract more slowly. There are many options for treating Crohn's disease including the proper medicines, diet and nutrition. Most people with Crohn's disease are able to work, raise families, and live full lives.

The National Institutes of Health Publication 08-4282, "Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Feet and Skin Healthy," addresses diabetes and how you can prevent or slow down related health problems. Too much glucose in the blood for a long time can cause diabetes problems. This high blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can damage many parts of the body, such as the heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys. Heart and blood vessel disease can lead to heart attacks and strokes. You can do a lot to prevent or slow down diabetes problems. This booklet is about feet and skin problems caused by diabetes. You will learn the things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems. This Publication is one of seven in a series that can help you learn more about how to prevent diabetes problems. These include: "Keep Your Diabetes Under Control," "Keep Your Heart and Blood Vessels Healthy," "Keep Your Kidneys Healthy," "Keep Your Eyes Healthy," "Keep Your Feet and Skin Healthy," "Keep Your Nervous System Healthy," and "Keep Your Mouth Healthy."

The prostate is part of a man's sex organs. It's about the size of a walnut and surrounds the tube called the urethra, located just below the bladder. The urethra has two jobs: to carry urine from the bladder when you urinate and to carry semen during a sexual climax, or ejaculation. Semen is a combination of sperm plus fluid that the prostate adds. For men under 50, the most common prostate problem is prostatitis. For men over 50, the most common prostate problem is prostate enlargement. This condition is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Older men are at risk for prostate cancer as well, but this disease is much less common than BPH. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 08-4806) provides information about prostate problems such as prostatitis and enlargement (or BPH), diagnosis and treatments.

Diarrhea is common and can affect anyone; but it also can be prevented and treated. Diarrhea is described as frequent, loose, and watery bowel movements. Bowel movements, also called stools, are body wastes passed through the rectum and anus. Stools contain what is left after your digestive system absorbs nutrients and fluids from what you eat and drink. If your body does not absorb the fluids, or if your digestive system produces extra fluids, stools will be loose and watery. Loose stools contain more water, salts, and minerals and weigh more than solid stools. Diarrhea that lasts a short time is called acute diarrhea. Acute diarrhea is a common problem and usually lasts only 1 or 2 days, but it may last longer. Diarrhea that lasts for at least 4 weeks is called chronic diarrhea. Chronic diarrhea symptoms may be continual or they may come and go. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 11-5176) provides information about the causes, symptoms, and treatments for Diarrhea.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, meaning that the symptoms are caused by changes in how the GI tract works. Food is digested, or broken down, in the GI tract. IBS is not a disease. Symptoms can come and go repeatedly without signs of damage to the GI tract. The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort, often reported as cramping, along with diarrhea, constipation, or both. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 12-4686) discusses IBS, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatments.

If you have advanced and permanent kidney failure, kidney transplantation may be the treatment option that allows you to live much like you lived before your kidneys failed. Since the 1950s, when the first kidney transplants were performed, much has been learned about how to prevent rejection and minimize the side effects of medicines. But transplantation is not a cure; it's an ongoing treatment that requires you to take medicines for the rest of your life. And the wait for a donated kidney can be years long. A successful transplant takes a coordinated effort from your whole health care team, including your nephrologist, transplant surgeon, transplant coordinator, pharmacist, dietitian, and social worker. But the most important members of your health care team are you and your family. By learning about your treatment, you can work with your health care team to give yourself the best possible results, and you can lead a full, active life. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 06-4687) discusses Transplantation - "How it Works" and "The Process" from the Waiting List to Posttransplant Care.

The National Institutes of Health Publication 09-4016, "Your Guide to Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2," addresses diabetes and how you can learn how to take care of your diabetes and how to prevent some of the serious problems that diabetes can cause. You may want to share this booklet with your family and friends so they too will understand more about diabetes and how they can help you live a healthy life. And remember, you can always ask your health care team any questions you might have. Diabetes means your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Your blood always has some glucose in it because your body needs glucose for energy to keep you going. But too much glucose in the blood isn't good for your health. Glucose comes from the food you eat and is also made in your liver and muscles. Your blood carries the glucose to all the cells in your body. Insulin is a chemical, also called a hormone, made by the pancreas. The pancreas releases insulin into the blood. Insulin helps the glucose from food get into your cells. If your body doesn't make enough insulin, or if the insulin doesn't work the way it should, glucose can't get into your cells. It stays in your blood instead. Your blood glucose level then gets too high, causing prediabetes or diabetes. This book will help you to learn the things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems.

The National Institutes of Health Publication 08-4284, "Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Nervous System Healthy," addresses diabetes and how you can prevent or slow down related health problems. Too much glucose in the blood for a long time can cause diabetes problems. This high blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can damage many parts of the body, such as the heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys. Heart and blood vessel disease can lead to heart attacks and strokes. You can do a lot to prevent or slow down diabetes problems. This booklet is about nerve problems that can be caused by diabetes. You will learn the things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems. This Publication is one of seven in a series that can help you learn more about how to prevent diabetes problems. These include: "Keep Your Diabetes Under Control," "Keep Your Heart and Blood Vessels Healthy," "Keep Your Kidneys Healthy," "Keep Your Eyes Healthy," "Keep Your Feet and Skin Healthy," "Keep Your Nervous System Healthy," and "Keep Your Mouth Healthy."

The National Institutes of Health Publication 12-4222, "What I Need to Know About Diabetes Medicines," provides information about diabetes and the medicines that may be need to help you prevent some of the health problems that diabetes may cause. Over time, high levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can cause health problems. These problems include heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, nerve damage, digestive problems, eye disease, and tooth and gum problems. You can help prevent health problems by keeping your blood glucose levels on target. Everyone with diabetes needs to choose foods wisely and be physically active. If you can't reach your target blood glucose levels with wise food choices and physical activity, you may need diabetes medicines. The kind of medicine you take depends on your type of diabetes, your schedule, and your other health conditions. Diabetes medicines help keep your blood glucose in your target range. The target range is suggested by diabetes experts and your doctor or diabetes educator.

A UTI is an infection in the urinary tract. Infections are caused by microbes-organisms too small to be seen without a microscope. Bacteria are the most common cause of UTIs. Normally, bacteria that enter the urinary tract are quickly removed by the body before they cause symptoms. But sometimes bacteria overcome the body's natural defenses and cause infection. The urinary tract is the body's drainage system for removing wastes and extra water. The urinary tract includes two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra. The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located below the ribs, one on each side of the spine, toward the middle of the back. Every minute, your kidneys filter about 3 ounces of blood, removing wastes and extra water. The wastes and extra water make up the 1 to 2 quarts of urine you produce each day. The urine travels from the kidneys down two narrow tubes called the ureters. The urine is then stored in a balloonlike organ called the bladder and emptied through the urethra, a tube at the bottom of the bladder. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 12-4807) provides information on the causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Urinary Tract Infections.

The National Institutes of Health Publication 09-4279, "Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Eyes Healthy," addresses diabetes and how you can prevent or slow down related health problems. Too much glucose in the blood for a long time can cause diabetes problems. This high blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can damage many parts of the body, such as the heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys. Heart and blood vessel disease can lead to heart attacks and strokes. You can do a lot to prevent or slow down diabetes problems. This booklet is about eye problems caused by diabetes. You will learn the things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems. This Publication is one of seven in a series that can help you learn more about how to prevent diabetes problems. These include: "Keep Your Diabetes Under Control," "Keep Your Heart and Blood Vessels Healthy," "Keep Your Kidneys Healthy," "Keep Your Eyes Healthy," "Keep Your Feet and Skin Healthy," "Keep Your Nervous System Healthy," and "Keep Your Mouth Healthy."

The National Institutes of Health Publication 11-6513, "What I Need to Know About Bowel Control," provides background on what Bowel Control means, what it means to have issues, and receiving the proper treatment for any issues you may have. Bowel control means you are able to hold a bowel movement until you reach a bathroom. You may have a bowel control problem if you: have trouble holding a bowel movement, have solid or liquid stool leak when you don't expect it, find streaks of stool on your underwear Bowel control problems-also called fecal incontinence-can be upsetting and embarrassing. Most people with bowel control problems feel ashamed and try to hide the problem. They may not want to leave the house for fear of losing bowel control in public. They may withdraw from friends and family. Bowel control problems are often caused by a medical issue. If you have a bowel control problem, don't be afraid to talk with your health care provider about it. Your health care provider may be able to help. People of any age can have a bowel control problem. Bowel control problems aren't always a part of aging, but they are more common among older adults. Bowel control problems affect about 18 million U.S. adults-one out of every 12 people. Bowel control problems don't have to be a part of aging, but they are more common among older adults. Bowel control problems are often caused by a medical issue that can be treated. Don't be afraid to talk with your health care provider about your bowel control problem. Diet changes, medicines, bowel training, or surgery may help. You can take steps to cope with your bowel control problem.

Diseases and conditions affecting the bladder and associated structures of the lower urinary tract are a leading cause of urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, and kidney failure, and they often contribute to poor quality of life. It has been estimated that 35 million Americans suffer from bladder disease and most have chronic conditions.Benjamin Franklin documented the poor quality of life for people with bladder problems in 1752. He invented the first flexible urethral catheter, made of silver and covered with gut, to help his brother empty his bladder. Franklin's brother suffered from bladder outlet obstruction caused by bladder stones. Years later, Franklin, who suffered from the same problem, was forced to catheterize himself intermittently with his own invention. Although technology now provides better instrumentation, medical science has not solved many cases of urinary retention-or other problems related to the bladder-and intermittent catheterization much as Franklin described is still used. Bladder diseases and problems affect people of all ages, races, and ethnic groups. Strides have been taken to improve diagnosis, management, and treatment of bladder diseases, but many primary questions about bladder formation, function, and disease remain. The Bladder Research Progress Review Group (BRPRG) was formed by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to examine the state of bladder research in the United States and to develop a plan for future research in this area. The members of the BRPRG are a multidisciplinary group of recognized experts in bladder research. Their task was a complex one because many diseases and conditions of the urinary tract such as incontinence, obstruction, interstitial cystitis, and spina bifida affect the bladder's structure and function. Bladder diseases such as bladder cancer or urinary tract infections affect specific tissues such as bladder epithelium; thus, research on these tissues will contribute directly to overall progress in cancer and infectious diseases research and not to research on bladder alone. From early 2000 to July 2001, members of the BRPRG had discussions and intensive meetings to examine all areas of bladder-related problems categorized by diseases and by organ or tissue in an attempt to develop a strategic bladder research plan. This plan is provided in this document. Overwhelmingly, the BRPRG has concluded that bladder research in the United States is inadequate, fraught with a number of impediments, and lags behind research in other areas that affect the health of Americans to a similar degree. The extent of health problems associated with the bladder emphasizes the urgent need to expand rapidly bladder health-related research not only to diagnose, manage, and treat bladder diseases, but also to discover the risk and preventive factors that will ultimately improve overall health. Recent discoveries and technological advances in biomedical science have provided a unique opportunity to make rapid and important advances in bladder research that might improve diagnosis, management, and prevention of bladder problems. This report outlines future critical research on the basic science of the lower urinary tract and clinical studies of bladder diseases and conditions. It also makes specific recommendations for focused inclusion of biotechnologies that offer opportunities for bladder research. In addition, the report describes the kinds of programs that will provide a pipeline of new researchers through training, new collaborations, and infrastructure to support this work. The potential consequences of rapid progress in bladder research could save many children, women, and men from the physical and emotional consequences of bladder diseases and conditions.

This National Institutes of Health Publication 11-5166, "What I Need to Know About Cirrhosis," provides information about Cirrhosis and liver issues - knowing how to prevent issues, knowing the symptoms of issues and knowing how to receive proper treatment allowing you to lead a full, healthy life. Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver. Scar tissue forms because of injury or long-term disease. Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue and blocks the normal flow of blood through the liver. A healthy liver: makes proteins, helps fight infections, cleans the blood, helps digest food, and stores a form of sugar that your body uses for energy. A liver with too much scar tissue cannot work properly. You cannot live without a liver that works. But early treatment can control symptoms and keep cirrhosis from getting worse.

A peptic ulcer is a sore in the lining of your stomach or duodenum. The duodenum is the first part of your small intestine. A peptic ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer. One that is in the duodenum is called a duodenal ulcer. A peptic ulcer also may develop just above your stomach in the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. But most peptic ulcers develop in the stomach or duodenum. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 11-5042) provides information about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of peptic ulcers.

Erection problems can be a difficult topic to discuss, but if you have problems getting or keeping an erection, you have good reasons to talk with a doctor: Erection problems not only interfere with your sex life, they can be a sign of other health problems. Erection problems can be a sign of blocked blood vessels or nerve damage from diabetes. If you don't see your doctor, these problems will go untreated and can harm your body. Erection problems used to be called impotence. Now the term erectile dysfunction is more common. Sometimes people just use the initials ED. Your doctor can offer several ED treatments. For many men, the answer is as simple as taking a pill. Other men have to try two or three options before they find a treatment that works for them. Don't give up if the first treatment doesn't work. Finding the right treatment can take time. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 09-5483) provides information on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of erection problems.

Constipation means different things to different people. You may have constipation if you have three or fewer bowel movements in a week or if stool is hard, dry, painful, or difficult to pass. Some people with constipation lack energy and feel full or bloated. Some people think they have constipation if they don't have a bowel movement every day. However, bowel habits are different for everyone. The foods you eat, how much you exercise, and other factors can affect your bowel habits. At one time or another, almost everyone gets constipated. In most cases, it lasts for only a short time and is not serious. When you understand what causes constipation, you can take steps to prevent it. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 09-4157) provides information on the causes and treatments for constipation.

You may think bladder control problems are something that happen when you get older. The truth is that women of all ages have urine leakage. The problem is also called incontinence. Men leak urine too, but the problem is more common in women. Many women leak urine when they exercise, laugh hard, cough, or sneeze. Often women leak urine when they are pregnant or after they have given birth. Women who have stopped having their periods-menopause-often report bladder control problems. Female athletes of all ages sometimes have urine leakage during strenuous sports activities. Urine leakage may be a small bother or a large problem. About half of adult women say they have had urine leakage at one time or another. Many women say it's a daily problem. Urine leakage is more common in older women, but that doesn't mean it's a natural part of aging. You don't have to "just live with it." You can do something about it and regain your bladder control. Incontinence is not a disease. But it may be a sign that something is wrong. It's a medical problem, and a doctor or nurse can help. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 07-4195) provides information in bladder control problems, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.

In most cases, the exact cause of bedwetting is not known. But many possible causes exist. Your child's bladder might be too small. Or the amount of urine produced overnight is too much for your child's bladder to hold. As a result, your child's bladder fills up before the night is over. Some children sleep so deeply that they don't wake up when they need to urinate. Others simply take longer to learn bladder control. Many children wet the bed until they are 5 years old or even older. Bedwetting often runs in families. If both parents wet the bed as children, their child is likely to have the same problem. If only one parent has a history of bedwetting, the child has about a 30 percent chance of having the problem. Some children wet the bed even if neither parent ever did. A child who has been dry for several months or even years may start wetting the bed. The cause might be emotional stress, such as the loss of a loved one, problems at school, a new sibling, or even toilet training too early. Bedwetting is not your child's fault. Children rarely wet the bed on purpose. You can help your child by learning about the different causes and treatments for bedwetting. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 12-5631) provides information on bedwetting, helping your child stay dry, when to see a doctor, and treatments for bedwetting.

A UTI is an infection in the urinary tract. Infections are caused by microbes-organisms too small to be seen without a microscope. Bacteria are the most common cause of UTIs. Normally, bacteria that enter the urinary tract are quickly removed by the body before they cause symptoms. But sometimes bacteria overcome the body's natural defenses and cause infection. The urinary tract is the body's drainage system for removing wastes and extra water. The urinary tract includes two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra. The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located below the ribs, one on each side of the spine, toward the middle of the back. Every minute, the two kidneys process about 3 ounces of blood, removing wastes and extra water. The wastes and extra water make up the 1 to 2 quarts of urine produced each day. Children produce less urine each day; the amount produced depends on their age. The urine travels from the kidneys down two narrow tubes called the ureters. The urine is then stored in a balloonlike organ called the bladder and emptied through the urethra, a tube at the bottom of the bladder. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 12-6075) provides information on the causes, prevention of, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of your child's Urinary Tract Infections.

Liver transplantation is surgery to remove a diseased or injured liver and replace it with a healthy one from another person, called a donor. Many people have had liver transplants and now lead normal lives. Your liver helps fight infections and cleans your blood. It also helps digest food and stores a form of sugar your body uses for energy. The liver is the largest organ in your body. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 10-4951) provides information about the signs and symptoms of liver problems and the treatments that are available.

With peritoneal dialysis (PD), you have some choices in treating advanced and permanent kidney failure. Since the 1980s, when PD first became a practical and widespread treatment for kidney failure, much has been learned about how to make PD more effective and minimize side effects. Since you don't have to schedule dialysis sessions at a center, PD gives you more control. You can give yourself treatments at home, at work, or on trips. But this independence makes it especially important that you work closely with your health care team: your nephrologist, dialysis nurse, dialysis technician, dietitian, and social worker. But the most important members of your health care team are you and your family. By learning about your treatment, you can work with your health care team to give yourself the best possible results, and you can lead a full, active life. This publication by the National Institutes of Health (Publication No. 06-4688) discusses Peritoneal Dialysis - "How it Works," "Preventing Issues," and your personal care and health during treatment.