Common Kidney Problems:
Nephrotoxicity | Azotemia | Proteinuria | Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
What Is The Kidney and How Does It Function?
The kidney is either one of a pair of organs in the body that function to:
- Maintain proper water and electrolyte balance
- Regulate acid-base concentration
- Filter the blood of metabolic wastes, which are then excreted as urine.
Your kidneys are located near your back, alongside your spine, but above your waistline.
Each kidney contains over a million nephrons. These nephrons are necessary for proper
kidney function.
The nephrons are composed of tiny blood vessels, called the glomerulus, which filter
all kinds of waste products, salts, water, electrolytes and plasma from your blood
stream. Each kidney is a tiny organ, weighing only 150 grams each, yet
together they handle all of the filtration for the entire body.
Once the kidneys filter the excess wastes that have circulated through your body,
they are then able to turn the excess waste products into urine. The urine flows
out of your urethra, and out of your body.
Read More About Kidney Problems:
Nephrotoxicity | Azotemia | Proteinuria
| Urinary Tract Infection
(UTI)
Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional
about your specific medical condition and treatments. The information contained
in this website about symptoms of kidney problems and other medical conditions is
meant to be helpful and educational, but is not a substitute for medical advice.