Kidney Disease
Understanding and Protecting Your Kidneys
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The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs about five-inches long, three-inches wide and one-inch thick located in your back on each side of your spine. Each kidney is about the size of a fist and weighs from four to six ounces. They are situated above your waist, with the left kidney a little higher and a little larger. The right kidney is a little lower and smaller to make room for the liver. The lower ribs protect your kidneys.
Inside the kidneys are nephrons. These are tiny units where the filtering of excess fluids and dissolved particles occurs. There are between 1 and 1.3 million nephrons in each kidney.
Kidney function
- Filter the blood
- Balance fluid content in the body
- Produce the enzyme renin that helps control blood pressure
- Produce the hormone erythropoietin to help make red blood cells
- Activate vitamin D to maintain healthy bones
- Adjust levels of minerals and other chemicals to keep the body working properly
Kidney Diseases & Symptoms
When your kidneys are no longer able to remove waste effectively from your body or balance your fluids. This buildup of wastes can change the chemistry of your body, causing some symptoms you can feel and others you don’t.
Signs of kidney disease are:
- Change in urination
- Swelling
- Fatigue
- Skin rash
- Metallic taste in mouth
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling cold
- Dizziness
- Trouble concentrating
- High blood pressure
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The two main causes are diabetes and high blood pressure. If your kidney disease is the result of one of these conditions, the best way to manage it is to treat the illness that is causing it.
