Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs about the size of your fist. Red-brown in color, they are located on either side of your spine in your upper abdomen. They are part of the urinary tract, and filter waste products, excess salt, and fluids out of the blood. These waste products are then excreted as urine. Renal (kidney) failure occurs when the organs lose their ability to filter out wastes. Toxins build up... Read more >
Kidney pain, or renal pain, is usually centered in the lower back, just below the rib cage. The pain may spread to the sides, the abdomen, or down into the groin. In men, it may even radiate into the testicles.Kidney pain may be a constant dull ache or it may be sharp and intermittent. Occasionally it may be accompanied by hematuria (blood in the urine). Diagnosing the cause of renal pain can be difficult as a... Read more >
Kidney stones (renal calculi or crystals) are solid mineral deposits that accumulate in the urinary tract. According to the National Institutes of Health, ten percent of Americans experience kidney stones during their lifetime. Seven to ten hospital admissions out of every thousand are related to kidney stone symptoms or kidney stone treatment. Usually, the renal calculi pass through the urinary tract without... Read more >
NCERx recently asked people about their kidney health. About 1100 answered questions regarding their kidney pain history and their prevention practices. Seventy-one percent of respondents reported that they have experienced some form of kidney pain. However, 78 percent do not suffer from any of the listed chronic conditions that would trigger this pain. Consequently, most people's kidney problems occur... Read more >
Symptoms of kidney failure depend on whether the disease is acute or chronic. The sudden decrease of kidney function associated with acute renal failure (ARF) is accompanied by the rapid development of symptoms. Chronic renal failure (CRF) describes a gradual deterioration of kidney function, and symptoms often become apparent only after irreversible damage has occurred.Chronic renal failure is characterized by a... Read more >
A kidney infection, or pyelonephritis, is often the result of a bacterial urinary tract infection. Pyelonephritis is less common than urinary tract infection (UTI). Women are more likely to develop both UTIs and pyelonephritis than men.Types & Causes of Kidney InfectionsPyelonephritis may be acute or chronic. Acute forms develop quickly, and usually respond rapidly to antibiotic treatment. Chronic kidney... Read more >
Kidney cysts are not common, but left untreated, they can cause damage that leads to eventual renal failure. Kidney cysts are usually caused by inherited genetic disorders. They require lifelong treatment: Cures for the disorders are currently unavailable. Polycystic Kidney Disease Polycystic kidney disease, or PKD, affects over 500,000 Americans, and is the fourth leading cause of renal failure. It is an... Read more >
Diet or underlying medical conditions such as gout or hyperthyroidism are common causes of kidney stones. Men are three times as likely to develop kidney stones as women. Age also plays a role: Peak incidence rates for kidney stone formation are between thirty and sixty years of age. Despite these identified kidney stone causes, however, many cases have no obvious cause. Ethnically, Caucasians are more... Read more >
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