Kidney health

Posted: 8/6/2015

Do you know where your kidneys are found in your body? The kidneys are not very big, but they are important organs. We have two kidneys – one on the left side and one on the right side of the body near the lower back.

When you drink water or other kinds of drinks, the kidneys help our bodies get rid of extra fluid.  The kidneys also help our bodies make red blood cells. The most important job of the kidneys is to filter our blood. 

Our kidneys can get sick for many reasons. This is called kidney disease and it can be different for everyone. If you do not get help for kidney disease, it will get worse. It does not go away. 

Some warning signs for kidney disease are high blood pressure, blood in your pee, pain when you pee, feeling like you need to pee more than what is normal for you, swelling in your hands, feet and around your eyes.

If you or someone you know is worried about kidney disease, talk to your primary care doctor about a referral to Parkland’s Chronic Kidney Disease clinic. For more information on kidney health, visit www.kidney.org.