Your Kidneys

Your kidneys are two very important organs that clean your blood and remove waste produced by your body.
Without them, you could not survive.
There are 2 kidneys, and each is about the size of your fist with a bean-like shape. Kidney beans were named after this shape.
The main job of the kidneys is to filter blood for substances the body does not need and to turn those wastes into urine.
The urine is then sent to the bladder, which is a storage pouch that can expand. When the bladder starts getting full, you feel the urge to urinate (pee).

You locate your kidneys by sliding your hands up from your hips until you feel your ribs, then putting your thumbs on your back. You cannot feel the kidneys, but that’s where they are located.
Each kidney is about the size of a fist and has a bean-like shape.
The shape and name are the reason we say kidney beans resemble them.

Main job: filter your blood for anything your body does not need.
The filtered waste becomes urine, which travels to the bladder.
The bladder is a storage pouch that expands as it fills.
When the bladder is full, you feel the urge to go to the bathroom.
This process helps maintain fluid balance, remove waste, and keep the body healthy.

Sometimes kidneys do not work as they should.
Most people can survive on only 1 healthy kidney.
If one kidney becomes very sick, a doctor can remove it (a procedure called nephrectomy).
Other people need a special machine to clean the blood: dialysis (di-a-li-siss).
- Dialysis is a machine-based method to remove wastes from the blood when kidneys can’t do it.
Some people need a kidney transplant: a kidney donated by another person is placed into the sick person’s body.
- Transplants can restore kidney function when a kidney fails beyond repair.

Kidney: bean-shaped organs that filter blood and produce urine.
Kidneys: two organs responsible for filtering blood and producing urine; represented as 2 kidneys.
Urine: liquid waste produced after blood filtration.
Bladder: storage pouch that expands to hold urine.
Dialysis (di-a-li-siss): machine-based cleansing of the blood when kidneys can’t function.
Kidney transplant: surgical placement of a donor kidney into a recipient.
Nephrectomy: surgical removal of a kidney.
Homeostasis: the body’s process of maintaining stable internal conditions (e.g., fluid balance, waste removal) through kidney function.

Kidneys are essential for homeostasis by regulating fluid balance, salt (electrolyte) balance, waste removal, and acid-base stability.
The urinary system (kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra) works together to excrete waste while preserving necessary substances.
In real-world contexts, kidney health impacts daily activities, athletic performance, and long-term health; hydration and prompt medical attention for kidney problems are important.
Kidney donation and transplantation involve ethical and medical considerations, including donor safety, consent, and recipient need for a compatible match.

You cannot live at all without kidneys: while rare, it is possible to survive with a functioning single kidney.
Dialysis is a sign that someone’s kidneys are completely failing: dialysis can be a temporary or long-term treatment depending on the condition.
Kidney location is too hard to find: kidneys are located toward the back under the ribs; they’re not typically felt, but you can learn where they are.