Kidney Health

Learn about the kidneys--where they're located, how they filter waste from the blood, and their other roles in keeping the body healthy.

The kidneys' main job is to clean the blood. They filter wastes and excess fluids from thousands of pints of blood each day. Learn about their other roles as well.

Assess your risk factors by answering these questions.

Kidney stones are made up of chemical crystals that separate out from urine. These crystals clump together to make stones.

If you've had a kidney stone, you may worry that you'll have another. Removing or passing your stone doesn't prevent future stones. But with your healthcare provider's help you can reduce your risk of forming new stones.

High blood pressure that isn't controlled can damage the walls of the blood vessels in your body, including those in the kidneys.

Simple kidney cysts are fluid-filled sacs that form in your kidneys. These cysts often don't affect how the kidneys function. Simple kidney cysts are very common. They rarely need treatment. Most people don't even know that they have them.

Hydronephrosis is when your kidneys fill with too much urine and swell up. It's cause by a problem in the urinary tract that stops urine from draining normally.

An abscess is a pocket of infection that has liquid called pus. An infection like this in the kidney is called a renal abscess.

Kidney failure and its treatment will mean making some changes. But you can still live a full life with kidney failure. Read on to learn more.

Your healthcare provider will teach you how to care for your catheter and exit site. Good care is important to prevent infection. If an infection occurs, the catheter may have to be taken out. A new one will have to be put in at a later date.