•  
  •  

How the Kidneys Work

Picture of how the kidneys work

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located on either side of the spine, just below the ribs. The kidneys filter wastes from the blood and help balance water, salt, and mineral levels in the blood.

To do this, blood from the body enters the kidney. Inside the kidney, blood is filtered and waste is removed. Salt, water, and minerals are added if needed. The filtered blood is returned to the body and the waste from the blood is sent to the bladder as urine.

Blood flow to the kidneys is very important for the kidneys to work well. If blood flow to a kidney gets blocked, part or all of that kidney may die. This can lead to kidney failure.

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Tushar J. Vachharajani, MD, FASN, FACP - Nephrology
Last Revised May 10, 2011

Last Revised: May 10, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Tushar J. Vachharajani, MD, FASN, FACP - Nephrology

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

To learn more visit Healthwise.org

© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.