Kidneys

Sure, there are more glamorous organs. After all, "I Left My Kidney in San Francisco" or "Kidney and Soul" just don''''t have the same panache. But when it comes to producing results, kidneys are a top-notch team.

This pair of bean-shaped organs, which weigh six ounces each, are tucked in your abdominal cavity on either side of the spinal column. They work hard, filtering your body''''s entire blood volume about 40 times a day and converting the waste matter to about one quart of urine. They also control the body''''s acid-base balance. When blood and body fluids become too acid or too alkaline, kidneys help restore the balance of urine acidity. The key to this is water control--excreting water when there is an excess and conserving it when the body loses too much.

Despite their tough workaholic style, your kidneys are susceptible to infection and disease. The symptoms are more serious and harder to ignore than the burning and frequent urination of urinary tract infections (UTIs). With kidney infection you might have fever, chills, severe pain in either side (depending on which kidney is infected) and blood in your urine.

Women who get kidney infections are often the ones who have recurrent bacteria in their bladders, says Gopal Krishna, M.D., attending physician at Central Coast Nephrology in Salinas, California. So treating the UTI is a step toward preventing the bacteria from getting to the kidneys. If you do develop a kidney infection, the answer is usually antibiotics--most likely a course of ampicillin (Principen)--depending on how serious the infection is.

As with UTIs, Dr. Krishna advises keeping the urinary tract flushed by drinking lots of water. "That can prevent whatever is sitting in the bladder from eventually moving to the kidneys."

Pebble Passing

The pain of passing a kidney stone has been compared with childbirth, so it''''s only fitting that three times as many men as women will have to "give birth" to kidney stones. But that doesn''''t mean this nasty little crystal of salt and minerals won''''t make a guest appearance in your life. (Or maybe even two or three appearances: About 60 percent of all patients treated for a stone develop another within seven years.)

The majority of kidney stones are made of calcium oxalate, which is the end product of body metabolism and is naturally present in urine. The burning pain that occurs in the lower abdomen is a result of a usually pea-size rock traveling through the kidney and then down the ureter, which is a tube connecting the kidney to the bladder. As it travels, the stone gouges the tender ureter, and you feel that passing pebble in a big way.

Although most stones are eventually passed in the urine, sometimes stones larger than one centimeter--about one-third inch--are broken up through ultrasonic lithotripsy. This procedure may be done with an external probe or with a probe that is inserted into the body to break the stones.

Despite the pain they cause, kidney stones are rarely serious themselves, but they can lead to infections and inflammations. They can sometimes be prevented with a few easy steps.

Become a drinker. The best prevention is drinking plenty of water to help dilute your urine, says Dr. Krishna.

Especially, make sure that you drink a glass of water before going to bed at night. "Nighttime is when urine is the most concentrated, with the most substances and the least amount of volume," notes Alice Stollenwerk Petrulis, M.D., director of clinical nephrology at Metrohealth Medical Center and associate professor of medicine and reproductive biology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Pump potassium, expel oxalates. Found in fruits such as bananas and apricots, potassium has been linked with a lower incidence of kidney stones, says Dr. Krishna. Stay away from foods such as beets, spinach, peanuts and chocolate, which contain stone-forming chemicals called oxalates.

Helping Your Kidneys Succeed

Kidney failure can have many causes, ranging from severe injury to sudden illness. Slow damage to the kidneys can be the long-term result of high blood pressure, diabetes or an inherited degenerative condition known as polycystic kidney disease. There are several steps to help ensure that you won''''t fail your kidneys and they won''''t fail you. Here are some keys to kidney success.

Watch your blood pressure. Because uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause kidney damage, "have it checked every time you go in for a pelvic exam," says Dr. Petrulis.

The best way to keep blood pressure low is to watch your weight and get aerobic exercise at least three times a week for about 30 minutes. "Both independently lower blood pressure, and exercise has the added benefit of lowering the weight," she notes.

Quell your pain. Over-the-counter pain-relief drugs containing ibuprofen or acetaminophen can further damage kidneys that already are damaged, warns Dr. Krishna. Such analgesics--also known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs--can prevent the kidneys from producing some vital hormones that they need to keep them going despite some damage. So be sure to read the labels on any pain-relief medications. Although aspirin has not been found to increase the risk of kidney failure, "The bottom line is to always be aware of how many over-the-counter medications you take. Take the minimal dose needed," says Dr. Krishna.

Eat to beat failure. Stick to an eating plan that''''s low in salt and rich in fruits and vegetables, Dr. Krishna advises. This diet is beneficial, because it helps prevent and control high blood pressure.

See also Urinary System