Human kidneys

The human kidneys are small in size paired organs, which have a dark purple color and a dense consistency. By their form they resemble beans. It should be noted that at the same time, their upper ends are approximated to each other to about 8 cm, while the lower ones, on the contrary, are separated by 11 cm from each other.

The kidneys of a person whose location is symmetrical are in the lumbar region. More precisely, on both sides of the spine in the region of the XII thoracic (at its level) and two lumbar vertebrae. The kidneys are located closer to the back wall of the belly, namely to its inner surface.

The inner edge of the kidney is concave into the middle in the form of a certain niche. It is directed directly toward the spine. And its outer edge is more convex. Naturally, the kidneys of a person come into contact with the organs of the abdominal cavity. And, in addition, to each of them the adrenal gland adjoins on top, which is enclosed with the kidney in a certain fatty capsule.

I would like to note that the left kidney lies somewhat higher than the right kidney. Mostly this is due to the fact that on the right side a lot of space is occupied by such an organ as the liver. Most likely, it is for this reason that the right kidney is thicker and shorter in comparison with the left kidney.

In the center of the concave edge there is a small indentation, called the renal gates. This name was received because it is through it that all the outgoing and incoming renal nerves, vessels and ureter pass through the body.

On its outer walls, human kidneys are surrounded by a fairly thick layer of fat (this is the same fat capsule that connects the kidney to the adrenal gland). Thanks to this capsule and the renal fascia (its special outer shell), the kidneys are held in place, fixing in their normal position.

Therefore, if there is a rapid and sharp weight loss, in which the fat tissue of the renal capsule is appropriately involved, then the kidney can easily leave this immobile state. This threatens with the fact that the kidney can either move slightly downwards, or begin unpredictable movement in any direction.

As a consequence - quite a lot of unpleasant sensations in their master. In medicine, such an unhealthy condition is defined as the omission of the kidney, and its extreme manifestation is like a wandering kidney.

Human kidneys are the most important organ of the urinary system. As a rule, when a person breathes in or changes the position of his body from horizontal to vertical, the kidneys move about 3-5 cm downwards. Then their lower pole can be palpated in the left and right hypochondria.

The main functions that kidneys perform in the human body are:

• Regulation of the water-salt balance of the whole organism, they maintain the necessary concentrations of salts and volumes of fluids in the human body;
• Elimination of toxic (harmful) and unnecessary substances from the body;
• Regulation of blood pressure.

The size of the human kidney varies between 10-12 cm x 4-5 cm. These rather small organs, by filtering blood, produce urine. She, in turn, going to the cavity system, is excreted into the bladder by the ureters, and then - outward.

With the normal operation of the kidneys, all the blood passes through them, which circulates in the body, in about three minutes. For one minute, renal glomeruli filter from 70 to 100 ml of primary urine, which then concentrates in the renal tubules. So, for a day an adult should excrete 1-1.5 l of urine (this is 350-500 ml less than the norm of the liquid that he drank).

If there is a prolonged disturbance of the urinary outflow directly from the renal system of the kidney itself, then it threatens to damage its tissue and severely impair its functions.