The kidneys are blood-filtering organs of the body, which are located in the lower back on either side of the spine. Clusters of blood vessels, called glomeruli, are the filtering structures within the kidney. The glomeruli retain water, while allowing waste molecules to be excreted in urine, which travels through the ureter to the bladder. There are many different diseases that can cause damage to the kidneys, and inhibit the body's ability to keep the blood properly filtered.
Kidney Cancer
Kidney cancer occurs when cells of the kidney transform into ones that grow uncontrollably and do not die when they should. The National Cancer Institute reports that the most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell carcinoma. Renal cell carcinoma begins in the cells that line the small tube structures, called tubules, of the kidney. Another type of kidney cancer stems from the cells of the renal pelvis, which is where the ureter tube connects to the kidney; this type of kidney cancer is called transitional cell carcinoma. Smoking, obesity and high blood pressure are all risk factors for this type of kidney disease.
Kidney Stones
The formation of kidney stones is another type of kidney disease. This disease is characterized by the formation of hard sharp crystals in the kidney and the urinary tract, which can cause an immense amount of pain. The stones are formed from dissolved urinary minerals. Kidney stones are a very common type of kidney disease, and are the reason for over half a million visits to the emergency room every year, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Clearinghouse.
Analgesic Nephropathy
Analgesic nephropathy is a kidney disease whereby the kidneys are damaged by long-term ingestion of analgesics, which are over-the-counter pain medications. A person would need to ingest six or more pills a day for more than three years for their kidneys to develop analgesic nephropathy, according to MedlinePlus. The symptoms of this kidney disease include weakness, fatigue, blood in the urine, lower back pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Lupus Nephritis
Lupus nephritis is inflammation in the kidney caused by the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosis, often simply called lupus. Cedars-Sinai estimates that one out of every three persons with lupus will get lupus nephritis. In lupus, the immune system produces antibodies that bind to self-proteins. In lupus nephritis, the antibody/self-protein complexes lodge in the kidney and trigger inflammation, and ultimately, the inflammation results in kidney damage. A person with lupus nephritis may have high blood pressure, weight gain and dark foamy urine.
