Children's Hospital Boston explains that normally urine in the body flows from the kidneys down through the ureters and into the bladder. When something unusual happens in the urinary tract that prevents the urine from draining into or out of the...
If you're showing signs and symptoms of a bladder or urinary tract infection, your doctor should perform an analysis on a sample of your blood or urine, or both. Your doctor will be looking for laboratory evidence of a high concentration of...
Autoimmune diseases are ailments that cause harm to your immune system and often attack different organs. If you suffer from any of these diseases, maintaining keen awareness of what symptoms you could experience is imperative for staying healthy....
Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are a common health problem among children, especially girls. The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse states that UTIs affect about 2 percent of American boys and about 8 percent of...
Babies can develop enlarged kidneys---a condition known as hydronephrosis---while still in the womb, or after birth. This condition is the most frequently discovered problem revealed by ultrasound examinations of babies in the womb, notes the...
Dialysis is a form of treatment required when the kidneys are unable to function at full capacity. According to the Mayo Clinic, dialysis is necessary when kidney function is at or below 15 percent. In most cases, dialysis is started prior to...
Unless you are familiar with their benefits, you may see dandelions as the enemies of a perfect lawn, and even more so the roots that promise the plants will come back year after year. It may also seem funny that you can find the greens of...
Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills are just a few of the symptoms associated with kidney stones. If you have ever received a kidney stones diagnosis, you are among the 10 percent of Americans who have had to deal with this painful...
There are a number of reasons for enlarged kidneys, from polycystic kidney disease to infections, alcoholism and cancer. The Mayo Clinic reports that patients often go for years without noticing they have enlarged kidneys. Normal sized kidneys...
Staghorn kidney stones, also known as struvite stones, occur in about 10 percent of all people who suffer from kidney stones. If you have experienced many urinary tract infections, you are more likely to form staghorn stones. Almost all them will...
When kidneys are unable to filter the blood, dangerous levels of fluid and waste collect in the body. According to MayoClinic.com, acute kidney failure can happen over the course of hours or days, and is most likely to occur in critically ill...
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that are the size of your fist and sit in the middle of your back. The function of your kidneys is to filter and remove waste products and extra water from your body. These waste products flow through tiny...
Humans are born with two kidneys, fist-sized organs that process blood and waste products to keep the body chemically balanced. When a person develops kidney disease, the organs' filtering function is typically diminished, causing symptoms...
The swelling of extremities such as feet and hands has a variety of causes. One potential cause can be the consumption of beer. The effect a particular type of beer has on the consumer will vary based on the alcohol content of the beer, the amount...
Often, swelling of the legs and feet may be the result of kidney disease or a lack of hydration in the body. The swelling is known as edema and may occur from heart disease or toxin buildup from poor kidney function. Several herbs may be helpful...
Kidney diseases are characterized by a decrease in kidney function for three or more months consecutively, notes the National Kidney Foundation. The kidneys serve a vital role in removing waste and excess fluid from the body through urination....
The kidneys are a pair of vital organs that perform many functions in the body by keeping the blood clean and chemically balanced. Several diseases and conditions cause renal failure by damaging the kidneys, which results in a buildup of fluid and...
The iris, or the colored part of the eye, is used as a diagnostic tool in iridology. Imperfections in the iris are believed to indicate certain health problems. Although the practice of iridology has been used in natural medicine since it was...
Water weight can make you feel bulky and out of shape, but it can also exacerbate issues like PMS, high blood pressure, lymphatic swelling and kidney stones. While doctors prescribe a variety of diuretic medications---which aid in flushing water...
Urine is produced in the kidneys, and is delivered to the bladder via the ureter. The urine is stored in the bladder until the organ is full, and is carried outside the body through the urethra. Kidney reflux occurs when urine does not flow from...
Polycystic kidney disease is a a genetic disorder that affects the kidneys and other organs of the body. According to MedlinePlus, a publication of the National Institutes of Health, it can be present in 1 in 1,000 Americans, with some...
Pediatric kidney disease is a term used to describe any type of kidney disease that develops in children under the age of 19, explains KidsHealth, a children's medical information website established by the Nemours Foundation. In healthy patients,...
Glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound found in healthy cartilage. The sulphate of glucosamine is a normal constituent of glycosaminoglycan that is found in cartilage matrixes and synovial fluid. According to MedlinePlus, the most common...
Hydrochlorothiazide is sold under the brand name Esidrix. Thiazide medicines are diuretics, or water pills. Diuretics help prevent the body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention, explains Drugs.com. Hydrochlorothiazide...
Salt is made up of 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride. Sodium and chloride are important electrolytes — charged particles called ions — that help to maintain fluid balance and biochemical processes in your body. However, too...
Kidney disorders may occur for a variety of reasons. Hydronephrosis is a type of swelling in one or both kidneys that occurs as the result of another condition, making it a symptom of a disorder or disease, rather than a specific illness. Certain...
Creatine is a naturally occurring chemical in your body available in supplement form. Like any supplement, it has the potential for harmful drug interactions. Aleve is the brand name for naproxen. Taking creatine and Aleve together is...
Polycystic kidney disease is an inherited disease in which numerous cysts or fluid-filled pouches form on the kidneys. During the early stages of the disease, the cysts cause your kidneys to swell which leads to impairment of kidney function,...
Spirulina is a blue-green algae found in many lakes in Asia Minor and the southwest United States. Spirulina contains hundreds of vitamins and minerals and is a concentrated source for a high-protein diet. There are few known side effects of...
High blood pressure or hypertension is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated. Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. Learn...
Chronic kidney disease is caused by a variety factors but is a preventable disease. In this video learn more about its various forms and how it can be prevented and treated.
Burkitt's Lymphoma is a specific lymphoma cancer that only effects certain B-cells that is very aggressive and tends to cause tumors and spread rapidly. Learn more about this rare but serious cancer in this video.