Health Library

Kidney

The kidneys are a pair of organs that are found on either side of the spine, just below the rib cage in the back. Kidneys:

• filter waste materials out of the blood and pass them out of the body as urine
• regulate blood pressure and the levels of water, salts, and minerals in the body
• produce hormones that control other body functions

Damage to the kidneys can occur in people who have had diabetes for many years, particularly if the diabetes is not well controlled.