The urinary system
The human eats to meet the
need for the elements and energy required and to carry out the various
activities of the body.
Where the body leaves more
than it needs in the intestines and blood, the urinary system rids the body of
liquid wastes called urea.
This system maintains the
balance of chemicals within the body, such as sodium and potassium.
That is by getting rid of
excess elements and maintaining the amount of water in the body.
Large amounts of urea are
produced when eating meat, poultry, and some vegetables, which are foods that
contain protein.
The blood gets rid of it
through the kidneys, which in turn transfers it to the urine along with other
waste products.
Location and shape of the kidneys
The kidneys are located in
the human body outside the abdominal cavity, in the back region in particular.
Also, they can be located
at both ends of the lower spine at the end of the back.
The kidneys, unlike other organs
in the abdominal cavity they are located behind the abdominal serous membrane
and touch the muscles of the back.
They are surrounded by a
layer of fat, its function is to protect the kidneys from damage that can be
exposed to them.
The left kidney is
slightly higher than the right kidney, and they are not at the same level, and
the shape of the kidney is like a bean.
Kidney functions For human body
The kidney is one of the
most important vital organs of the body.
Despite its small size, it
performs several very important functions for the body.
The kidney rids the human
body of toxic elements, as well as purifies the blood of all chemical toxins,
so it is considered a filter.
It purifies and filters
all the sediments and toxins in the blood, and its work is similar to the work
of a water purification plant.
Every normal person has two
kidneys, with the possibility that a person also lives with one kidney. One
kidney fully performs the same function.
The task of a kidney is to maintain the
correct and close quantities of salts, water, acids and nutrients in the human
body.
Also, to get rid of all
these substances that come through urea, which is a substance produced from the
blood:
- Purify and filter the blood, and get rid of all toxic substances in the body.
- Removal of chemical residues of medicines.
- Maintain the balance of salt and water in the human body.
- Maintaining the neutralization process of the blood pH (PH), and it should be in this normal ratio (7.4 - 7.2).
- Performing several hormonal functions; For example, when a person's blood pressure increases, the pressure decreases by secreting the hormone prostaglandin.
- Bone marrow activation; To form red blood cells and regulate their secretion process, by the kidneys secreting the hormone erythropoietin.
- Composition of urine; To rid the body of waste products and toxins resulting from various metabolic processes.
Prevention of kidney disease
like the rest of the
body's organs, which can be exposed to many problems, or any defect in any of
its functions.
So it is possible that the
kidneys suffer from a chronic disease, which can be dangerous at times, because
of the deposits that occur there.
It affects the renal units
inside the kidneys, losing their ability to get rid of waste products, which
leads to their accumulation inside the body.
Therefore kidney disorders
often occur due to chronic high blood pressure, diabetes, bacterial infections
and taking large amounts of drugs and medicines.
Kidney disease can be
diagnosed by an elevated level of urea in the blood, and is examined by blood
and urine tests, and by ultrasound.
Kidney diseases and their
insufficiency in their work can cause water retention in the body, which is
called edema weak bones and easy fracture.
A sudden increase in
potassium levels, which causes weakness of the heart muscle, and the more these
symptoms, the greater the need for dialysis.
Therefore, to preserve the
kidneys, and to avoid these diseases, it is recommended to:
- Continuous and periodic examination of blood and urea levels.
- Avoid taking any type of medication without consulting a specialised doctor, and do not take large amounts of it permanently, for example: aspirin.
- Drink plenty of water, and enough of it according to the daily recommended amount.
- Refrain from smoking and avoid places where smokers are present.
- Do not abuse alcohol.
- Maintain a normal body weight.
Kidney transplantation
Surgical transplantation
of another person as a donor can be used to treat acute kidney failure in the
patient.
The problem with this
surgery is that the patient's body does not accept the new kidney.
To avoid this problem, the patient undergoes a series of tests, to ensure the compatibility of the kidney
with the body.
However, the kidney
transplant patient takes many immuno-reducing drugs, and haemodialysis maybe
performed after the operation.
To ensure the
compatibility of the new kidney with the body.
