COVID-19: Your safety is our top priority. Find important updates here. “Large enough to serve, small enough to care” Careers Gallery Donate Search Call Us: 1-800-253-2935 Central Florida Kidney Centers ABOUT US TREATMENTS NEW PATIENT LOCATIONS PATIENT RESOURCES CONTACT US Your kidneys are vital organs. This means that you cannot survive without them. Most people are born with two kidneys, but some people are born with just one kidney. You can survive with one healthy kidney. Where are my kidneys? Your kidneys are shaped like beans, and each is about the size of a fist. They are near the middle of your back, one on either side of your spine, just below your rib cage. Each kidney is connected to your bladder by a thin tube called a ureter. What do my kidneys do? Every day, your kidneys filter about 30 gallons of blood to remove about half a gallon of extra water (fluid) and waste products. This waste and extra water make up your urine (pee). The waste comes from the food you eat and the use of your muscles. Your urine travels to your bladder through the ureters, tubes that connect your kidney to your bladder. Your bladder stores the urine until you are ready to urinate (pee). When you urinate, urine leaves your body through your urethra. Your kidneys also do many other jobs, such as help: Control your blood pressure Keep your bones healthy Make red blood cells When your kidneys don’t work the way they should, they allow waste and water to flow back into your blood stream instead of sending them out with your urine. This causes waste and water to build up in your body, which can cause problems with your heart, lungs, blood, and bones. Can kidney disease be prevented? Yes, in most cases, kidney disease can be prevented. The most common causes of kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure. Working with your doctor to prevent these problems, or manage them if you have them, can help prevent kidney disease. If you already have chronic kidney disease (CKD), meaning your kidneys are damaged and can’t work as well as they should, you may still be able to prevent kidney failure, which is when your kidneys don’t work at all. Following a kidney-friendly diet, being active each day, and understanding your risk factors can help you prevent kidney failure. Select Department Treatments Pediatric Diet & Nutrition Social services HR Education Central Florida Kidney Centers HOME ABOUT CAREERS LOCATIONS DONATE CONTACT Copyright © 2021 Central Florida Kidney Centers, INC. All rights reserved. IMPORTANT! All information presented in this website is intended for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of rendering medical advice. Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information contained herein is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. 203 Ernestine St. Orlando, FL 32801 Call us: 407-843-6110 Developed & Hosted By DCom USA