Location of the kidneys

The kidney is one of the important organs of the human body. Many people always complain of stomach pain or back pain, and they wonder if it is kidney pain. Therefore, everyone needs to understand where the kidneys are located. If the kidneys are not good, there are many symptoms. For example, women have reduced menstrual volume, short menstrual periods, edema, or are more easily tired. These are all symptoms of poor kidneys. You can refer to them.

If your kidneys are not in good condition, you can also improve their function through food. For example, sesame, cowpea, beef bone marrow, pig kidney, yam, chestnut, etc. are all good kidney-tonifying ingredients. If the symptoms of poor kidney function are more obvious, it is recommended that you seek medical attention as soon as possible to avoid affecting the condition and delaying treatment. The following will specifically introduce the location of the kidneys, I hope it will be helpful to you.

Kidney location

The position of the kidneys: The right renal hilum is aligned with the transverse process of the second lumbar vertebra, and the left one is aligned with the transverse process of the first lumbar vertebra. The right kidney is slightly lower than the left kidney by 1-2 cm due to the relationship with the liver. The normal up and down movement of the kidney is within the range of 1-2 cm. The kidneys are below the diaphragm. During physical examination, except for the lower pole of the right kidney which can be palpated at the lower edge of the ribs, the left kidney is difficult to palpate.

The kidneys are located on both sides of the spine, close to the posterior abdominal wall, and behind the peritoneum. The upper end of the left kidney is level with the lower edge of the 11th thoracic vertebra, and the lower end is level with the lower edge of the 2nd lumbar vertebra. The right kidney is half a vertebra lower than the left kidney. The 12th rib on the left side passes obliquely through the middle part of the back of the left kidney, and the 12th rib on the right side passes obliquely through the upper part of the back of the right kidney.

Surface projection of the renal hilum: on the anterior abdominal wall, it is located at the front end of the 9th rib; on the posterior abdominal wall, it is located at the angle between the lower edge of the 12th rib and the outer edge of the erector spinae muscle. This angle is called the renal angle or dorsal auxiliary angle. When the kidney is diseased, there is often tenderness or percussion pain in this area. Surface projection of the kidney: draw two vertical lines at 2.5 cm and 7.5-8.5 cm on both sides of the posterior midline, and draw a horizontal line through the spinous processes of the 11th thoracic vertebra and the 3rd lumbar vertebra. The kidney is located within the two quadrilaterals formed by these vertical and horizontal marking lines. Abnormal symptoms such as pain within this range often indicate kidney disease. The position of the kidney may vary. If it is located in the pelvic cavity or iliac fossa, it is a low-positioned kidney; if it moves across the midline to the opposite side, it is a crossed ectopic kidney. Abnormal kidney position is relatively rare. When diagnosing abdominal masses, care should be taken to differentiate them from tumors.

In clinical practice, the area between the lateral edge of the erector spinae muscle and the 12th rib is often called the renal area (costostriatal angle). When the kidney is diseased, touching or tapping this area often causes tenderness or throbbing pain.

Everyone knows the location of the kidneys. If you feel pain or discomfort in the kidney area, you should seek medical attention at any time, use medication appropriately, and then recover as soon as possible through a reasonable diet. The kidneys are important organs of the body and everyone must take them seriously.