How Kidneys Keep You Healthy
Like other organs, your kidneys have a specific job. They clean your blood by taking out waste and extra fluids, keep the right balance of salt and minerals in your blood, and help take care of your blood pressure.
If the kidneys are damaged, they cannot do their job. This means waste and fluid can build up. When this happens, hands and feet can swell and it can be hard to breathe.
The kidneys can stop working altogether. Sometimes kidney failure can happen quickly, but often it happens slowly over a period of many years.
When the kidneys are unable to do their job properly or stop working altogether, dialysis or a kidney transplant is most often needed.
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Sources:
eMedicineHealth 
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
