Essay --

Kidneys are very important organs. Their main responsibility is to filter harmful toxins from the blood, which are then excreted in the urine. The urine then flows through the ureters and into the bladder. When the bladder is full, the sensation to urinate arises and the urine is emptied through the urethra. Sometimes the crystals that are found in urine bind together and become big enough to develop into a kidney stone. I have yet to encounter anyone who has had this issue, but I have heard from other people that kidney stones can be very painful. Knowing the flow of urine and how small ureters are gives me chills just thinking about the pain someone might have to endure. Kidney stones differ in size and shape and can either be smooth or pointy. They can be the size of a sand particle or the size of a golf ball. There are even some stones that can fill the entire kidney; these are known as staghorn stones. Infections are the usual culprits for this type of stone. Calcium, very common in dairy products, is what the majority of stones are created from. Other chemicals tha...