Your kidneys are located toward the back of your abdomen, just below your rib cage, one on each side of your spine.

Quick location check

  • Each kidney sits high in your abdominal cavity, roughly between the bottom of your rib cage and the middle of your lower back.
  • They are positioned behind your other abdominal organs (this is called a retroperitoneal position), closer to your back than your belly.
  • The right kidney is usually a little lower than the left because the liver sits above it.

How to “find” them on your body

  • Place your hands on your lower ribs in the back, then slide them slightly downward toward your waist on either side of your spine: that’s about where your kidneys lie.
  • If you tap gently in that area and feel discomfort when sick, doctors sometimes use this to check for kidney tenderness or infection (though only a professional can interpret this safely).

When to get medical help

  • If you have strong pain in your mid-to-lower back or side that doesn’t feel like a muscle strain, especially with fever, burning when peeing, or blood in your urine, contact a doctor or urgent care.
  • Sudden severe pain in one side of your back or flank can also be a sign of a kidney stone and needs prompt evaluation.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.