What are the effects of enlarged kidneys on my general health?
It depends on the cause of the enlargement. Who told you they are enlarged in the first place? Do they actually mean the other kidney has shrunk in size? This person should also be able to tell you the cause of the enlargement as it is usually apparent on the scan. Hydronephrosis is enlargement of the kidney caused by an obstruction of the ureter (the pipe between your kidney and bladder). If it’s caused by stone you’ll know cos it really hurts. There are other causes but your doctor would have automatically ordered other test to find the cause. One can do blood test and do some calculation and see how well your kidney is functioning (glomerular filtration rate or GFR). A normal test may not mean much however as it doesn’t tell you whether your kidneys are failing or not, since one does not know whether your GFR is better 3 months ago. Your best bet is to speak to the person who told you about the “enlarged” kidney.
