It started as acute back pain accompanied by a headache for Harsh Vardhan Singh in 2007, when he was in the 12th standard. Over two years, he consulted multiple doctors and took pain medication to get some relief; little did the boy from Jaipur, Rajasthan, know that he was in for a shock. On turning 18, an ultrasound revealed that he was born with one kidney, a condition known as renal agenesis.
One in 1000 people is born with one kidney
Now a tour operator, Singh (37) recalls being devastated after receiving the diagnosis. Also known as solitary kidney, the incidence of the condition is one in 1000 live births, according to the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
While living with one kidney is a rarity, the chances of it failing add to the woes, as was the case with Singh. Unable to bear the pain, he started taking over-the-counter painkillers, which further affected his kidney. It stopped functioning and led to chronic kidney disease in 2017; a kidney transplant became inevitable for his survival. He underwent the procedure that year, during which his mother, Durgesh Kanwar, donated one of her kidneys to him.
Speaking to Happiest Health, Dr Suraj Godara, professor of nephrology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur, who treated Singh, recalled him dealing with headaches, nausea, vomiting, hypertension and back pain. “For those with a single kidney, its size is usually larger than normal. Due to renal dysfunction, Singh had low calcium and high phosphorus levels. Insufficient calcium led to decalcification of the bones, which became weak over time, giving rise to backache,” he said.
Painkillers made things worse
Singh was on painkillers since the age of 15. “I took painkillers extensively during my college days because I was unable to bear the pain until my diagnosis. For over three years, I took two to three painkillers every week, and that’s what affected my only kidney,” he told Happiest Health.
“When I was put on medication in 2007, my creatinine level [waste product produced from the breakdown of muscles filtered by the kidneys] was 1.7 mg/dl, which was above the normal limit of 1.3 mg/dl. It increased to 4.5 mg/dl in 2017, necessitating a transplant,” said Singh. He didn’t have many complications up until 2014 and was on dialysis for three years until he underwent transplantation.
Winning laurels for India in the Transplant Games
Singh, a sports enthusiast, represented India in the World Transplant Games (WTG). He won silver in mixed triples darts (18–79 age category) in WTG 2023 in Perth, Australia. He also won bronze the same year at the Asian Transplant Games held in Thailand. “Transplant games are an opportunity to stay healthy after receiving the kidney and excel in sports,” he added.
Living with one kidney: Usually not a concern
Doctors say that those born with a single kidney should consult a nephrologist at the earliest once diagnosed. However, if their blood pressure is normal, the kidney function tests don’t show any anomalies and there’s no protein leakage in the urine, there’s no need to worry.
Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, nephrologist and chairman of Manipal Hospitals, Bangalore, gives two scenarios regarding a single kidney. In the first scenario, an individual is born with only one functional kidney. The other kidney may be absent or may not have developed past the embryonic stage. The second scenario is where one kidney is totally absent and the other one is dysfunctional, which is a more serious concern. “We can’t diagnose the condition without an ultrasound unless the person shows up with some symptoms, which is not common,” he says. Those living with one kidney also include people who have donated the other to a needy recipient.
Solitary kidney: An accidental finding in most cases
“In most cases, the condition is detected accidentally. Sometimes, an individual presents with abdominal pain; when an ultrasound is done, we notice a single kidney,” says Dr Ballal, adding that he has come across many such cases.
He shares that those with a properly functioning single kidney shouldn’t be overly concerned. “However, if such people meet with an accident or there’s a tumor on the kidney necessitating its removal, it is a cause for worry. A person would be very unlucky to have all these things happen in life,” he adds.
Precautions to take
Urging people with solitary kidney to exercise caution, Dr Ballal says they should modify their lifestyle and control comorbidities like diabetes, excessive body weight and hypertension. “Whether one has one kidney or both, they must always be careful and take measures to prevent non-communicable conditions,” he advises.
Takeaways
- According to research, one in 1000 people is born with only one kidney, a condition known as renal agenesis.
- The condition is mostly detected accidentally when someone presents with certain symptoms, including abdominal pain.
- Experts say that if the single kidney is functioning properly, there’s no need to worry.
- It’s crucial for those living with the condition to modify their lifestyle and keep comorbidities like diabetes, excessive body weight and hypertension in check.
