I had to scan one of the family guinea-pigs (Jill) the other day (my girlfriend is a vet). This poor little pig was weeing a lot, and there was blood in her urine. It seems that she was in pain too, as she didn\’t like to be handled too much. My girlfriend suspected that Jill had a bladder stone, and indeed, we could see a bladder stone on her ultrasound scan (you can see it in the video).

Bladder stones do occur in humans, more commonly when we are dehydrated, or if a stone migrates down into the bladder from the kidney. Bladder stones can also form if the bladder does not empty very well, something that happens in older men, as their prostate enlarges. Bladder stones can cause low back pain. Low back pain has many different causes, of which this is only one, and is probably the most common reason for patients to consult a chiropractor. Low back pain that has a mechanical origin will often respond well to physical treatments. Back pain that is caused by a bladder stone is likely to be persistent, however.

In this video there are a couple of tips that you might find helpful in preventing bladder stones from forming. \’Point of care ultrasound scanning\’ (POCUS) is really helpful in picking up this type of condition.