A high colonic, also known as colon therapy, uses a colonic machine to cleanse the large intestine or colon by flushing it with water or a solution of herbs, enzymes or coffee, according to Aetna InteliHealth. The water goes into the bowel through a tube and the waste products and water run out through another tube. Despite representations that high colonics treat disease, detoxify the body and promote overall health, scientific evidence does not support these claims, according to the American Cancer Society. Rather, high colonics can cause serious complications.
Bowel Injury
The tubing used to administer a high colonic can perforate or break through the wall of the large intestine, says Aetna Intelihealth. A potentially fatal complication, bowel perforation requires immediate surgery to repair the defect. If left untreated, contents of the bowel leaking into the abdominal cavity can cause massive infection. Patients with bowel or rectal disorders, including diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, severe hemorrhoids, rectal or colon tumors, as well as those recovering from bowel surgery, are a at higher risk of bowel injury, according to the American Cancer Society.
Electrolyte Imbalance
High colonics pump large amounts of water, up to 20 gallons, into the bowel several times in a single session, according to the American Cancer Society. In comparison, a regular enema uses about 1 qt. of water and flush only the rectum. If the patient absorbs too much fluid, the balance of electrolytes---minerals in the blood---changes and the patient may experience nausea, vomiting, fluid in the lungs, abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure or coma, according to Aetna InteliHealth. The patients at highest risk of electrolyte imbalance include those with preexisting heart or kidney disease. Herbs and other substances in the high colonic solution can cause an allergic reaction in some individuals.
Infection
Infection may occur if the patient is exposed to contaminated equipment. If the machine is not cleaned and sterilized properly, the patient could contract HIV or hepatitis A, B or C, according to the Colon Therapy Nursing Foundation. The procedure may also destroy the normal flora in the bowel, causing infections.
Bowel Dysfunction
Frequent high colonic irrigations may prevent the patient from controlling bowel movements in the future, according to the Colon Therapy Nursing Foundation. The colonic suppresses the normal reactions to the urge to evacuate the bowels and eventually the bowels lose their ability to respond to these signals.
Member Comments