Before administering a colonoscopy, doctors often perform colonic irrigation to clear your bowels of waste. Some alternative medicine advocates believe this technique cleanses the colon of dangerous toxins and can improve your health. Because use of colonic irrigation to cleanse the colon remains controversial in conventional medicine practice, consult your doctor before undergoing colonic irrigation to discuss its risks and benefits.
Purpose
The purpose of a colonic irrigation cleanse is to eliminate excess waste from your intestines. Holistic medicine practitioners believe that toxins from food, air pollution and other environmental sources accumulate in your colon, causing gastrointestinal distress, immune system problems or low energy. Colonic irrigation sweeps accumulated toxins and bacteria from your colon, which supposedly improves health problems. Conventional medicine professionals sometimes use this technique to relieve fecal incontinence problems or before certain intestinal surgeries.
Procedure
Colonic irrigation typically occurs in a doctor's office or colon hydrotherapy clinic. A clinician inserts a lubricated speculum into your rectum. The speculum connects to two tubes --- one containing inbound water and one containing fecal matter from your colon. During a 45-minute colonic irrigation session, the colon therapist flushes 25 to 35 gallons of warm water into your intestines. Your clinician adjusts the temperature and pressure of the water to flush the maximum amount of waste from your colon.
Considerations
Before scheduling a colonic irrigation appointment to cleanse your colon, check the clinician's credentials. A colon therapist with certification from the International Association of Colon Hydrotherapy has completed professional training in this cleansing technique. Ensure that the clinic uses sterile, Food and Drug Administration-approved equipment and purified water to prevent infections or health problems. Although some people report feeling cramping during the colonic irrigation procedure, most do not experience severe pain.
Risks
Colonic irrigation can be dangerous for individuals with Crohn's disease, hemorrhoids, ulcerative colitis, colon tumors, heart disease, kidney disease or recent bowel surgery. Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Michael Picco says that colonic irrigation can cause bowel perforations, infections, dehydration and serious electrolyte imbalance. Because your body naturally clears itself of waste, using colonic irrigation to cleanse toxins from your colon may be unnecessary. Discuss your options with a doctor before undergoing this procedure.
References
- Colon Health; What Happens During and After a Typical Colonic Irrigation Using Colon Hydrotherapy?; Cheryl Ashby
- Optimal Health Network: Colonics -- Frequently Asked Questions
- "University of Cincinnati"; General Detoxification and Colon Cleansing; March 2006
- Southwest Naturopathic Medical Center: Colon Hydrotherapy
- "MayoClinic"; Colon Cleansing: Is It Helpful or Harmful?; Michael Picco; March 2011
- International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy: Frequently Asked Questions
Member Comments