Colon Hydrotherapy
Why it should play a role in mainstream medicine
I have spent most of my life in healthcare within the halls of hospitals and even as a nursing instructor in a nursing home. I cannot tell you how many individuals would be helped with the addition of colon hydrotherapy. More than 63 million suffer from constipation in this country alone. The number is more than double that if your define constipation as less than one movement daily, rather than 3 movements per week. If Gastroenterology or even Primary care offices would incorporate this valuable therapy as an in-house service, maybe 6.3 million people could avoid the trip to the local Urgent Care or Emergency Department for abdominal pain related to constipation.
It is a safe and extremely effective tool for chronic constipation. I have been training licensed healthcare professionals to perform colon hydrotherapy (colonics) since 2016 and have been using this in my own office since 2007. Listen, I get it. There seems to be a lack of positive literature out there as modern medicine continues to put a wall up when it comes to colon hydrotherapy. I only have the hundreds of patients who have had great results, many who have continued this practice for years and improved their over-all health. But they didn’t come to me first. They came after many office visits, many medications and an overall failure to get help. I cannot ignore the results or how grateful these individuals are as this is what matters most, but as a healthcare provider myself, I have to shake my head, when all patients are offered is, “Eat more fiber, drink more water and stop taking laxatives as they are negatively affecting your colonoscopies (Melanosis Coli)”. They may land a prescription medication that often has poor or little benefit. When medical professionals turn their heads to this safe and beneficial practice, it deepens the lack of faith in modern medicine, sending patients to seek out help for themselves.
Colon Hydrotherapy equipment must be FDA approved, and a prescription is needed to order the device and supplies. Look for an experienced, medically trained or I-ACT certified person.
History
The use of colon hydrotherapy in the treatment of disease can be dated back as far as the mid-1800s. Despite considerable research in the early part of the century documenting its therapeutic effectiveness, it continues to be a highly controversial and often misunderstood form of therapy. Sadly, medical technology has put bowel management in the background which has brought a loss of awareness in the importance of bowel function in relation to disease, and hence the importance of Colon Therapy in order to optimize healing and protect health.
The Jist
Properly applied Colon Therapy consists of more than simply flushing the bowel. It involves thorough, individual health assessment including evaluation of environmental, immunological, and psychosomatic influences. Based on this information, the appropriate therapeutic procedures are discussed and executed. There is nothing sharp, nothing painful, only the application of warm water with minimal pressure. It does not strip the colon of healthy bacteria and does not deplete the body in any way. Actually, colon hydrotherapy is hydrating by osmosis. People leave feeling better and more importantly, hopeful.
The goals of Colon Hydrotherapy are fourfold:
• to bring about efficient elimination of waste
• to restore tissue and organ function (peristalsis)
• to rebalance overall body chemistry
• and last but not least, to teach clients to be responsible for their own health through diet, lifestyle, and beneficial supplements specific to individual conditions.
Common Questions
What is colonic irrigation?
Also known as a “colonic”, “colon lavage”, “colon hydrotherapy”, or “high colonic”, colon irrigation is a safe, effective method for cleansing the colon of waste material by repeated, gentle flushing with filtered water that is a comfortable temperature. In a 45 minute session, as much as 20 to 35 gallons of water are used to gently flush the colon. Through appropriate use of massage, pressure points, breathing techniques, suggestions, etc. A colon therapist is able to work loose and eliminate far more toxic waste than any other short-term technique. The second and subsequent colonics will remove more. How many and how often will depend on your personal objectives. We have found that the majority of chronically constipated individuals need approximately 6 colonics with no longer than 2 weeks between visits. If you did 3-4 colonics in 1-1.5 weeks, the same results may be achieved in a much shorter time.
What is the purpose of having a colonic?
Waste material, especially that which has remained in the colon for some time, (i.e. impacted feces, dead cellular tissue, accumulated mucus, parasites, etc.) pose several problems. First, this material is quite toxic. These poisons can re-enter and circulate the bloodstream making us feel ill, tired, or foggy. Second, impacted materials impair the colon’s ability to assimilate minerals and bacteria-produced vitamins. And finally, the build-up of material on the colon wall can inhibit muscular action (peristalsis) by overdistention causing incomplete and sluggish bowel movements.
How can I tell if I have toxic material in my colon?
Bowel toxicity is prevalent in all civilized societies, particularly in North America. Common signs include headaches, backaches, constipation, fatigue, bad breath, body odor, irritability, confusion, acne, abdominal gas and bloating, diarrhea, sciatic pain, and so forth. As you can see, intestinal toxicity is likely to be much more common than you think.
What is the colon and what does it do?
The colon, also known as the large intestine, is the end portion of the human digestive tract. The colon is approximately 5 feet long and 2 inches in diameter. Most of us have distended our colons to a larger dimension, and therefore act as holding tanks for a large amount of fecal matter. The main functions are to eliminate waste and conserve water.
Why not use enemas, suppositories, or laxatives instead?
Well, everything has its proper place, but most of those things really aren’t substitutes for colonics. They can help in situations when there is no access to colon hydrotherapy or in the times between sessions. Enemas are useful for emptying the rectum. Suppositories are intended to accomplish the same task. Laxatives, particularly herbal laxatives, are formulated for constipation and/or to build up the tone of the colon muscle. All of these are valuable tools that one should have in their TOOLBOX to help keep things moving.
What will colonics do to the colon?
1. Cleanse the colon — Toxic material is broken down so it can no longer harm your body. Even fecal material that has built up over time is gently and surely removed in the process of a series of irrigations. Once impacted material is removed, your colon can begin again to cooperate as it was meant to. In this very real sense, a colonic is a rejuvenation treatment.
2. Exercise the colon muscles — The buildup of toxic debris weakens the colon and impairs its functioning. The gentle filling and emptying of the colon improve peristaltic (muscular contractility) activity by which the colon naturally moves material.
3. Reshape the colon — When problem conditions exist in the colon, they tend to alter the shape, which in turn causes more problems. The gentle action of the water, coupled with the massage techniques of the colon therapist, helps to eliminate bulging pockets of water and narrowed, spastic constrictions—finally enabling the colon to resume its natural state.
4. Stimulate reflex points — Every system and organ of the body is connected to colon reflex points. Colon irrigation stimulates these points, thereby affecting the corresponding body parts in a beneficial way (similar to reflexology).
What are the additional benefits might be expect from a colonic?
There are many benefits to expect. Learning to expand your awareness of your body’s functioning by listening to signals from your abdomen, skin, face, and even your bowel habits. This is eye-opening to witness as now, your patient has become more in tune and is likely to recognize conditions before they can become something more severe.
The solar plexus is the emotional center of the body and the transverse colon passes right through it. If an emotional event is left uncompleted, it often results in physical tension being stored in the solar plexus, which affects all organs in this area, including the colon. This results in constipation. Not only do colonics relieve constipation, but they can also assist you in recognizing and releasing the stored emotions causing the problem. An experienced colon therapist will insist emotional releases correlate with intestinal releases during a hydrotherapy session.
There is nothing more rewarding than watching your clients benefit from regular colon hydrotherapy. I believe it is what keeps me doing it year after year.
These are just some of what your clients will experience:
- Significant reduction of gas and bloating
- Decrease in mucous (congestion throughout the body)
- Elimination or reduction of back pain
- Reduction of pain related to adhesion or strictures
- Hair and skin will improve. Whites of eyes become clearer.
- Headache elimination
- Brain fog will go away, clearer thinking
- Improved energy
- Emotional release
Other benefits include: decreased gas and bloating, increased alertness, more frequent bowel movements, decreased mucus, parasite detection, clarified whites of the eyes, skin clearing, age and liver spot reduction, improved alertness, minimized withdrawal from drugs, alcohol and nicotine, improve mood, lessened symptoms associated with PMS, menopause, and depression, minimized allergies, reduced headache occurrence, reduced symptoms associated with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), diverticulosis and spastic colon. Those who suffer from hemorrhoids will also see improvement as constipation aggravates the condition.
Is a colonic painful?
It rarely is. Usually, painful experiences are the result of resistance and tension. Yes, some individuals (approximatley 25%), experience more cramping that most. A professional colon therapist is skilled at putting you at ease and minimizing any discomfort. Most people enjoy the colonic and are especially pleased with the sensation of feeling lighter, clean, and clearer afterward. Sometimes during a colonic the colon muscles will contract, suddenly expelling considerable amounts of liquid and waste into the rectum. This may be precipitated by a brief episode of cramping and/or urgency. Such episodes, if they occur, are brief and easily tolerated.
Will I have emotional discomfort?
No. Just as any office procedure may be initially awkward, a colon therapist will put you at ease in a very short period of time. A private room with an adjoining bathroom is the typical setting. After the gentle insertion of the small, lubricated tube into the rectum, you are completely covered. Rubber tubing carries clean water in and wastewater out in a closed system. There is no odor and no mess with a colonic.
PREPARING FOR A COLONIC
Preparing for a colonic is easy. Just eat very little in the few hours before the session. In cases of extreme constipation, magnesium or a laxative can be taken the night before to assist the process. In the case of chronic and severe constipation results may be better in the bathroom after the procedure than during the initial session. It’s also possible to feel chilled for a few minutes after a colonic.
Why would a series of colonics be beneficial?
It is important that you be aware of your objective when working with a colon therapist. For example, if your objective is to recover from the flu, lower a fever, or relieve lower back pain; one or two colonics may be all you need. However, perhaps your objective is to overcome a life-long habit of constipation, to learn to create multiple daily bowel movements, or to achieve vital health; to do this may require regular colonics, as well as dietary, exercise, and attitudinal changes. How many depends on the condition of your body and how well it responds to treatment.
Are colonics dangerous?
Being an essentially natural process, there is virtually no danger in a colonic. Our intent is to provide a safe and health-promoting service. Our products are sterile and we adhere to strict guidelines in the upkeep of our equipment. Purified water free of chlorine and sediment is mandatory. Chlorine destroys good bacteria in the colon. A properly trained colon hydrotherapist is well versed on who can and cannot have this procedure done. If your colon therapist is not a licensed medical professional, look for one that is I-Act Certified or has an established practice.
Will colonics upset the electrolyte balance?
The majority of material released during a colonic is formed stool that already had the fluid and electrolytes removed from it. So the amount lost is very minimal and easily replaced by the body from the food and fluid we ingest.
Will colonics wash out my beneficial intestinal flora (healthy bacteria) and nutrients?
The truth is that washing out putrefied material from the large intestine, which is only partially reached in any colon irrigation, INCREASES the good intestinal flora. Good bacteria can only breed in a clean environment. We highly recommend you take probiotics while investing the time and money in cleaning out your colon. You will get a dose following each treatment—but we recommend daily use.
The Influence of Colonic Irrigation on Human Intestinal Microbiota
Will having colonics help improve my immune system?
The removal of old stagnant waste and toxic residue could rejuvenate the immune tissue that resides in the intestines. Recent European studies speculate that 80% of the immune tissue resides in the intestines. This, in combination with restorative supplements such as Vitamin D3 and probiotics, will go a long way in optimizing your immune system.
How long does a colonic take?
Your first appointment will probably last 1.5 hours in order to review your history. The actual colonic procedure takes about 40 minutes. Most sessions begin with a gentle but effective abdominal massage. Results will be discussed during and after the procedure. Subsequent appointments should last about 1 hour.
Can I eat after having a colonic?
We recommend that you eat a moderate amount of whatever seems gentle and nourishing to you. Just as it does not make sense to wash your car then drive through mud, eating a meal known to cause trouble is not an intelligent choice. Salads, vegetables, fruits, and broths are your best choices.
Will one colonic empty the colon?
Almost never. First of all, many of us have impacted feces (hardened, rubbery, or wall-like matter that can weigh up to 10lbs. Substantial work must be done to remove it. One colonic will remove some of the stagnant waste but will help your colon hydrotherapist identify issues specific for you. The second and subsequent colonics will likely be much more productive as specific supplementation will be in place to assist the process. The closer you book consecutive colonics--the better the results. Something to be considered when booking. The best result would be seen at weekly colonics for 3-4 consecutive weeks. Our goal is not to string anyone along but to establish a routine that keeps you functioning at your best between visits.
Who should avoid colonics?
Abdominal Hernia
Crohn’s Disease
Lupus
Colitis Medication Concerns
Abdominal Surgery (in past 12 months)
Cirrhosis
Proctitis
Pregnancy
Acute Liver Failure
Dialysis Patients
Rectal Bleeding
Anemia
Diverticulitis
Rectal Pain - Fissures/Fistulas
Rectal Surgery (past 1-2 years)
Colon Cancer
Recent Hemorrhoidectomy
Renal Insufficiency
Uncontrolled Hypertension
Sadly, Some of the conditions mentioned above may not have occurred if more attention had been put on healthy bowel movements
PROCEDURE FOR FIRST COLONIC IRRIGATION
You will be asked about your medical history. Your goals, objectives and concerns will be discussed. You will be asked to undress from the waist down and will be given a gown to cover up. You will want to empty your bladder as this procedure will hydrate you by osmosis. An abdominal massage will take place. Instructions will be given on how to lie on the table while gentle insertion of a rectal tube is accomplished. Filling and flushing of the colon will begin. Waste material can be viewed by the client with a specially designed view tube. Cleansing lasts approximately 40 minutes. The rectal tube is gently removed and you are given ample opportunity for a final visit to the bathroom. After this, you may resume your day as usual.
Check us out on social media
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
This website does not provide medical advice that would take the place of your physician or health care provider. The information included, but not limited to text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material is a substitute for diagnosis and treatment but should be discussed with your health care team prior to initiating as they are familiar with your unique issue. Always seek out the advice of your medical physician or health care provider for issues with constipation. Do not delay seeking care as a result of information on this website.