Looking for GOOD answers

Sometimes I see talk about taking a daily or every other day enema.----QUESTION for experienced takers: how beneficial is this for your colon health----has their ever been surveys to prove or disprove any REAL benefits?----OK medical experts, your turn.

No real benefits for typical people.

It's just relaxing, exhilarating, enjoyable and/or fun if you're into them.

I would incorporate all of Switchablesusie's comments and add that I'm not a medical expert, but I can say from experience, that enemas have served me well for a lifetime. I've also done extensive research and read most anything pertinent to the use of enemas for medical, health or personal/psychological benefit.

Enemas were a common therapeutic treatment in the past. This is confirmed in medical/nursing texts for well over a hundred years. Many doctors, or other experts, advocated their use and effectiveness for many different circumstances. Google Books is a great resource for any historical data and information.

While frequency of use, and type of solutions, is often debated and encouraged or discouraged, the end result is never changing. We must eliminate waste one way or another.

I wanted some assurance that I wasn't intentionally harming myself. Aside from some concerns about my psychological status, especially when fairly young, I can say that I believe from experience that my enema use has been quite beneficial from a healthy perspective. An enema often precludes the need to consume other digestive aids or drugs. My PSA levels are excellent and my family history of various issues hasn't smitten me yet. All in all, this simple procedure seems to have provided many physical benefits. I try not to overuse them, however.

As far as those pesky psychological issues, I have come to terms with this particular quirk or kink. Sites like this, the internet, and general information, have been very beneficial over the past few decades. I finally discovered I wasn't the most screwed up or weird one around. In fact, I can just enjoy the simple procedure for what it is. My equipment fetish provides some other enjoyment just as other "hobbies" do it for other people.

I'm not sure that these are necessarily "GOOD" answers, but using enemas in a safe and sane manner, with solutions that are medically common or proven, and with reasonable frequency, shouldn't cause harm and may have many beneficial results. My routine physicals and test procedures have never demonstrated any ill effects.

I don't believe in enemas more than every couple of months or so.

Your bowels should function normally in most cases.

After a strong enema certainly, it is important to let your system restore itself before doing it again.

For someone like myself, with no sigmoid nor internal sphincter muscles, flushing every 2-3 days prevents me from having 8-10 small B.M.'s per day. Advantage: no sore behind and a relatively normal day, without sudden rushes to the bathroom. Before I had that surgery done, I'd take a bag about 1-2 times a week for fun only. (When no one else was around).

While recently hospitalized, an R.N. asked me if my resection caused me any trouble. I told her yes and what I did about it. Her comment was, "Sounds like an effective way to handle that." I was afraid I'd get a lecture about my bowel becoming dependent on enemas. I've read all the dire warnings about that happening. From all the posts on Zity from folks who do daily, or every other day enemas, I am convinced that our colons adjust within a few days and return to normal. I see no real harm in frequent irrigation and ignore the doctors who shout warnings about them, or warnings to women that douching will result in terrible consequences.

Jimmyt44,

Like you, I have a section of my colon out, and have multiple BM's per day if I don't wash things out several times per week. I had it out in '76, and took a few years to learn the benefits of Enemas for that reason. It has worked for me; plus I find I don't get the flu or sick, so I intend to keep doing them.

Dan

The huge consensus here among experienced users (many have been using for decades) is that they are not harmful and have not caused any medical problems. I am in this group. But I think everybody who starts using enemas for fun and health have to go through a learning curve to see how their own body reacts to the level of frequency and the amount of liquid volume in their enemas.

So if you are at the beginning of your enema adventure and learning curve, watch how your body reacts and adjust accordingly so you get the best results. Once you find your rhythm for what works, you can enjoy doing enemas for a lifetime.

^^^^ Good post!

Pay attention to your body is the best advice I can offer.

I began sneaking enemas well before puperty whenever possible, but probably no more than monthly, to no ill effect. At 22 and on my own I purchased my first enema bag. I took erotic enemas monthly then. Over the years my enema activity increased to roughly one enema a week. My colon bounced back within a few days.

My next evolution was to employ coffee retention enemas into my play. At first, monthly, then weekly. Again, no issues.

I did this for about twenty years, then at the beginning of last year things changed. An enema resulted in severe constipation afterwards. Had a few checkups, but nothing untold uncovered. I stopped all enema activity last summer and have been using Miralax to stay regular. Without it I become constipated.

Lesson here, no problems until there is.

Bootboy1998, I don't think you are going to find any formal peer-reviewed studies to support the benefits of enemas. There is no product to promote, nor FDA approval to be got, so the limited resources available for academic studies will go elsewhere, in directions where there is profit to be made.

In your three years as a member of this site, you have made very few posts, so I don't know what you would consider a GOOD response. Enemas are not for everyone. Unless there is a medical need/reason as some responses have cited, I doubt there is any benefit from daily enemas. In fact daily ones may be harmful as the bowels will get out of the habit of doing their job. Much like people can become dependent on laxatives, or addictive drugs.

There are many reasons for daily or every other day cleansing. It may be for health or illness. I find a quick warm SS followed by a warm rinse very beneficial.I have also found it beneficial if I am uptight or not eating correctly. Now that I am retired I have more time to take enemas at a more leisurely pace. When I was travelling for biz I found them refreshing. There were even times over my professional travels a female rep or 2 learned the benefits of a lavage. Travelling for biz has many stresses unknown by many who have never experienced that life. If can be fulfilling and yet challenging at the same time.

Just took one yesterday to get rid of the effects of drinking too much. Works wonders; two quarts of warm water cleans out most of the problem.

At age 73, I am in very good health and that is an attribute that I credit to daily enemas. I began with enemas at about age four over my mother' lap. At age eight I was self administering. I purchased my first bag at age 13. Now, approximately two years ago, I purchased a colon hydrotherapy irrigator. I remember boughts with constipation and the ill feeling that comes with it. The purpose of the colon and small intestine is to regulate the water and to a lesser extent, the nutrients in the body. The colon is laced with blood vessels which pick up those nutrients through osmosis and destributes them throughout the body. If the colon is full of fecal matter, it too can be picked up for distribution as well. When the blood circulates this waste in the brain, you have a sh+t head!

I am no medically trained expert. I have, however spent most of my life in college and public libraries, news stands and the internet reading everything available to me on this subject. Historically, enemas go back to ancient Egypt and into prehistory. To date, they have inexplicably fallen into ill repute. I can only speak from my own experience with them. Everyone is different and volume and frequency vary from person to person. I find that a four quart enema, sometimes including alcohol, daily can lift my spirits and alleviate my physical and psychological maladies. They can be as inexpensive as my Jugbag or as elegant as a colonic irrigator. I await their return to popularity because they can keep you healthy even through old age. Also, read sites like this one and continue to educate yourself on the subject because, "An enema a day keeps the doctor away!"

I think taking an enema every other day or so would make your bowel be lazy.

I take enemas daily or every other day, as time permits, and should I skip an enema, I have no trouble eliminating normally. Your body will remove the waste products with or without your assistance (enemas).

Okay folk, I've reported this data prior times butt here goes;

1. First of all, I found out at about age 22-23 (while serving in the Marine Corps) after a Barium Enema procedure that I had a 'birth defect' called a "Mega-Colon", a large cause of constipation in my childhood and the resulting enemas.

2. On the 4th of July 2005, arriving at the ER, I was diagnosed with a "ruptured diverticulai" and into emergency surgury. The first of 6 major gut surguries; fromSternum to Mr. Wiggley.

3. On each recovering period I had Visiting Nurse Service and the initial group determined my soon to become "standard" enema series; 3 ea SSE of 2 qt capacity and a Salt & Soda rinse. They felt that every third day was really too long and opted for every other day. This is the routine we follow now with the only exception that we use a Kylstra 4 qt clear silicon bag that we've marked with a Sharpie in quart increments. The result is 2 sse followed by 2 salt&soda.

After all of my research in the enema phenominum since able to read, I believe that my overall health is the result of many and frequent enemas. I'll be 83 next month. I still play jazz in a working Jazz Trio, able to do some consulting work part-time and even fool around with my wonderful wife....a former Veterinary Nurse. So....there you have it!

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I don't get colds or flu...only age-related body soreness, back, knees, etc. Butt Gee....isn't that what pain pilss are for!??

the boxcar

Not only are enemas generally not harmful, let's remember that laxatives can be. The side effects, the running of poison through your digestive tract, the involvement with anorexics -- all bad news.

Following my husband's colon surgery I see that he is benefiting from giving himself three or four little plain water enemas each day. He is usually just removing a build-up of feces in his rectum. I on the other hand usually take larger enemas multiple times each day so as to keep my entire colon empty. I began doing that many years ago so I wouldn't ever have to poop while I was flying, but now do it just to avoid the unpleasant sensation of feces anywhere in my colon. But that's the extent of health benefits. What I really like to do is take multiple high large-volume (2Q minimum) enemas for the sheer pleasure of it, the sensation. Feels good, yummy.

Hugs,

Diane

In reality I think there is a risk of addiction, but the addiction cost is very small, compares to several benefits. One is the feeling of being empty or cleaned out. Two not having to go, at awkward times, or places. Three is the relaxing feeling at the times. So the benefits out way any costs, to most of us here for sure.