Enemas...Mostly a USA Phenomenon?

In former times in German hospitals enemas have been the most normal thing in the world, but not with enema bags but with enema cans (= Irrigator) with a content of 1,0 to 2,0 liters.

I recently had an opportunity to talk with the Park managers wife where I live winters, we got swapping stories about old time remedies and I told of my enemas for IBS , she said sounds like when she was growing up in Minnesota.

The flu has been rampant here in the park, I knew she had a case of it, then her husband, good thing there are volunteers to help out, then two days ago, she was out and about , saw me and said thanks for reminding her of the old time enema treatment.

Seems she had gone somewhere and gotten an enema bag and given her husband several, while he was sick, using my suggested Baking Soda solution, said seemed to help toward good health again.

Would love to have her come to my place !

I think here in the UK they went out of general use in the late 50th.

To enemaman2, or anybody else from the UK -

A few years back I was in the UK on business. I was in Stafford, and one afternoon I had some free time so I went to two different pharmacies looking for what I might find for enema equipment. I wanted to find an enema bag or Higginson syringe but would settle for a saline disposable enema such as a Fleet in the USA. The first place had nothing other than oral laxatives. The second had glycerin suppositories, which I bought. I know this was a small cross-section of pharmacies but I was disappointed that I found nothing of interest. Do pharmacies not carry enema related products in the UK?

Piper, I use enemas often to manage IBS as well. They work well at keeping things moving and often will help calm down stuff too.

I don't know about Europe, but do know that enemas are not common in Central America. My suspicion is that that is due to questionable water quality in many areas, but not sure. Remember hearing that at least the Maya used enemas.

How often do you need / use them , I try to arrange a 10 day schedule , weekly would be better but wife not in favor , would be asking a lot from my person that has to travel to my place to do treatments. seems to the one thing that works for me . Piper

It's not a phenomenon, except among the members here. Fetishists always attempt to normalize their behaviour, and the easiest way to do that is pretend it's widespread.

Celebrate being unique.

Enemas never were, and never will be commonplace. Even on that famous huge fetish site, with millions of members- enemas are a TINY segment.

I take them based on how I'm feeling. I prefer not to go much over 3 days without a bm, and also will take if I get uncomfortable. I'm on my own as my wife is worried about hurting me (her words) so schedules can be more flexible.

It is an interesting thought that the use of enemas was more a US thing than elsewhere in the world. Like anything, things catch on as a fad or a known practice, as our whole family grew up with an enema bag in the bathroom. It was always left out hanging on the back of the bathroom door for easy and frequent access.

I can remember one account when we went over to see my grandmother and her telling my Mom that she had taken an enema that day. Us kids tore off into the bathroom only to find the wet enema bag hanging up. So now we now where the tradition was passed down from!

So here we are 50 years later carrying on the tradition of taking (and enjoying) enemas!

I think that in Spain it was a common practice in the 60s.

In my grandparents' house, I have always seen a white enameled deposit, with its red rubber and its black cannula, sometimes it appeared wet and I did not know what it was for, then I would have 5 or 6 years. with 8 or 10 I discovered for what and how it was used in my own meats due to an embarrassment.

By the way, that Bakelite cannula was the first object that gave me pleasure anally.

To my knowledge, here in Italy the enemas have never had a large spread among the people.

They have always been used mainly in hospitals or – according to a medical prescription – as home therapy for specific problems.

Of course, in case of need, here too enema is used to induce bowel evacuation (but the use of laxatives and glycerin suppositories – especially for children – is much more widespread). In these cases the most used tool is the red rubber bulb, which in Italian is called "peretta" (= small pear).

It's therefore unnecessary to specify that here the enema has never been used as a way of "cleaning" on regular basis, like in the United States.

With regard to enema use in England, enemas were commonplace in the first part of the 20th century and colonic irrigation was available in most public baths. Enemas were always given prior to giving birth and virtually every chemist had so-called rubber surgical goods (i.e Higginsons syringes and Vaginal Douches) in their window displays. Their use was widespread in hospitals and boarding schools and woe betide any patient or pupil who had not gone for a couple of days!

When common laxatives such as Syrup of Figs or prunes were deemed to be insufficient, most households used enemas until their rapid decline in the fifties and sixties. Colonic irrigation also virtually died out, being the preserve of just a few health farms, until there was a resurgence of interest occasioned by Princess Diana's espousal of them and they have now become the latest 'in thing'.

I am not sure why the US and Canada have retained such a relatively large interest - any ideas any one?

Enemas are hardly a USA phenomenon - enemas are very old as almost every culture has used them throughout history both for medicine and for ritual.

The Egyptians used them for cleaning and medicine, and the Romans were very big on purging fluids from the body and they had enematoriums (as well as vomitoriums). The Mayans in Peru used enemas as part of ritual as they would inject hallucinogenic drugs into the rectum during ceremonies. The French used enemas regularly in the 18th century including Louis the 14th and Marie Antoinette.

Dr John Harvey Kellogg popularized enemas in the late 19th and early 20th century to the degree that every home in the US had an enema bag and used it regularly. Celebrities like Mae West and Marilyn Monroe Princess Diana.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Britney Spears, Leonardo DiCaprio, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey, Kourtney Kardashian all are enema fans and the enema is very much making a resurgence. But it's never been uncommon at all nor about just the USA , far from it...

My Colon Hydro therapist, Diane and I were talking at my last visit.. She and her husband were on a "vacation" on some island somewhere! There were people there from everywhere...!! She met a "colon therapist there from Israel!!" She said they have more colonic clinics there than in So. Calif.!!!

My second wife was a LVN originally from Miami!! She knew the culture (Jewish) and her stories matched what Diane said!!

With a kinky "KLICK!!!!"

As an Italian, I agree with @Claudia

Suppositories and enemas were quite widespread in Italy, but just to solve the occasional constipation problem.

Usually that's just a glycerine suppository or a bulb enema, so that a small amount of water is administered even to adults.

Enemas as a regular "cleansing" are unheard of, as far as my knowledge goes.

Sadly lately the bulb is being replaced by disposable enemas or by laxative. When looking for a new bulb the pharmacists put quite some effort into selling me an oral laxative instead, or at least a disposable enema.

When we lived in Argentina I was very plesantly surprised at how open the enema culture was at least among women and parents regarding their children. It was like a throw back to the 60s in the States.

The version of the Fleet's Enema in Argentina is either known as Enemol or Klitel. Don't even try to find one on a Friday after 2pm in a pharmacy, as they are all sold out by then to the girls and women getting rid of any "bloat" for the weekend in this "perfect size 6" society.

The enema can version used there is referred to as an "Irrigador" and is common in most every home, and discussions about its use are open and frank, and frequent. I was surprised at how openly teen girls spoke of the matter and how nonchalantly, as well, among themselves and in front of adults/others. The irony is that Argentina despite its "caliente/picante" Latina image is a fairly repressed sexual society! Oh, well ... not complaining ... just informing!

Just an update ... the same still holds true based on my friends information and fairly recent visits and experiences. Also, in MOST pharmacies they will be happy to take your temperature (method of YOUR choice), administer an injection, suppository, or enema without a second glance!

My guess is that today, enema usage is very very uncommon in the US

When I started going to Munich on business in the 1990's I was surprised that a the number of medical supply stores that had bags, bubs and cans on display in the shop window. I went so far as to go into a store to buy one, and asked if there were any clinics. I was given the number of a nurse who would give enemas, but I didn't have the time to check it out, was she purely clinical or was there a sexual side?

My experience from people I know, enemas were popular in both Jewish and Italian households, in fact in one of Sam Levinson's books he wrote about the "friendly enema," and even read the story on one of the TV talk shows of the '60s.

I never thought enemas were very popular in Australia, but there at least a dozen colonic clinics in Melbourne, and, as prostitution is legal, there seems to be one or two ladies in many brothels, especially the upscale ones, who will give or take. Depending on how much you want to spend, from $300 up, you can get enemas and intercourse, top or bottom, for a spare $1,000 you can have the time of your life. There is even a place called Fetish House, Google it. Say hello to Cherry Mistress for me!

All the erotic enema clinics in the U.S. will say right off the top "no sex." However that seems to be up to the individual, happy endings are often available, and if enough cash is applied, in some cases other play is possible.

There was/is a brothel in Winnemucca, Nevada that had a lady who worked weekends very much into enemas and anal, she live in Oregon and, unfortunately, she got caught traveling to Nevada in violation of her parole. Rumor has it she now freelances out of Prineville.

I've spent a lot of time in Vietnam in the last three years, no evidence of enemas or colonics here, but, 51 years ago I had a lover in Pleiku who was into everything anal, and we did manage to acquire and enema bag for our play. Nothing like discovering a true anal erotic.

I have seen enema equipment for sale in China, in a display case in a department store.

In my early days of finding other enema erotics I didn't find them in what I considered the more sexualy open places like San Frabcisco or Portland, Oregon. Many of my contacts were from the conservative midwest, in particular Ohio and Indiana. Once, when I was in Fort Wayne on business, I had gone to the railway station to take pictures. There were two teenage girls sitting on a bench, they were looking at bulb syringe they had just purchased, not a douche syringe, an enema syringe. I jokingly asked them what they were going to do with it, and they came right out and said "we give each other enemas." They said one of them had gotten one in the hospital and now they really liked them... Being as they were obviously underage I felt it was in my best interest to say no more and go about taking train pictures. That was in the 1980's and shortly after I met a lady from Fort Wayne, divorced because she liked kinky sex and her ex was plain vanilla... but that's a story for another post.

Based on what I see of on-line enema videos, Russia looks like at least sexual enemas are popular.

Some years ago I had to go to Singapore on business. On the second day I developed a sore throat and sought out a pharmacy where I could get some cough drops. The shop was a tiny one in one of the many shopping malls and much to my surprise they had combination syringes on display. No bulbs, folding syringes, or fountain syringes, however. With the shop being so tiny my guess is that these had to be sellers because display space was at a clear premium.

Possibly, but here in UK, everyone having operations or babies in hospitals got them,.

I discovered them almost by accident as enemas were mentioned on the box of suppositories I had bought.

Some years ago i was working on a tractor on a farm, got invited in to wash and have a coffee, and there was a higginsons syringe hanging over kitchen sink but it wasn't a good time to mention it.

I have noticed that drug stores and big chain very rarely have enema bags enema bags anymore walgreens still has them but if you look at price differences walmart 4.89 for a combo bag 16.00 at walgreens. i know you can a lot stuff on line but i noticed a decline just my 2 cents enema on

Now that is somewhere where you can pull in the big business dislikes them bit. They are low volume low profit (even at $16 when you look at it over time) items in the chain drugstore, and MBA types don't like that.

Now that is somewhere where you can pull in the big business dislikes them bit. They are low volume low profit (even at $16 when you look at it over time) items in the chain drugstore, and MBA types don't like that.

Well, it's mutual. I don't care for MBA types either ...

I saw an article recently that dealt with the subject of klismaphilia. The article highlighted the fact that the vast majority of klismaphiles are from the US, that most of them are male and the very few women who enjoy enemas are virtually all from America.

I presume that this is because a lot of Americans were brought up on regular enema use from early childhood and retained the liking, or indeed fetish, as they got older.

This, and every other enema Forum, has very few English female contributors. I find this hard to believe as I was bought up during an age when enemas were common place and I can't believe that there are so few women in the whole of England who aren't actually prepared to say that they like enemas!

Come on, English ladies, prove me wrong!

Before the release of the Internet to the public, I traveled to Japan several times on business. While I have some very funny stories regarding Japanese business executives, customs, restaurants etc., they are not pertant to this thread. However, I always visit a pharmacy or two in any foreign country that I visit to see what they sell. My late father founded a chain of discount pharmacies. I guess some things never leave you. FYI, guys I am an MBA type but my marketing was on an entirely different level. However, I was surprised to see the wide range of fountain syringes that the pharmacies carried so I think it's safe to say that enemas or douching or both are very prevalent in The Land of the Rising Sun.

Many of the UK pharmacies do carry Fleet Enemas openly displayed. Apart from the upmarket BDSM medfet establishments which look superb (£££££) the enema clinics have largely died out largely probably due to self administration and the Internet. Colonic irrigation is very popular throughout the UK, there are many clinics and it is openly discussed in the media on a fairly regular basis. Unlike the US you can buy your own speculums and all the kit without any need for licensing. CI sessions typically cost £80+, but I have my own. The establishments are all above board and there are no 'extra-curricular' activities. CI was undoubtedly popularised in the UK by Princess Diana who was a devotee and it took off from there. I suspect that CI is very popular because it is often tied in with wellness clinics, general pampering, and once you are accustomed to it there is a general acceptance that it is easy. I have always been in two minds about enemas and CI, enemas are thrilling and CI is very relaxing. More generally with increasing acceptance of anal sex enemas have become very popular for cleansing purposes prior to horizontal leisure activities and kits are widely advertised on Amazon, ebay and the endless Internet sex toy stores.

Many of the UK pharmacies do carry Fleet Enemas openly displayed.

Which pharmacies are you visiting?! I’ve never seen any enema supplies on open display in a pharmacy anywhere in the UK. You can get Fleet and similar kits but you need to ask at the counter for them.

Enemas are simply not part of the UK cultural record in the way they are in the US. Very few people had them as children (unlike the majority of Americans on here it seems, somewhat disconcertingly obsessively in my view) and so the knowledge of enemas isn’t that engrained.

You do have colonic irrigation clinics but I don’t think they are that common and if you were to tell people you had partaken in that treatment most would think you a little odd.

I believe its mostly a US thing, with that said some germans enjoy enemas also

I can speak for me and my family, there weren't any mentions about enemas and I never saw any bags hanging in bathrooms.....I just found out what enemas were in my 20's maybe.

Not even friends or girlfriends talk about it.....so I guess Brazilians likes butts and anal sex, not enemas....

Judging from the number of Internet sites (look at the variety of enema bags now on Amazon), it appears that enema use is becoming more prevalent, at least in the US, after years of decline. I have no statistical evidence, but I believe there is a resurgence, particularly among younger women, in enemas and colonics as an "alternative" treatment for health – maybe enjoyment, too.

Women are far more health-conscious and more prone to digestive issues such as menstrual-related constipation and an irritable bowel, the latter which I inherited from my Mom and affects me on occasion. Still, it's a highly personal subject, and most of us don't talk about it.