Are enemas really healthy for you?

I will have to agree with the majority that enemas , besides being fun and pleasurable, play a big role in overall health, as I have read that the colon is a major part (dont know the exact percentage) like 75% of the bodies immune system. I good example for me is that I started to notice a little bit of toenail fungus during a period when i considerably slowed down taking enemas, After about a month or so of regular sessions 2-3 x week, it cleared up!! Coincidence?

Sorry but the colon doesn't have all that immune capacity. The immune system with antibodies,granulocytes, lymphocytes, macrophages and other cells is distributed throughout the body. The toenail fungus disappearing was just a coincidence.

I'd be delighted if a month of 2-3x/wk enemas would clear up my big toenails' fungus. I have great reservations about the actual documentable health benefits of enemas at any frequency or volume or formula, partially as I'm in the medical profession and have virtually never seen real research that proved any of it. However, taking enemas is obviously contributing to a lot of people's physical well-being, comfort and enjoyment of life including mine, so with relatively few and mild side effects, there's little reason not to enjoy them if you find them pleasurable and beneficial. I've been taking them since my early teen years, more frequently recently since I'm alone after a divorce, but my ex and I did quite few of them together which were delightful. After a few months of marriage she confided in me that her deepest sexual secret was that she had always wanted her husband to give her enemas. I obliged and we enjoyed them very much, with or without adding in our mutual kinks to make them even more interesting.

I think to many enema can lead to serious health problems. am I thinking right.

Lets put it this way: For me they aren't unhealthy, but them I don't over-do them, and neither do I inject fluids into my rectum that are dangerous or detrimental to my health. So for me, I always feel good after a nice series of clean-out and rinse enemas.

When enemas are given sensibly and with care, they can be therapeutic and enhance our well-being. They can make us feel better physically and emotionally. Like any medication, enemas should be used wisely and not abused.

Not a doctor and would love to hear feedback from the true medical types on this, especially on epithelium regeneration and risks from epithelium damage.

Can they? Yes. If you want to make sure you never have a health problem from an enema then don’t take one. Is it an unreasonable risk? You need to make that call based on what you do and why.

Most serious issues from enemas can be minimized by being smart. The people who make case studies and the news generally poison themselves or damage their colons with poor solution choices or cause physical trauma with poor equipment use or choices. Make sure your water isn’t too hot, be careful what you put in it, and watch how you use your nozzle and your risk of damage drops significantly.

Are enemas benign? I haven’t been able to find anything saying straight up yes or no. Based on your body and how you use the enemas you can change your bowel’s habits and have “rebound constipation” for a while if you stop using enemas. I haven’t noticed this, but my bowel is “pre-messed-up.” It seems like it might not be as big of an issue with mild enemas as it is with stimulant laxative use, but I haven’t seen anything definite, nor anything that separates out Fleet-type enemas from mild enemas.

Another potential issue or potential non-issue is epithelial cell damage in the colon. Studies have shown changes in the colon epithelium from soap (6 gm castile soap per liter), phosphate (Fleet), glycerine (Japanese packaged enemas), bisacodyl and tap water enemas. There were multiple different studies, so it’s difficult to rank the solutions. Isotonic saline and PEG-ES enemas caused little or no mucosal changes. I don’t have the medical background to understand the significance of the mucosal damage/changes or if there is one – colonic epithelium regenerates pretty fast, and even under normal situations it is replaced often.

The benefits of enemas is debatable. It is known that they are effective for emptying the bowel and relieving constipation. It is known that autointoxication and cleansing to promote help are pretty much bunk, and I haven't found any scientific studies supporting the idea of the enema to treat colds. Personally I have IBS-C, and in my opinion my quality of life improved when I brought enemas into my treatment protocol, but I haven’t read anything authoritative recommending enemas for IBS, so YMMV. The studies promoting enemas for treating things are generally of suspect quality – not necessarily fraudulent, just not high quality with good sample sizes and excellent methodology.

If you use enemas for sexual fun I suppose you can bring in the studies showing that frequent orgasms promote health 😃 .

Historically enemas have been used for a while and nothing negative has been found in general, more with specific instances, such as with solutions (e.g. tannic acid, turpentine). Be smart and safe and you probably won’t kill yourself or cause significant long-term damage. As has been noted there are plenty of other activities that are likely to be equally risky or riskier.

Well anything done to excess can lead to problems. I think each person's body can and will adapt to how often you do enemas up to a point. Just about any activity or food or even exercise can lead to bad health problems if done beyond what your body can tolerate.

So if you are like me who loves to do enemas not for any health reasons, but instead for the pure erotic sensations, then you can over do it. My sweet spot where eroticism and my body's ability to tolerate a thorough enema session is about once a week. For me this is my "me time." This pace allows my body to rebound and I usually have a BM the second day after my sessions which gives me just about a full week for my body to settle back into a normal pattern.

If you are person who has problems with elimination and having regular bowel movements, then enemas may be needed. If you are in this situation, I hope you are seeing a doctor and getting medical advice as well.

I think to many enema can lead to serious health problems. am I thinking right.

No, you are not.

If you are in reasonable health, even with several problems, enemas are safe as long as you don't use too big a volume or do them too frequently. The too frequently can vary from person to person. Many people can do them daily without any problems and others may have problems if they do them every week or two.

YMMV.

Probably also depends on the nature of your preferred enema type, and what you consider "harm." If I do liquid glycerin suppositories every day, I actually get constipated (lazy bowel?), which is sort of counterproductive. If I wait a few days after that and then use one, constipation gone with a nice big BM! I've also done SSE's daily with no issues other than being careful with my farts afterward (never trust them!).

I believe enemas are of little health benefits. On the other hand I also believe they make you feel better. Feeling better and being more healthy do not always go hand in hand. Unless you over do it, enemas poss little risk, and cost very little. A lot better and drug or Alcohol.

Enemas and moderation should should go toegether . had a nice glycerin enema this morning then a big plain water rinse. im waiting for the coffee to cool. this will soon follow and I will feel qood all day. A great way to start a sun. morning.

I have done about 2 enemas each month for nearly 40 years--wow I just amazed myself when I actually figured that out. But for me an enema has both physical and emotional benefits. Certainly I enjoy the physical aspect of cleaning myself out and that just has to be good for you. But also there is a definite emotional cleansing that I enjoy just as much. When life is a little too stressful and I'm feeling overwhelmed with it all, taking the time to retreat to the bathroom to take a nice warm enema has no equal. It isn't realistic to try to separate physical and emotional well-being and a nice relaxing enema take care of both.

In answer to the original question (Are enemas really healthy for you?) I have to say most definitely. On the other hand, anything carried to excess can have detrimental effects, but a weekly enema series using a salt/soda solution has actually helped me get healthier.

Before I stepped off the "corporate treadmill" I averaged a couple of colds a year and an occasional bout with the flu. About five years ago, I decided to "freelance" and that decision allowed me to set my own schedule in which I have tried to make time for a weekly date with the bag. I don't use any exotic or wild solutions and I don't typically take over about three quarts in any one enema. I've bought several silicone nozzles to add a little variety to my enema sessions, again nothing that would be viewed as extreme.

In summary, I have had exactly one cold in the last four years, managed to miss the flu bug every year and find myself in excellent health. Do I attribute all of that to enemas? No, not really. But I do think they have been beneficial in a physical sense. As for an emotional sense, I have found them to be wonderful at stress relief (client deadlines can be murder). There is just something so relaxing about a nice warm enema. It helps me regain focus and a sense of being "centered".

I have nothing on which to base my observations other than my own experience. But, for me, enemas do play a positive role.

Have fun and play safe!

Deb

Debgurl, Well said! Though in the past I have abused my colon with large volumes and harsh soapy solutions, I can say and do believe that my life long enema habit is not only very pleasurable but has also contributed to my health. I have not had the pukey flu for over 30 years and only an occasion cold. I would call that a triple win!

I am so envious of debgurl, emom and several other ladies on Zity. They get that sense of emotional well being from irrigation that we males may find elusive. For me, enemas are so intertwined with sexual stimulation, that it is difficult to separate the two. I feel like I MUST handle my genitals once the nozzle is inserted and we all know where that ends. Not that I am complaining, but it sounds like a nice idea to be able to focus on relief of emotional stress, apart from the sexual release. It sounds like these ladies experience a "win-win" situation.

I hear the same description that ladies have about taking bubble baths. The soaking in warm, sudsy water and relaxing giving them a great sense of well being. I think for males it's all about washing the body, mainly and that's it. I don't know if it's tied to the sexual wiring of males vs. females, but it sounds nice.

So, are enemas healthy for us? The females would seem to say "yes" from an emotional standpoint.

As Switchablesusie said, different people have different thresholds for "too many" enemas. Sis and I got them twice weekly (including one session of enemas til clear) until she was 12 & I was 10. At that point, we were both hooked, and were sneaking them on our no enema days. We both slowed down after marriage, but did average 1 or 2 a week. Now that we are living together, rarely does a day go by that we do not have at least one. We are both healthy, and neither of us look anywhere near our age. Are enemas responsible? No way to tell for sure. I will say that our mother/daughter nurse friends are also very healthy, and the mom is often mistaken for being her daughter's sister. For the four of us, we've never hit a limit to how many in a given period. I'm sure many people should limit their frequency, and EVERYONE needs to limit their volume to whatever volume produces strong discomfort. Our experience has been that you'll increase the capacity of your colon over time, but don't do anything stupid like trying to outdo your partner's volume. The four of us cannot think of anything healthier or more satisfying than a good enema (unless it's having sex while holding a good enema), especially if you can share the experience with like-minded friends!

Since I've been doing enemas - my allergies and the headaches associated with them, have slowed way down. I also feel better - in general, and not as sluggish as I used to be in the past.

Like many here I have been doing frequent enemas since childhood and feel that it has kept me free of many illnesses like flu and colds. However, during this period around the country of bad, bad flu (It has taken 8-10 lives in the Washington State locale) I did get a cold, a real MoFo COLD that lasted 10 days to two weeks. It actually took about five days before I realized that I Had A Cold! --and then started treating it accordingly.

My preference is long soaks (30-45 min) with two cups of Epson Salts, a strip of Duct Tape over the 'over-flow' and followed with 'Epson Salt Bath Water' enemas. At the same time I was still following my usual every other day regimen of two Sse and two Salt&Soda enemas.

I don't know what accomplished what but I sincerely feel that my frequent enemas have helped my overall health conditions over the years.

the boxcar

I have to say that my experiences, both over the past 4 or so months that I have been doing routine enemas as well as the past 2 or so years that I have been doing them as needed, is that there isn't really a difference in illness length or number of times I have been sick that I could notice. Hygiene (especially handwashing), stress reduction, adequate sleep and watching who you are around seem to work much better for me.

That said enemas can be stress relief, can keep you hydrated, and unless you do something stupid or use dirty equipment probably don't do much harm. They're also a very effective way to treat constipation, and if you use them for sexual pleasure studies have shown that orgasms can have health benefits. If you want to take them then bottoms up, but I don't pretend that they're a cure all.

There's a risk, but there's a risk in drinking a glass of water as well. If you take them, enjoy them and are careful then by all means go ahead.

I take enemas more often than some do. They (along with some other stuff I do, including fiber supplements, plenty of water, a healthy diet and varying Mirilax dosages) do a great job of keeping my bowel on task, and while I'm sure I could come up with other means I have decided that my current protocol works and is sufficiently convenient and predictable that I'll stick with it for now.

I don't think that they're going to keep me from getting a cold, keep the cancer away, or make me unbelievably attractive to women. It would be great if they did, because it would be a cheap fix, but I find nothing in the research or my experience that would indicate it. Stress relief and (for me, anyway) more consistent eating and decreased weight yo-yo might have some benefit, but not enough to where I'd be comfortable recommending someone try enemas for general health.

They are healthy but too much good can be bad sometimes.

In my case, taking several multiple enemas weekly for about 60 years, there have been no obvious negative effects. I am fortunate to be in very good health at age 79+.

I don't press for volume, generally no more than 2 1/2 quarts and most often use tap water. Occassionally I'll add in some mild soap, or epsom salts. Recently I started adding Miralax as an experiment wondering if it would aid expulsion by inhibiiting colonic absorbtion:: I didn't observe any difference. I ofrten use a closed top bag and after an initial flush, take a full second enema and rather than expelling it, let it flow back into the bag: then when the bag is full or mostly so, I reinject it and expel normally. It's fun but demands that the equipment be thorougly cleaned thereafter.

Even using large solid nozzles of 2 - 3 inch diameter, I have had no difficulty with weakened anal muscles. I use inflatables also but like the solids better.

Overall conclusions: enemas have been and remain a positive aspect of my life.

My mom still has a medical book by a Dr. Fishbein published in the 1940s that has a lengthy chapter on the "sick room." From colds to "influenza" to pneumonia, doctor's advice is to "keep the bowels open with a daily enema." Our family doctor, an amazing woman who is still practicing in her 70s, the few times I ever needed to call about what to do for a sick hubby or daughters, asked whether they'd had a bowel movement in the last 24 hours. If not, she advised giving a warm water enema to "flush the lower bowel."

I suppose if a person took too many enemas it could cause problems, but it seems to me enemas in moderation, if not exactly healthy, are at least not harmful. For many years an enema was a suggested treatment for numerous conditions. I became aware of enemas as an exciting process for more than relief of constipation when I was a young teen in the early 60's. At that time there was no internet but every first aid or home health book I looked in had a pretty good section on enemas. Lots of people in those days got enemas, for whatever the reason.

So, did enemas fall out of use because they were determined to be dangerous? I think not. More likely they were a casualty of our growing "disposable" attitude focused on quicker rather than better. And, maybe a change in attitude too. But, I continued to like my enemas, varying at times from several a day when I had the opportunity to none for a few years while in the Army. Then as I grew older my use actually increased. I consider myself to be in better general health than many of my contemporaries, some of them already dead. Is it because of my enemas, or just dumb luck in spite of them? I guess there is no way to know for sure.

RedBulb99, you expressed my same sentiments about enemas very well. We are probably close in age. I received enemas as a child for whatever ailed me at the time, and they were never painful, or given as punishment. They were just part of our young lives back then (late 40's and early 50's). As a result, I found them to be pleasurable, and have been doing them solo ever since....because I have a wife now who thinks they're awful, and isn't interested. She'll accept suppositories for constipation, but won't even entertain the thought of an enema. Oh well.

While I enjoy enemas for sexual reasons, I also take them to relieve constipation as well. My family doctor has diagnosed me as having chronic constipation and had tried me on a few different medications for it. She knows that when things stop working for a while, that I will pull out the old bag and remedy the issue. I actually prefer them to laxatives, because you never know when laxatives will start working. One instance of this is when I have had to use magnesium citrate. I have never had that stuff to work in under seven hours after taking it. All that miralax did for me was give me enough gas to heat a small city. So for me, enemas are for health, but I enjoy them very much as well.

I believe that it is very difficolt to controll something relate to sexual sphere ...

so it is really easy to overcome what should be the healthy frequency ... this is the only problem 😃 ..

a part this, I am sure that, if the frequency is not to high, it is a good abitud

One instance of this is when I have had to use magnesium citrate. I have never had that stuff to work in under seven hours after taking it. All that miralax did for me was give me enough gas to heat a small city. So for me, enemas are for health, but I enjoy them very much as well.

Oh, good. I thought I was the only one. Tried the Mg citrate once in the evening, and was very glad that I didn't have to go anywhere the next morning. "45 minutes to 2 hours" my foot.

I always assumed my gas was from the fiber, but I guess it could be the Mirilax (though I wonder how this would work, given that PEG is not fermentable). On the plus side it doesn't smell.

For my sub, who enjoys them the most, they have a physical benefit and an emotional benefit.

Physically they clean out a slow moving colon. What ever the reason the enema(s) will get stuff out. It might take a couple attempts, but things will be moving.

Emotionally enemas are good for my sub because most of the time he gets them when he gets to have pussy. So he gets the sexual release benefit as well as a cleaner colon. Plus you add the connection of "us" during sex. That is wonderful.