How come sometimes enemas hurt more than others?

If an enema HURTS, there are four main easily preventable reasons

(1) administered too fast,

(2) too much pressure,

(3) too much volume

(4) irritation from a caustic solution.

A LITTLE discomfort may sometimes occur but there is absolutely no reason for a therapeutic enema to hurt.

In my experience (60+ years of regular enemas), the usual culprit in a painful enema is trapped gas. I'm sure someone here can explain why, but gas in the colon is not tolerated nearly as well as water. Over the years, I have decided that the best punishment enemas are not water, but a few bulbs of air applied to the "affected area". I would say that the second most common cause is too fast a rate of flow when filling. Unless severely impacted (head to your doctor), even a full colon will tolerate a large volume of enema if it is warm enough and administered slowly enough. Obviously, a balance must be achieved between speed of filling and residence time in the colon for the solution itself. A solution which is strong and designed to produce cramping needs a faster flow. I would NOT recommend administering Susie's Very Rough Ride solution slowly, unless the recipient is severely masochistic! LOL!

Now I recall a couple of colonics I had done in my 20's, the first ones I'd ever had done to me by machine at a chiropractor's office. There was a phase at that time to give "colonic therapy with oxygen" for no good reason other than selling more of them to the unknowing public. I went solely to enjoy the colonic, not the bogus oxygen claims, but I do remember now that a few times when I was quite full of water, several times the therapist would tell me she was going to turn on the oxygen. I heard bubbling, and felt the mild pressure sensation as the gas bubbled into the liquid in my colon. I actually really enjoyed the gassy feelings going in, holding and coming out later. My colon must not react to gas pockets with cramping. Good luck for me. Fun.

Eric

I do enemas in two ways.

I will do enemas by using a variable water diverter valve in which one side is connected to a hand held shower head and the other is for an enema hose/colon tube. I will lay in the bathtub and let the water flow in and out expelling in the tub and washing the expelled enema down the drain with the shower head. This is essentially just like an open colonic system. I will do this from anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. I never experience cramps doing this style of enema- my fills are relatively small before the water starts to expel on its own. This type of enema session is very soothing, relaxing with absolutely no discomfort.

The second way is to use a traditional 1 gallon silicone bag. I will do 3 quart enemas using mild recipes with Epson Salts or a castile soap. These enemas will start to cramp as I approach the last quart in the bag. I have noticed if I am doing a series of 3 quart enemas, enemas number 2 and 3 have less cramping to no cramping probably because my colon is mostly clear and easily tolerates the enema volume.

So for me large volume fills do cause some cramping but less so as my colon is cleared.

I guess what I was trying to get across is that a big component is how you perceive the sensations. Except for the rare "perfect enema" an enema will probably give some sensations that can be perceived as painful depending on how your body and your mind processes them at the time. Generally I don't perceive my enemas as painful even if they do have some cramping and urgency, but examining the sensations I can see how someone could read them as pain. Even the big doubled-over-on-the-toilet cramps I don't read as true, severe pain, but I think many people would. My read on those is that there probably is some IBS involvement there.

Take the enemas slowly, in a comfortable position, stretch out your pelvic muscles and abdomen, and "check in" on the sensations often and it should minimize pain. Worst case would be pretty much what some people here describe for their childhood enemas - someone bursting in unexpectedly, shoving a nozzle in your ass, cranking on the water, etc. That is pretty much guaranteed to favor perceiving the sensations as pain as well as making sure there are plenty of potentially noxious sensations to perceive as pain.

When you mention "hurt", I guess you mean "cramps", which occur when you are severely constipated.

The best way to overcome this is to start with a small bulb enema, with warm water and soap suds, this may not be very comfortable, but it won't hurt. After expulsion, your bowels will be empty, and then you can enjoy a rinse enema: no soap, 2 quarts of warm water, and (most important) plenty of time to feel the water slide inside you. You will then foget the occasional unpleasantness of the first one!

Enemas usually come with some cramping. The solutions you use can also cause various states of distress. If you want comfortable, start with a warm water enema and not too much. The next one will be much easier as the highway has been cleared. Good luck and have fun.

Enemas usually come with some cramping. The solutions you use can also cause various states of distress. If you want comfortable, start with a warm water enema and not too much. The next one will be much easier as the highway has been cleared. Good luck and have fun.

Moppy,

Just curious as my Zity screen showed me this post of yours as new today. How did you find or run into this 3 year old thread so you could post your comment?

Eric

A lot of possible reasons.

You are more full of poop(Less pain)

You have more gas(more pain, usually, not always)

Just how you are feeling overall.

Your electrolytes.

If you are female, even where you are in your monthly cycle.

Other meds you may be on!

Your pain threshold .

A lot goes into it

In a way, it's the part of the pleasure in taking one's enemas - kind of like the proverbial box of chocolates in that I don't quite know what I'm going get; well, the getting is in terms of what it's going to feel like going in, followed by how it's going to work..

Lisa (post 40) is right on, so many factors determine how an enema will work and feel. Generally, but not always, my first bag is not so pleasurable. How stressed I am and how blocked I am are major factors. Sometimes I have to get up and expel right away. Whatever is in there that's causing distress is washed out, at least partially, a second enema is easier to retain and is more effective and relaxing.

That's why when I remember giving my daughter Jen an enema in the middle of the night when she was sick, she said after the first one that she still felt terrible. She didn't want me to give her a second enema, but I gently coaxed her and afterwards she was giving me big hugs. We just have to be patient, enemas will usually work their magic.

Gotta love these old topics!

Gotta love these old topics!

Some provide exceptionally good reading as well as ideas that we may not have considered or entertained ourselves.

This one for example while leaning towards the.subject of cramping provides some quite helpful answers to an issue that most would've experienced at some time

1) every enema is different

2) One thing an ema and a girdle have in common: The harder it is to use, the worse you need it!

@LisaK how about an enema wearing a girdle? 🌹❤️

1) every enema is different

2) One thing an ema and a girdle have in common: The harder it is to use, the worse you need it!

For me two factors come into play, one being the water temperature. Too hot or too cold increases the intensity of the cramps. The second being the flow rate. Fast almost always brings intense cramps

@LisaK how about an enema wearing a girdle? 🌹❤️

Actually I do recall what I thought was on Zity - more than one post about a woman wearing a girdle during her enema.

Eric

I spend too much keeping up the girdle wardrobe to even try wrecking one with the distention of an enema!

A LITTLE discomfort may sometimes occur but there is absolutely no reason for a therapeutic enema to hurt.

While I didn't like getting an enema while growing up, never do I recall one seriously hurting. I remember many being uncomfortable, but never hurting or painful.

I've noticed that too. Ones great and two days later it's uncomfortable and at times I leak and that's never happened before

My RN grandmother told my siblings and I, there will be times your colon isn’t in the mood for an enema. Wait a few hours and try again, if that doesn’t work, wait a day or so before you try again. My siblings and I came across this issue as teenagers, once we started giving each other enemas after school in the afternoon. Our normal routine was two or three times a week for a year or so, when it slacks off to a couple of times a week. My wife and I had the same issue, my siblings and I had as teenagers, doing enemas three or four times a week when we were first married.

You may be really constipated& backed up!

Because you're dealing with the digestive system which is constantly changing as to how full or empty it is.

Then beyond that, if the temperature is varied or the pressure or flow rate or the strength of the solution, any of these can change how crampy or not an enema is going to be.

So with all those variables, it's almost impossible to give the same enema as previous ones.

As a note too. Temperature is critical.

Body temp is roughly 100 degrees. Anything under that may feel cool and cause cramps. And then the thing that most people don't think of. If you put it in the bag at 100 degrees, as it comes down the room temperature hose, it cools down. Even up to 4 or 5 degrees if the flow is slow enough, which it often is. So you need to make the solution a little hot in the bag to allow for the cool down.

Hope this helps

Enematically Steve

Host 2022 Florida E-Fest

As mentioned it can be a function of solution, temperature, and flow rate as well as quantity. But I've found it can also be a function of patient position. I've had a couple on my back where I had no cramping--not even the sensation of being filled with 2 quarts. Getting an enema in the head down/butt up position has always given me cramps. Growing up my mom would hang the bag full of soapy water so high the nozzle barely reached me. That resulted in fast flow of soapy water and that always gave me cramps, which is probably why I hated enemas growing up.

Read a few notes ; Yes is some times a little uncomfortable , I thankfully have really good Health Aide Lady , is right on target with my enemas , very quick to stop flow , watches silicone bag , 2 quart variety , we are in no hurry , She knows just when to stop and ask if more is needed . I have her because I can't lay down on bed and get comfortable , arms too short to reach ! The usual enema size is 1½ quarts , and we do from one to three in a session , been that way for years , don't want pain , just IBS relief .

All enemas are not made in heaven. I still remember years ago in my 20s when I was recovering post-surgerical. The visiting nurse assigned to my home care was hanging a hospital enema bag next to my bed. “I’m going to make you uncomfortable,” she said. I was seriously tied up from stupidly overdoing pain medication. “You’re going to want to kick me, but you will feel better after we’re done.”

Angie the visiting nurse was being honest, the first enema was “uncomfortable.” In fact, I feel like crying in the bathroom; I was pretty miserable. So when she suggested that I have a second enema, I resisted. I still wasn’t feeling much better, so I gave in and let her do me again after about a half hour resting in bed. Long story short, that second enema was a life changer. There were moments when I began to feel little electrical impulses, getting more intense, and they were unexpectedly heavenly.

@Vicki_V,

Impressive - distinct dislike for the first enema, then instantly you’re having a good time and are hooked for life during or after your second one. Good outcome.

Eric