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Colonics FAQs

What physically happens during a colonic session?

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Once you and your therapist have discussed the procedure and you feel more at ease with your new health venture, the two of you should establish your goals. The therapist will typically advise you of the schedule of colon cleansing that you will need to plan in order to accomplish these goals. A series of colonics is generally required to bring the body back to a state of optimal health.

Before starting the procedure you are given a gown and asked to remove appropriate clothing. Then you need to empty your bladder in a nearby toilet so that your session won't be interrupted.

After lying down on a comfortable padded table, a lubricated, disposable speculum with a tapered end is gently inserted into the rectum. The tapered end is actually a separate piece that is removed after insertion and discarded. Called an obturator, it is designed so that the insertion is not uncomfortable or damaging to any rectal tissue. The speculum is then attached to two tubes, in what is called a "closed" system. The smaller tube delivers the filtered, temperature-controlled water to the speculum and your colon, while the larger tube carries the fecal waste to the colon therapy machine. Our colon therapy machine is attached to the building's plumbing system so that all waste is discretely moved from your body without offensive odor or embarrassment. During your colonic sessions, your therapist will always make sure your modesty and comfort needs are addressed.

The machine has a viewing tube with special lighting which allows you and the therapist to examine what is coming out of your body. This provides you an opportunity to discuss what is happening and to ask any questions about what you see. (We prefer and use in our clinic the "closed system," but there is also an "open system" that is equally comfortable and effective.)

During an average 35- to 50-minute session, the colon therapist infuses 5 to 20 gallons of filtered water into your colon. At any one "fill," you may have between a pint and two quarts of water in your colon. During a fill, only the volume of water that feels comfortable for you is introduced. Once you feel full, you tell the therapist and the water is then released. Your colon empties out into the drainage tube, carrying with it fecal and toxic matter that has been dislodged. This filling and emptying continues, along with abdominal massaging, for the entire session.

This repetitive filling with water not only flushes wastes out the colon, but it also stimulates the colon to contract. This contracting of the colon is called peristalsis. This is the same muscular action that the stool stimulates as it moves through the colon. In this way, colon cleansing with water is gentle and yet extremely effective because as you clean the colon, you are strengthening the colon muscles. This is why colon cleansing is not addictive, like laxatives, but is strengthening to your colon. Laxatives use chemicals to stimulate bowel movements, which is quite unnatural. Using water and essential oils to cleanse your colon can be an excellent way to bring about optimal bowel function.

Once you and your therapist feel you are done, you sit on the toilet for 5-15 minutes. Having a squatting stool available at the toilet can make a big difference since a squatting stool allows the body to assume a position more conducive to comfortable expelling of colon waste. I recommend that clients really take their time while emptying on the toilet in order to achieve a full evacuation of the bowels as well as to increase their confidence that they won't have an accident on their way home.

Learn about the Welles Step Squatting Stool


How will I feel during the session?

Most people are nervous at first. After that, they relax. By the end of a session, generally people feel cleaner and healthier. As a therapist, I am also encouraged by the people who don't feel better after a session. A difficult colonic session can signal a distressed colon and progress being made to change that state.

Does it hurt?

No. As your colon fills with water you may have some cramping. This is good. Your therapist uses this cue to empty your colon and assist you to release. Good communication with the therapist is what makes it a pain-free experience. I stay with the client during the entire treatment. This allows me to "work" the colon therapy machine in order to move out the 2 to 20 feet of stool during a regular session. Also, I pay attention to a person's body language as some people experience more discomfort than others. When someone is experiencing discomfort, I will massage the belly, or slow the flow of water, or let them sit on the toilet. One of the main jobs of the client is to tell me when he or she feels full. At this point, I will let out the water that has been building up in the colon. With the release of water comes stool.

Will I leak or make a mess all over?

No, most people don't leak. Part of the colon therapist's job is to diminish your chance of leaking by controlling the water flow and listening to you. It is rare that a client makes a mess.

How long does it take?

A colonic session usually takes between 30 minutes and one hour.

After a colonic will I need to be close to the toilet all day?

No, this is not a worry.

How will I feel when I am finished?

Some feel relaxed and a little tired, others feel empty or lighter, and 95% of my clients state that they feel great!

Is there any time I shouldn't have colonics?

You shouldn't have colonics if you have uncontrolled hypertension or congestive heart failure, an aneurysm, severe anemia, GI hemorrhage/perforation, severe hemorrhoids, renal insufficiency, cirrhosis, carcinoma of the colon, fistulas, abdominal hernia, recent colon surgery (less than three months prior), or are in the first or third trimester of pregnancy. If you have any of these conditions, using the OHC plan without the colon therapy could reverse your symptoms.

Are colonics more effective than in-home enemas?

Some people say yes, absolutely. Others only take enemas. In many ways, the effectiveness issue really comes down to personal preference and skill.

You certainly do have access to a lot more water during a colonic session. Thirty to fifty gallons of water is much more than 6 quarts. Also, you have access to a trained professional with valuable experience. If you have access to colonics and you can afford it, I would definitely give it a try. In addition, because this program can be difficult to stick to at times, setting up and paying for your colonic sessions at the start of your program can make all the difference in the world, because you have made an agreement with another person and it is this person's job to support you throughout the process.

On the other hand, in-home enemas are absolutely as effective as colonics, and they are much cheaper. This gives you more money to spend on raw dairy, organics, and other needed health tools.

For a more comprehensive review of how to take an at-home enema, view our instructional videos on DVD, All About Enemas and Cleansing, Coffee Enemas, and Colon Tubes, or please refer to Kristina Amelong's book, Ten Days to Optimal Health: A Guide to Nutritional Therapy and Colon Cleansing.

How often should I have a colonic?

Like brushing your teeth, you might choose to make colon cleansing a part of your regular hygiene program. Regular colon cleansing can be a very healthy choice. There is no one prescription for everyone. A hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) gives you a picture of what toxins are stored in your body and what toxins you need to remove. Using the hair analysis on a seasonal basis will guide you to the cleansing program that will best suit your needs. If you don't choose to utilize the hair analysis, know that most people find that after a colonic experience, they feel much better. It is this renewed vitality that is your guide. Keep it in mind. As soon as you find it diminishing, have a colon therapy session or a series of enemas. You'll find that in doing this you might feel better instantly. And, if you find that you don't feel better after a colon cleansing series, take a break for a period of time. In my clinic, it seems that most people benefit greatly from cleansing their colon at least one time per month.

What do medical doctors have to say about colon hydrotherapy?

Before laxatives were in common use, both enemas and colon therapy machines were used in hospitals daily.

For a more detailed account of medical opinion, read this article:

Value of Colon Hydrotherapy Verified by Medical Professionals