Pros And Cons Of Colonotherapy

Despite remarkable progress of modern medicine, many serious conditions still cannot be treated on a satisfactory level. This is probably the reason behind the growing popularity of alternative medicine.

Alternative medicine is a very general term.

They can vary from some very exotic and questionable approaches to rather traditional methods whose effectiveness is still not very well studied. One of the latter methods recently gaining public recognition is colonotherapy.

What is colonotherapy?

Colon receives the undigested food residues from the small intestine and pushes them to the rectum. In the course of this process, colon reabsorbs water, minerals and other important materials. It also provides a platform for bacterial fermentation of the unabsorbed food. It is assumed that not all waste matters are cleared from the large intestine, and they get attached to the colon wall, putrefy and cause various health problems. Colonotherapy aims to help in getting rid of these health-damaging wastes.

Colonotherapy is the procedure which removes fecal matters and nonspecific toxins from the colon, as well as from the intestinal tract.

Water used for such cleansing is sometimes mixed with fruit juices, herbs, enzymes, laxatives or other dietary supplements that help in better removal of the fecal remains from the gut. The alternative method for colon cleansing is the use of oral supplements like foods rich in alkaline contents. Administration of these oral supplements either in solid or liquid form forces the colon to expel its residual wastes.

Many health practitioners consider colonotherapy beneficial

The concept arose in ancient Egypt and Greece where the physicians thought that not all food residues entering the colon would come out from the body as feces. Modern fast busy life style forces many people to adopt unhealthy food habits and consume lots of junk food. These junk foods are considered to be rich in acids that cause various health problems as well as poor colon function in terms of waste clearance.  As a result, colon gets burdened day by day with the toxin producing matters which cause health problems like headache, fatigue, malaise, energy loss, weight gain or loss, irritable bowel syndrome, bowel bloating etc.

Based on this concept, some clinicians suggest that colon cleansing can help to eliminate the wastes accumulated in the gut thus giving the body a relief and improving the function of digestive tract. Claimed benefits of colonotherapy also include the strengthening of immune system and reducing the probability of developing the colon cancer.

Claimed Benefits Of Colonotherapy Are Not Scientifically Proven

However, the basic principles of colonotherapy as a treatment method lie on a shaky ground.

Several scientific groups have reviewed the published reports on colon cleansing and found no clear evidences that technique can improve the physiological condition of the body. Quite contrary, there are multiple reports which point to the negative side effects of the method and potential of causing serious health problems. It seems that the clever natural design of the colon itself is sufficient for the cleansing of body wastes. This makes the therapy a subject of much debate.

Potential dangers of colonotherapy

Despite the apparent benefits provided by colonotherapy, many doctors do not recommend this method due to the risks associated with this technique. The major justification behind this is that colon is a natural pump that normally cleans the body of the waste materials. Hence, forced elimination of the wastes from colon by artificial method is not really necessary. Moreover, there are various reports that suggest that colon irrigation brings many unwanted problems with it. Some of these problems are listed below:

• The major risk of this technique is perforation of the intestinal wall and it is always advised to run the procedure under the guidance of experienced medical practitioners.

• Dehydration may also be associated with the treatment. During colonotherapy, the normal balance potassium, sodium and water in the body is hampered. This can cause dehydration, weakness, uncontrollable muscle twitching and some other side effects.

• Colon cleansing not only removes the accumulated wastes but also disturbs the normal microflora of the large intestine responsible for maintaining normal digestion.

• The other problems encountered by the patients are colon spasm, kidney and heart problems and allergic reactions on the cleansing fluid.

Cost considerations and popularity

The cost of colonotherapy varies significantly. Usually it is not cheap. Cleansing regimen is different and varies from patient to patient depending on their age, sex and physical condition. The cost behind the treatment procedures also varies according to the treatment type, number of sessions, consultants and specific region where treatment takes place.

The technique became quite popular in USA and Europe in the middle of last century.Soon, however, the reports about potential dangers started to emerge. And although many celebrities like Princess Diana of England, John Lennon and Hollywood actors Mae West and Jennifer Aniston experienced the benefits of this technique,

Get proper medical advice before going for colonotherapy

Since there is little scientific evidence on the utility of colonotherapy, this technique nowadays is generally not recommended by the physicians. But the method is still useful in some cases. Colon irrigation is done prior to colon operations. It is given as an additional therapy for colon cancer patients. Anyone willing to go for the treatment is strongly recommended to see a doctor first. Most certainly, the procedure should be performed by experienced personnel who can advise on the required number of session and appropriate method of colonotherapy.