Generality
Colon hydrotherapy is a practice used for washing a section of the intestine. The procedure is performed with special machinery, to ensure safety in application and cause minimal discomfort for patients.
During the procedure, the specialized staff who follows the entire session accompanies the colon hydrotherapy with massages on the abdomen, specially designed to promote relaxation and the activation of peristalsis (ie the set of involuntary movements that the intestine makes to promote descent and expulsion of feces).
As far as "conventional" medicine is concerned, this technique is mainly applied in the preparation of the intestine for medical and diagnostic procedures, such as colonoscopy. However, some practitioners of alternative medicine also propose colon cleansing for other purposes, such as, for example , detoxification and rehabilitation of intestinal peristaltic capacity.
Colon hydrotherapy can be useful in the presence of stubborn constipation, as it can help the colon regain its regularity.
What is colon hydrotherapy?
Colon hydrotherapy allows washing of the intestinal tract that extends from the rectal ampulla to the cecum.
The procedure consists in introducing purified, filtered and bacteriologically pure water into the rectum through a two-way soft and flexible plastic tube.
To date, colon cleansing (or washing) is mainly used in preparing the intestine for endoscopic and ultrasound radiological investigations. For this purpose, colon hydrotherapy can replace the use of enemas or the traditional laxative solution, whose intake is necessary before undergoing these tests.
Colon washing is a practice used since ancient times, which has its roots in Egyptian medicine (as reported by a document dating back to 1500 BC); however, it will have to wait until the 19th century before the procedure becomes quite similar to that practiced. Today, colon hydrotherapy exploits modern technology and makes use of a sanitized and safe system, which does not involve too much inconvenience for the patient.
When you need it
As a rule, the digestive and intestinal systems are capable of spontaneously eliminating waste material. Colon hydrotherapy can assist this physiological mechanism, carrying out a deep purification action and stimulating peristalsis.
The cycle of colonic washes would favor the reconstitution of the beneficial bacterial flora and would restore the normal environmental conditions inside the intestine, detoxifying the organism.
Faecal matter, toxins and other harmful substances that remain on the walls of the intestine, in fact, can potentially weaken the immune defenses, becoming foci of intoxication and inflammation. This can also expose the risk of contracting infections or incurring pathological conditions of various entities.
In addition to removing toxins, colon hydrotherapy can be effective in activating the lymphatic pathways and in countering bloating and abdominal swelling due to intestinal fermentations.
This technique greatly reduces the "unwanted" microbial population - including salmonellae and yeasts such as candida - which, if it grows excessively, inflames the walls of the enteric tract, promotes the sense of tension and alters the permeability of the intestinal mucosa. Colon hydrotherapy could therefore favor the microorganisms that make up the symbiont intestinal flora, improving their habitat and facilitating their reproduction.
A course of treatment could also be useful in case of gluten sensitivity, food intolerances and allergies. The intestine thus cleaned would regain its optimal functionality, favoring natural immunity and rebalancing the process of assimilation of nutrients and elimination of waste.
Main indications of colon hydrotherapy
- Constipation
- Digestive difficulties
- Re-education of intestinal transit
- Bloating and abdominal bloating
- Atonic colon
- Dysbiosis
- Preparation for colonoscopy
- Preparing for surgery
- Intestinal mycoses (e.g. candidiasis)
- Skin diseases
What can it be useful for
Colon hydrotherapy is particularly useful in the presence of functional disorders of the colon and in the rehabilitation of intestinal peristaltic capacity. Therefore, this practice can find application in the treatment of constipation, stimulating the intestinal tract to resume its regular activity.
Colon hydrotherapy can also give good results in the treatment of vaginitis and cystitis, as by cleaning the intestine of candida and other germs, inflammation in the genitals can also be reduced.
Sometimes, the effects of the procedure can be reflected in the skin, helping to reduce the symptoms of dermatitis and eczema.
Colon hydrotherapy can also be useful in disorders associated with an "intoxication of the organism" due to stress, sedentary life, low-fiber diet and antibiotic treatments, which can result in headaches, insomnia and fatigue.
This practice can also be a good complementary measure in cases of detoxifying diets.
Attention! Some colon hydrotherapy experts argue that toxins from the gastrointestinal tract can cause a variety of health problems, ranging from arthritis to asthma. According to the sources, therefore, the morbid conditions that can be treated with this method are decidedly more numerous than those mentioned previously. However, at the moment, no scientific evidence or clinical study is available that can confirm the real beneficial effects of colon hydrotherapy on such a wide spectrum of pathological conditions. As with other alternative medicine practices, therefore, appropriate caution must be used. .
How it is done
Colon hydrotherapy involves sessions of approximately 45-60 minutes.
The person assumes a supine position on a table or is made to lie on the side, with the leg bent.
A small two-way rectal cannula allows water to flow into the intestine and remove waste material.The operator performs irrigation at calibrated pressure and stable temperature.
The water that enters from the anus cleanses the colon, from the rectum to the cecum; during the colon hydrotherapy session, the patient can see the waste coming from his intestine pass through a transparent tube. The closed circuit system prevents the onset of unpleasant manifestations, such as, for example, bad smells.
During the treatment, 25-30 liters of purified and bacteriologically pure water are used. However, no medicines or other chemicals are used.
During colon hydrotherapy, the patient is assisted by specialized personnel (usually a "nurse or" midwife) who accompany the procedure with massages on the abdomen, specially designed to promote relaxation and the activation of peristalsis.
In order to ensure optimum safety, precision and comfort conditions, the equipment used by the operator is generally equipped with a system that limits all sudden changes in water pressure on the supply network. The instrumentation must also be equipped with a thermostatic meter that guarantees a stable temperature for the entire duration of the session, and a water filtering system.
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