Colonic Irrigation
Also known as Colon Cleansing, Colon Therapy, Colon Hydrotherapy, High Colonic, Enema Irrigation, and High Enema. This page was last updated on 17th July 2010. Related links |
Gastrointestinal Quackery: Colonics, Laxatives, and MoreArticle by Stephen Barrett, M.D. (Quackwatch) Colonic Irrigation"Significant dangers include: perforation of the colon, infection from improperly cleaned instruments, electrolyte imbalances, and fluid absorption and overload leading to heart failure. Deaths have been reported from both perforation and infection." (Your Doctor website) Colonic irrigation: therapeutic claims by professional organisations, a review“Colonic irrigation is a popular treatment promoted for a wide range of conditions. The aim of this analysis is to evaluate the therapeutic claims made by professional organisations of colonic irrigation. Six such organisations were identified. On their websites, a plethora of therapeutic claims were made. Common themes were detoxification, normalisation of intestinal function, treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and weight loss. None of these claims seemed to be supported by sound evidence. It is concluded that the therapeutic claims of professional organisations of colonic irrigation mislead patients.” Edzard Ernst, The International Journal of Clinical Practice (February 2010) Colonic Irrigation"Colonic Irrigation is considered to be unsafe, does not meet professionally accepted standards, and lacks sufficient data supporting effectiveness and/or utility." Clinical practice guideline from American Speciality Health Inc. [ASH] (Revised 15th October 2009) [pdf] Colonic Irrigation“There is no acceptable evidence for the need for ‘detoxification’ or that colonic irrigation or cleansing are beneficial.” Science Based Healthcare (2009) Colon 'cleanses'"One thing's for sure. Colon cleansing is a dubious and almost always useless procedure that shows no signs of going away. There is a thriving market offering an amazing number of products that claim to be able to rid you of all that nasty fecal buildup that doesn't exist." David Gorski MD, Science Based Medicine (7th April 2008) The Dangers of Colon Cleansing"Holistic practitioners believe the colon is a sewage system and if it's not kept clean, waste products won't be cleared out and toxic substances will be absorbed into the body. They believe that the typical person may have as many as several pounds of fecal matter in their colon, which causes mucus to build up and harden on colon walls. Science says this is not true. Your colon knows how to do its job, constantly shedding old cells, absorbing nutrients and keeping a delicate balance of bacteria and natural chemicals. Interfering with this process can hurt or destroy these relationships, meaning the colon won't work as well as it should. Colon cleansing is unnecessary, and medical doctors do not advise you to do this." Article by Melissa Tennen, Health A to Z (16th August 2005) Colon cleansing: Helpful or harmful?"Doctors don't recommend colon cleansing for better health or to prevent disease. The only appropriate use for colon cleansing is in preparation for a medical examination of the colon. Your colon normally eliminates waste material and bacteria and absorbs water and sodium to maintain your body's fluid and electrolyte balance. Some colon-cleansing programs disrupt this balance and can be harmful by causing dehydration and salt depletion." Michael Picco, M.D., gastroenterologist, Mayo Clinic (28th May 2005) Extensive abscesses following colonic hydrotherapyLancet Infectious Diseases (August 2005) Rectal perforation from colonic irrigation administered by alternative practitioners"We feel that colonic irrigation is of dubious benefit, especially when delivered to remove so-called 'toxic waste' when bowel function is satisfactory. There is potential for serious harm." Includes three case reports. Letter to the Editor of the Medical Journal of Australia from surgeons Doug V. Handley, Nick A. Rieger, and David J. Rodda (2004) A view on colonic irrigationExcerpt from a letter to the editor of the New Zealand Medical Journal regarding 'colonic washouts'. (2002) [Reported in FACT] Life-threatening perineal gangrene from rectal perforation following colonic hydrotherapy: a case reportAlternative medicine is widely publicized in Singapore. To date there are few reports of complications arising as a result of such treatments. However, there is no legislation as yet governing alternative medicine practitioners. We present an unusual case of a patient who developed life-threatening perineal gangrene as a result of rectal perforation following colonic hydrotherapy. Annals of Academic Medicine, Singapore (July 1999) Colonic irrigation and the theory of autointoxication: a triumph of ignorance over scienceE. Ernst, Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology (1997) Intestinal autointoxication: a medical leitmotifJournal of Clinical Gastroenterology (1989) An outbreak of amebiasis spread by colonic irrigation at a chiropractic clinic“From June 1978 through December 1980, at least 36 cases of amebiasis occurred in persons who had had colonic-irrigation therapy at a chiropractic clinic in western Colorado.” New England Journal of Medicine (5th August 1982) NCAHF Position Paper on Colonic IrrigationThe National Council Against Health Fraud concludes that colonics has no real health benefits, but does have a number of serious hazards. Colonic Irrigation"Practitioners of colonic irrigation are not licensed, are not required to be trained, and the equipment is not required to be inspected. Even if the practitioner is a fully licensed physician, it can still be a very risky procedure with no real benefits." Skeptic Wiki (The Encyclopaedia of Science and Critical Thinking) What's the harm in colon cleansing?Reports of people harmed by colon cleansing. |