The Hindu Business Line : Old therapy, new avatar

It is an old concept that is fast catching on with the introduction of a portable, user-friendly equipment. Colon hydrotherapy is simply a variant of enema treatment. It involves flushing the bowel with water that is temperature controlled and pressure regulated. In its new avatar the therapy is viewed as an excellent skin rejuvenator, and as a painless treatment that bestows health benefits. Little wonder then that a large number of people ranging from those in the glamou r industry to airline cabin crew and those in high-pressure jobs with erratic eating habits are making a beeline for the therapy, says Dr Sathya Narayanan, an ayurvedic physician based in Dubai.

Colon hydrotherapy has been therapeutically used even in ancient times in India, China, Egypt and Greece. The therapy made inroads into European spas in the 19th century and today it is used extensively by practitioners of alternative medicine, therapists in beauty salons and spas around the world.

Also known as colonic irrigation, it is a safe and effective way of cleansing the large intestines or colon, and ridding the body of toxins that have accumulated over several years. The therapy improves muscle tone, facilitates peristaltic action and boosts the immune system. It paves the way for nutrients to be absorbed efficiently, and disables worms and parasites from surviving and thriving. The body thus settles into a state of equilibrium and disease-free condition.

Colon hydrotherapy helps relieve chronic constipation, diarrhoea, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), mild haemorrhoids or piles, bad breath, acidity and indigestion, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, initial stages of ulcerative colitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, poor appetite, asthma and allergies, anxiety, depression and mood swings, all kinds of muscular aches and pains, stiffness of joints and several other conditions.

The therapy is particularly useful for aged people with impaired colonic motility and slowed-down process of defecation, says Dr Sathya.

However, colon hydrotherapy is not recommended for individuals suffering from ulcer of the colon, diverticulities, 2nd stage or bleeding piles, anal fissures, kidney disorder, inflammatory conditions or tumours in the rectum or colon, and Crohn’s disease. It is also not advised for patients who have recently undergone bowel surgery.

A single therapy session that usually lasts for an hour involves infusing water gently into the colon by means of a sterilized tube. The water passes through the rectum into the descending, transverse and ascending colon. The water dilutes waste matter in the colon and flushes out the waste, gas and mucus deposits lining the colonic walls through another tube connected to the machine.

Before embarking on a therapy session, clients undergo clinical examination to check for medical problems, if any. The therapy is best done on an empty stomach, though this is not mandatory. Ideally an eight-day course is advocated. Even after a single session, one can often see and feel the effects in terms of glowing skin texture, increased energy levels and diminished digestive symptoms, observes Dr Sathya.

There are no adverse effects from the therapy. “In fact in post-cardiac surgery and certain other conditions, doctors recommend colon hydrotherapy because it relieves patients from the feeling of abdominal fullness. Even in pregnant women it can be used safely and is even indicated in certain instances, but under the supervision of a doctor,” she explains.

The therapy should ideally be followed by a light meal over the next 24 hours and fat-rich, hard-to-digest food are best avoided. This is to allow the system to realign itself to the equilibrium state and not suffer overload.

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