| Colon Cleansing - Is It Necessary? |
| Written by The Editor | |||
| Saturday, 01 November 2008 13:21 | |||
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Colon Cleansing has been touted by some believers in alternative medicine as a cure for anything ranging from flu, common cold, to lethargy, depression and asthma. Proponents believe that colon cleansing provides health benefits, not least by removing toxins from the body, improving energy levels as well as the immune system. 2. Colonic perforations (burst colon) from improperly administered colonic irrigation 3. Damage to the native bacterial flora resulting in persistent diarrhea 4. Long-term problems such as anaemia (low red blood cell count), malnutrition, heart failure Colonic irrigation is one of two common colon cleansing methods. Most doctors will not recommend colonic irrigation as therapy, simply because there is no need for it on a regular basis. Your colon functions to remove waste from your body and is efficient in carrying out its duties. Why is there a need to for you to do nature’s work? Most doctors would, however, agree with the use of colonic irrigation for bowel cleansing prior to a diagnostic procedure such as a colonoscopy, barium enema or CT colonography. This is to provide better visualization of the mucosa that forms the internal lining of the colon. This is also a one-off administration of oral fluids such as Oral Fleet@ or Polyethylene Glycol (PEG), usually given the day prior to the diagnostic procedure, and is not used on a regular basis. Occasionally, enemas may be prescribed for patients who have constipation. These are small volume liquids administered rectally and serve as a stimulant for evacuation of faeces. They are usually given by doctors, nurses or trained para-medical staff. Steroid or other enemas may also be prescribed as treatment for certain conditions such as Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease. As we move from the realm of disease diagnosis and treatment into the hazy field of disease prevention, many of the suggested treatments may have to be taken on faith. This is because it is just simply impossible to verify if there is any benefit through clinical trials. For example, does exercise and high fibre prevent colorectal cancer? For that matter, does colon cleansing? There is such a wide variety of diets and lifestyles that it is just impossible to isolate and study one particular influencing factor. This is why there is so much controversy with regards to colon cleansing and why there is so much more to find out.
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 26 January 2009 09:56 ) |