Colon Hydrotherapy is a gentle internal bath that cleanses the colon (the large intestine) of faecal matter, excess mucus, gas, parasites and any toxic material.

How can Colon Hydrotherapy help?

Everyone can benefit from Colon Hydrotherapy. You can feel revitalised and rejuvenated after a treatment and the benefits are often felt very quickly.

Colon Hydrotherapy has been shown to be very effective in treating bowel problems, in particular :

• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Bloating
• Food sensitivities
• Flatulence (particularly if it is quite smelly!)
• Candida (yeast infections)

The following conditions can also be helped by improving bowel function :  

• Arthritis and other joint problems
• Skin conditions – eczema, psoriasis etc
• Migraines and headaches
• Fatigue – ME/CFS or TATT (tired all the time)
• Menstrual problems and menopausal symptoms
• Frequent infections
• Halitosis and body odour
• Sleeping difficulties
• Stress and anxiety
• Weight problems
• Allergies

This treatment is also excellent as part of any detox regime and when used as part of an overall cleanse, liver flushing and after the removal of amalgam fillings.

Find out more about Colon Hydrotherapy at www.colonic-association.org

How does colon hydrotherapy work?

What happens during a treatment?

Is it safe?

Are there circumstances when a colonic cannot be performed?

How many colonic treatments are necessary?

Do I need any special preparation?

Can I go back to work straight afterwards?

Does it hurt?

Can I have a colonic while I am menstruating?

Does it work on an emotional level too?

How does colon hydrotherapy work?

Colon Hydrotherapy can help you in 3 ways:

• It cleanses the colon

You clean the outside of your body so why do we ignore the inside? Our diet often does not contain the levels of fibrous material that it needs and so bowel function can become impaired. This can lead to decay and fermentation of faecal material inside your body and cause bloating, discomfort, sluggishness and a generally toxic feeling. This treatment will gently remove any material held in the bowel using warm water. Once your colon is cleansed it can start to work in the way that it is meant to and you literally feel as if a weight has been lifted.

• It exercises/relaxes the colon

For sluggish bowels (constipation):

It exercises the colon muscles. Over the years our bowels can become a bit lazy and they do not push the waste material through as quickly as they should. This treatment helps to stimulate the peristaltic action of the bowel (the muscle contractions) to help it naturally work more effectively.

For overactive bowels (IBS):

It relaxes the colon muscles. Stress, worry, specific foods, trying to do too much can all trigger the bowel muscles to go into spasm. The treatment is geared towards relaxing the muscles in the bowel so that it can gently release the waste material and then help it get back to its natural rhythm.

• It reshapes the bowel

The colon is very flexible and it will stretch to hold whatever is in there. This in turn leads to more toxicity problems. The gentle action of the water, massage techniques and good dietary habits will help the colon to return to its natural state.

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What happens during a treatment?

When you come for your first appointment your case history will be discussed to enable the practitioner to understand more about you and how to tailor the treatment to suit your particular needs. The whole procedure will be explained and you will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions so that you feel relaxed about the treatment.

You will then need to go to our changing area and remove the lower half of your clothing and then wrap yourself up in a towel or blanket. You are kept covered at all times so your modesty is preserved. The whole treatment is treated totally professionally and discreetly for your comfort and ease.

A brief rectal exam is carried out and then a speculum is introduced to open the anal sphincter. This allows the warm water to flow gently in and the waste to come out. The waste is piped directly into the sewerage system although you do have the opportunity to view (if you want to!) through a viewing tube as it is being released. The whole process is clean, does not smell and is very discreet.

The treatment is carried out initially with you lying on your left side. This enables the water to effectively cleanse the descending colon on your left hand side. You will then turn on to your back and your practitioner will use special massage techniques to help you release waste matter and gas pockets from the whole of the bowel.

Where needed, herbal infusions may be given as part of the treatment, these can be very helpful in the elimination of the faecal matter and can assist in moving some of the stubborn gas pockets.

The treatment time is usually about 35-45 minutes.

After the treatment is complete you will be given individual advice about diet and lifestyle that will help you to maintain a healthy environment within your bowel.

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Is it safe?

Yes. Your therapist (Lesley Stephenson) trained with the National College of Colon Hydrotherapy (www.ncch.co.uk) and is registered with the Association and Register of Colon Hydrotherapists (ARCH - www.colonic-association.org). NCCH has extremely high standards and ARCH has very strict regulations for their members so you can be assured of a very professional and safe treatment.

The water is filtered and the water pressure is carefully controlled - in fact the water pressure is lower than is normally generated during a bowel movement.

All of the equipment used is sterilised using hospital grade sterilants and disposable equipment can be used when requested.

Friendly bacteria are released during the treatment. However, these are only what would have been eliminated during a normal bowel movement anyway. The good bacteria remaining very quickly breed back up to full strength. Where necessary, usually when your body was deficient in good bacteria anyway, the practitioner will recommend a course of probiotics following your treatment.

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Are there circumstances when a colonic cannot be performed?

Yes, there are some circumstances where it is not recommended to have this treatment.

If you answer YES to any of the following then it is important that you talk to us beforehand as the treatment may not be appropriate for you:

• Do you suffer from any form of heart disease?
• Do you have high blood pressure that is not controlled with medication?
• Do you have a heart pacemaker fitted?
• Do you have diabetes that is not controlled by medication?
• Do you suffer from painful / active haemorrhoids?
• Do you have any fissures or fistulas?
• Have you used steroids for more than 6 months in duration?
• Do you have severe anaemia?
• Do you suffer from diverticulitis?
• Do you use diuretics?
• Do you have an abdominal or inguinal hernia?
• Have you been diagnosed with liver disease or kidney problems?
• Have you had surgery of the colon or rectum in the past year?
• Do you suffer from any form of inflammatory bowel disease?
• Ladies : Are you or could you be pregnant?
• Have you had a recent hip replacement?
• Are you under 16 years of age?

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How many colonic treatments are necessary?

This really does depend upon the individual. It may vary from only one treatment to several spread out over a period of time. You will be given specific advice after your first treatment.

On average two treatments are needed to provide a thorough cleanse of the bowel – although it can sometimes be achieved on just one.

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Do I need any special preparation?

No special preparation is necessary before your colon hydrotherapy treatment however, you may benefit from:

• Drinking plenty of water in the days prior to the treatment
• Eating plenty of fibre in the days prior to the treatment
• Avoiding large meals and not drinking too much fluid in the 3 hours before your treatment

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Can I go back to work straight afterwards?

Yes, you can be active immediately after the treatment. Most people feel rejuvenated and full of energy.

You don’t need to worry about any leakage afterwards. After the water has been released then your own sphincters take over and they act just as they always do.

If there was a huge release then you may feel as little tired but you will definitely feel the benefit as soon as your body has recovered.

You will be given individual advice on how to look after yourself after the treatment.

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Does it hurt?

It does not hurt – in fact it is much gentler than people expect.

The only slight discomfort can occur when your body is trying to expel a lot of waste. This passes very quickly and afterwards you will really feel the benefit.

If you do suffer from IBS then some spasms may be experienced during the treatment. This occurs because your body is naturally trying to expel the water being introduced. We keep this to a minimum by using water that is warmed just above body temperature and introducing herbs into the water. Please do not let this put you off as the benefits are considerable and many people find that their IBS is resolved by just 1 or 2 treatments.

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Can I have a colonic while I am menstruating?

Yes, there are no problems – in fact it is a really good time to have a colonic. It can help relieve the bloating and pain sometimes suffered at that time. You will need to make sure that you are wearing a tampon and just let the practitioner know if you need them to be a bit gentler with the massage.

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Does it work on an emotional level too?

The physical effects of the colonic are just one aspect of the treatment. With the Mind, Body and Sprit connection we find that the toxic release from the body can also help how we deal with emotional issues.

‘Letting go’ physically encourages letting go on emotional, mental and spiritual level too. The treatment works directly with the solar plexus, sacral and root chakras which are core to our spiritual being. At Sanctum we sometimes use flower and gem essences during the treatment to help occasions where emotional ‘holding on’ is resulting in a physical ‘holding on’ too.

Click here to book a colonic hydrotherapy treatment with Sanctum Clinic or e-mail info@sanctumclinic.co.uk for more information.