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How to Clean Your Colon

Table of Contents:

1. The Symptoms of Constipation 4. Lifestyle Changes

2. How to Cleanse Your Colon 5. Enemas

3. Laxatives

The adult colon, also called the large intestine, is about 5 feet long. Its job is to absorb water and salts from partially digested
food that enters from the small intestine and then send waste out of the body. Sometimes, because of congenital abnormalities
or problems that develop with age, it doesnt do that last part so well.

If you have a congenital abnormality, you have already gotten medical advice on voiding your colon, so this article is directed to
the people who occasionally get into constipation problems.

This is not to say that constipation is a minor problem. It may be caused by an anatomic problem, an obstruction such as a
tumor, that can be corrected only by surgery. Anatomic problems can block the passage of food through the digestive system. Some problems can
become life-threatening. Symptoms of anatomic problems include abdominal pain, abdominal distension, vomiting, and diarrhea or constipation. Should
constipation persist for more than a few days, or if there is significant pain associated with it, you would be well advised to see a doctor about it.

The Symptoms of Constipation

Constipation is defined as having less than three bowel movements per week. Stools are typically hard, dry, small in size, and difficult to eliminate,
making bowel movements painful. W ith it comes intestinal bloating and discomfort. It is a symptom, usually of a poor diet combined with an aging
digestive system, not a disease. Its one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints, most common in women and adults ages 65 and older. Its
also associated with pregnancy and the post-partum period.

Constipation is clinically diagnosed when a patient has any two of the following symptoms for at least 12 weeks (not necessarily consecutive) in the
last 12 months:

Straining during bowel movements

Lumpy or hard stool

Sensation of incomplete evacuation

Sensation of anorectal blockage/obstruction

Fewer than three bowel movements per week.

What Causes Constipation?

If you ignore the urge to have a bowel movement, you will eventually stop feeling the need to have one, which can lead to constipation. Some people
delay having a bowel movement because they do not want to use toilets outside the home. Others ignore the urge because of emotional stress or
because they are too busy. Children may postpone having a bowel movement because of stressful toilet training or because they do not want to
interrupt their play.

Constipation occurs during pregnancy because of hormonal changes or because the uterus compresses the intestine. Aging may also affect bowel
regularity, because a slower metabolism results in less intestinal activity and muscle tone. In addition, people often become constipated when traveling,
because their normal diet and daily routine are disrupted.

Diseases that cause constipation include multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, stroke, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, uremia, lupus, scleroderma,
intestinal obstruction, scar tissue (adhesions), diverticulosis, tumors, colorectal stricture, cancer, and pelvic floor dysfunction.

How to Cleanse Your Colon

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Most people who are mildly constipated dont need laxatives. However, when diet and lifestyle changes have not worked, a doctor may recommend
laxatives or enemas for a limited time to retrain a chronically sluggish bowel. Laxatives taken by mouth are available in liquid, tablet, gum powder, and
granule forms.

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Laxatives

Laxatives work in one of several ways:

Bulk-forming laxatives are fiber supplements that absorb water in the intestine and make the stool softer. Brand names include
Metamucil and Citrucel. These agents must be taken with water or they can cause obstruction.

Stimulants like Dulcolax and Senokot cause rhythmic muscle contractions in the intestines. The FDA has proposed a ban on the possibly
carcinogen, phenolphthalein, which is an ingredient in some stimulant laxatives. Most laxative makers have replaced, or plan to replace,
phenolphthalein with a safer ingredient.

Osmotics like Sorbitol cause fluids to flow in a special way through the colon, resulting in bowel distention. They are not recommended for
diabetics.

Stool softeners, for example, Colace, moisten the stool and prevent dehydration. Prolonged use may result in an electrolyte imbalance.

Lubricants grease the stool and typically stimulate a bowel movement within 8 hours.

Saline laxatives act like a sponge to draw water into the colon for easier passage of stool. Brand names include Milk of Magnesia and
Haleys M-O. Saline laxatives are used to treat acute constipation if there is no indication of bowel obstruction.

Chloride channel activators such as Amitiza increase intestinal fluid and motility and can be safely used for up to 6 to 12 months.

Serotonin agonists help the muscles in the intestines work correctly when a slow-moving digestive system is caused by low levels of
serotonin, a neurotransmitter found in the digestive tract.

Lifestyle Changes

Other non-laxative, useful therapies include:

Put more fiber in your diet. Fiberboth soluble and insolubleis the part of fruits, vegetables, and grains that the body cannot digest.
Soluble fiber dissolves easily in water and takes on a soft, gel-like texture in the intestines. Insoluble fiber, like that found in bran and
psyllium, passes through the intestines almost unchanged. A diet high in fats, such as cheese, eggs, and meats, is counter-productive.
Fiber is even more important among the elderly, yet the elderly tend to temp constipation through the consumption of low-fiber, easy-to-
prepare processed cheap meals.

Drinking more. Although increased fluid intake does not necessarily help relieve constipation, it does help some people. Liquids add fluid to
the colon and bulk to stools, making bowel movements softer and easier to pass. People who have problems with constipation should try to
drink liquids every day.

Avoiding alcohol and caffeinated beverages, such as coffee and cola drinks, which will worsen ones symptoms through dehydration.

Getting more physical activity. Low activity is an especially common cause of constipation, although doctors do not know precisely why. Its
thought to be one of the reasons constipation is common in older people.

If the constipation has come on with the beginning of a course of medications, notify the prescribing doctor to get her advice on what to do.

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2. Antacids that contain aluminum and calcium

3. Blood pressure medications (calcium channel blockers)

4. Antiparkinson drugs

5. antispasmodics

6. Antidepressants

7. Iron supplements

8. Diuretics

9. Anticonvulsants

Milk and dairy products have a tendency to bind some people up. Stop consuming them, at least for a while.

Enemas

In cases where the bowel becomes impacted, an enema may be recommended in conjunction with a dose of mineral oil to soften the stool. A doctor
may then insert one or two fingers into the anus to break up and remove part of the hardened stool.

One more treatment for intestinal blockage (and, according to its advocates, about 3,000 other diseases) is called high colonic irrigation. It consists of
sticking a modified hose nozzle into the patients rectum, then alternately pumping in water and pumping it out. The treatment is looked upon by most
physicians with serious disdain, seeing it as an expensive enema.

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