Are plain water enemas Ok for daily use

[Mariatenebre]

Are plain water enemas, IE water from my faucet in a douche ok to do everyday. I have heard different things?

 

[hotatlboi]

yeah but you need to make it a bit saline or it will burn.

 

[KaraBulut]

It depends.

If you're having a colonoscopy prep and they are doing "enemas until clear" they are more likely to use warm saline because they will be introducing a lot of water into your colon, so fluid overload and hypothermia become more of a concern- particularly for children or elderly persons.

But if you're doing an enema to relieve constipation or before sex, then usually an 8oz (240ml) premixed enema is enough fluid to evacuate the rectum. With that little amount of fluid and assuming that you are just doing them occasionally when needed- it is also fine to use tap water.

 

[Benvolio]

Are there doctors here? I would be concerned that news reports have said that using tap water in the nasal flushes can be dangerous because of possible amoeba invasion. Could that also be a problem with enemas?

 

[panda29]

I have been using plain warm water for years with no side effects or problems.

 

[KaraBulut]

Are there doctors here? I would be concerned that news reports have said that using tap water in the nasal flushes can be dangerous because of possible amoeba invasion. Could that also be a problem with enemas?

Amoebas are bacteria that thrive in still water- like lakes and ponds. They are difficult to kill, so areas that pull drinking water from lakes and ponds may have an occasional amoeba.

Most of the incidents of amoebiasis associated with nasal irrigation had two things in common- the irrigation device (netipot or squeeze bottle) wasn't cleaned with soap-water-scrubbing and the irrigation device wasn't allowed to fully dry between uses. The cause of death wasn't just an amoeba infection- it was amoebic encephalitis- a brain infection. The sinuses are adjacent to the brain which makes transfer to the brain much more probable.

There's a general rule about putting things in your colon: if you wouldn't put it in your mouth, don't put it in your ass. This applies to things like soapy water- if you wouldn't drink it, don't irrigate your ass with it.

In keeping with that rule, you drink water that probably has amoeba. You drink it all the time but you don't show any untoward effects. So, putting tap water in your ass is probably on the same risk level as drinking it.

 

[unloadonme]

Amoebas are bacteria ...

On a point of pedantry, amoebae are protozoans not bacteria.

 

[Mariatenebre]

Well one thing I have been wondering is it ok to use plain water enemas daily?

 

[KaraBulut]

On a point of pedantry, amoebae are protozoans not bacteria.

Point taken, although I thought that this had been reorganized again under a different systematic since we all took biology back in the day?

Well one thing I have been wondering is it ok to use plain water enemas daily?

The issue is not plain water enemas as much as it is enemas. Frequent enemas can alter the normal flora and mucus lining of the intestine and generally are discouraged. If there's a problem that compels you to want to take enemas, it's probably something that you want to discuss with your physician and treat the underlying cause instead of relying upon enemas to mask the symptoms.

 

[mbamike]

I have been douching (plain water enema) in preparation for anal sex for a little over three years. I have not had any problems. I don't do them everyday however.

 

[rareboy]

Absolutely not.

Enemas wash away a lot of the protective flora and the end result can be a super infection.

Been there. Done that.

 

[Sam-I-Am]

I posted this on another thread dealing with poop on the stick after sex. I will share it.

For background, I am a straight, bi-curious, gay friendly, married male. I have never had consentual anal intercourse but love anal stimulation by my female partner so cleanliness is important.

I had my gallbladder removed due to stones. After that, the texture of by feces changed. I had trouble keeping clean due to fecal retention (rectum not fully emptying). I went to a colo-rectal surgeon who advised me to use Konsyl, a high quantity psyllium fiber supplement.

Since then, I completely empty my rectum and no residue. It comes out so clean a roll of TP will last a month. I used to use a bulb syringe to clean out.

I cannot help but believe that this would help a guy keep cleaned out for sex. I eat a high fiber diet but without the supplement is was not enough.

Doesn't hurt to try it. Safer in the long rum than douching. The surgeon told me to use psyllium instead of citrus based supplements. The former adds bulk and the latter mostly moisture.

 

[SexyGuy]

Amoebas are bacteria....

On a point of pedantry, amoebae are protozoans not bacteria.

*Ahem*

As a biologist (and a good researcher)... unloadonme is correct - amoebas are not bacteria.

Amoeba are a genus within the family Amoebidae, of the order Tubulinida, of the phylum Tubulinea, of the kingdom Protista* of the domain Eukaryota.

It is in the domain Eukaryota due to asexual reproduction via mitosis & cytokinesis because it has a nucleus.

*Note: The 5-kingdom system is somewhat out-dated. The updated version consists of the 3 Domains: Archae; Eubacteria; and Eukaryotes. The kingdoms are still in there somewhat, however, with new genetic and analytical tools, scientists are reworking what is related to what and is what manner.