Colonics vs. Colonoscopy

By Gloria M. Rivera
[802 words, 5 minutes read time]

You need a what?
My better half and I were watching a show on TV when I remembered that my primary care physician (PCP) had mentioned that I needed to schedule my first colonoscopy since my birthday is coming up.

His immediate reaction was one of surprise: “Isn’t that when they shoot water up your butt and flush you out?”

Since he is a chef and I just learned what a sunchoke was this year and that making aioli with mayonnaise is sacrilegious, exchanges like this happen quite often in our household. They usually catch each other off guard and make us laugh a lot.

Aren’t they the same?

A colonoscopy is a medical procedure that allows examining the inside of the large intestine, which includes the colon, rectum, and anus. It is performed by a medical professional who has extensive training to perform it.

On the other hand, the most popular version of a colonic, also known as colonic irrigation, is typically performed by non-medical professionals. This version uses liquids such as coffee or coffee grounds claiming to “remove toxins”. 

Colonoscopy

The procedure is done using a long, flexible tube called a colonoscope or scope. 

The colonoscope is a tube that has a light and a small video camera on one end. It is inserted through the anus, passing through the rectum, and into the colon. It can also include the ileum, which is the last part of the small intestine.

Along the way, it sends images of the inside of the large intestine, including pictures and video, to a screen.

The procedure is technically challenging and requires significant training and experience in using the scope and equipment. Therefore, it can only be performed by trained medical professionals.

Uses:

A provider may request a colonoscopy for many different reasons:

  • Inspection of the large intestine: if a person has intestinal signs and symptoms, it is performed to investigate possible causes of abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, chronic diarrhea, and other intestinal issues.
  • Colon cancer screening:  starts when a person is 45 years old, asymptomatic—meaning they show no symptoms—, and has an average risk for colon cancer. 
  • Biopsy: if during the procedure, some suspicious tissue, a polyp, or a tumor is visualized, the physician can take a sample of that tissue or remove a polyp for examination. A pathologist then studies the sample under a microscope.
  • Therapeutic procedures: If a person has had polyps before, and there is abnormal imaging, a follow-up colonoscopy may be recommended to look for and remove any additional polyps. This is done to reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Colonic

This procedure is also called a “colonic cleanse, colonic irrigation, or colonic hydrotherapy.”  It is a process that flushes out the large intestine with a liquid, such as water. Usually, when it is performed before a medical procedure by a healthcare professional to improve visibility inside the intestine.

The more popular colonic is performed by alternative “health” practitioners who lack medical training and believe that toxins in the digestive tract can cause headaches, arthritis, and other conditions. Therefore, they claim colonics “remove toxins from the body and improve digestion” despite lacking scientific evidence to support these claims.  The body naturally detoxifies itself through the liver and kidneys.

It’s done using a tube placed in the rectum and uses different fluids such as herbal solutions, coffee, or coffee grounds instead of water.

Risks:

As mentioned, detoxing the colon is not recommended or needed for any medical condition. Also, it can cause many complications:

  • Common and less dangerous: such as cramping, bloating, diarrhea, upset stomach, and vomiting.
  • Worsening of GI conditions: If a person has a bowel condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, or a blocked intestine, it can worsen the symptoms and even cause bleeding. 
  • Medication interference: may interfere with the absorption of the medication the day the colonic is performed.
  • Losing too much fluid and electrolytes: may cause dehydration or complicate preexisting kidney or heart conditions.
  • Infection: introducing objects or substances foreign to the body, such as non-sterile instruments, water, or containing bacteria, may cause infection.
  • Trauma: inserting a tube may cause irritation or damage to the delicate tissue of the rectum or the colon. For example, anal tear, bowel perforation, bleeding of the GI tract.
  • Death: coffee enemas have been linked to many deaths. If some of the described complications are not treated, for example, an intestinal tear or infection, they may cause shock and posterior death.  

l included the resources used in the making of this blog post below. 

If you enjoyed this post, let me know in the comment section below. 

Happy Learning!
Gloria

Resources:

Accessed on October 17, 2024.

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