Can Enemas help with cold/flu or other illness?

Yesterday I woke up feeling as if a cold was coming on. I had planned to take an enema that morning, and did so. It was a thoroughly satisfactory enema—I used some of my remaining supply of Ivory soap (an expensive import in this country). But the cold continued its progress, and today I’m feeling definitely under the weather.

I am neither surprised nor disappointed. Why would an infusion of soapy water into the colon have the slightest effect on a viral infection of the airways? Can’t we be content with enjoying this activity and practising it safely, without making claims for it which can never be substantiated and were abandoned long ago by mainstream medicine? I don’t kid myself that taking an enema once or twice a week does my health the slightest good. It’s enough that I enjoy it and it does me no harm.

When i feel a cold or flu coming on and the symptoms start to get to me i will begin with a salt & soda enema and have it a little warmer than i usually do. Warm enemas tend to make me a little sleepy and so i cat nap during or after i complete that enema. Then i fill up the tub with very warm water and also set up for a 2nd enema with water that is just a little warmer than the first but not quite as warm as the bath water .. btw .. i put lavendar and baking soda in my bath water but none in my enema.

I put the tube in me and then get in the tub and soak while the enema flows and rest ... it if am getting a sinus problem the lavendar seems to help. The hot bath and warm enema really relax me and start me to sweating and i usually feel pretty weak or relaxed when i finally get out and dry off and release my enema. Then i head for bed where i turn my electric blanket on extra crispy and slip between the sheets in the nude .. the way i usually sleep. I try to rest and it usually works pretty good where i fall asleep and try to not toss and turn too much.

I sleep for however long i can and then get up and eat something pretty bland and drink a lot of tea .. which goes right through me. By now i'm feeling pretty weak because of the cold and trying to shake it .. so i really get with the liquids .. orange juice .. apple juice .. and of course tea and water. Toast and honey helps too.

By this time most of the day is all but shot so i have a 'nightcap' enema with some chamomile tea and i also drink some of it too 😉 After i hold the enema and release it all I'm usually able to sleep most of the night. In the morning i have a plain water enema without anything added and hold it for as long as i can .. this usually makes me pee more than i normally do and i also do a hot as i can stand it shower .. the steam helps ... and if i'm sleepy .. i'll head back to be and try to sleep it off.

I still have the cold but it doesn't seem as bad and seems to help me from it settling in my chest. The enemas may or may not help shorten my cold .. but it sure doesn't help and they make me slow down and rest. I like .. love .. enemas anyway and so this is something i have no problem trying.

I have no direct evidence that it helps, but it sure doesn't hurt, and it sure improves my attitude. A good cleanout followed by a nice warm coffee enema is just what I need. I recommend trying it if you haven't yet.

Your correct enemas aren't a cure for flu symptoms. Butt, if your running a fever it will definitely lower your fever temperature.

Like many others answering this thread, as an adult I take enemas when I feel constipated or ill. I have found them to be helpful in feeling cleaned out, whether or not it is just psycholigical I do not recommend giving children enemas for colds, however. At a certain age (for me they were at least) they became intrusive and awkward getting them from my parents as punishment or for showing signs of illness. The experience was psychologically scarring.

I view enemas in the same way I do sexual activity... something for consenting adults to do.

This is a topic I am beginning to change my mind about. With our immune system housed in the large intestine and the vast amount of serotonin residing there, it is starting to become more logical that colon irrigation would help with speeding up recovery from flu and our attitudes about having it. Obviously, these posts are all anecdotal and the medical community is not going to even consider looking at this, but that doesn't mean it ISN'T true.

The only controlled study I know of where enemas were studied was at Columbia University Hospital, with pancreatic cancer patients taking coffee enemas. The study never concluded, because of patient drop out, so it proved nothing, for or against. However, I have a lodge brother with pancreatic cancer who has lived more than 10 years with it. He annually goes to a west coast clinic to receive 3 times a day, coffee or wheatgrass enemas for a week. When he returns, his oncologists do LFT's on him and are amazed that he is ready to receive more chemotherapy, when they had previously announced that he had taken all the chemo he could. SOMETHING is happening; be it placebo effect, or true liver detox, but he's still alive and works full time.

There's no doubt in my mind of the medical benefits of enemas taken at the onset of illness or as a preventative measure. Unfortunately it will never again achieve the acceptance of the medical community, nor will there be any serious studies done, because there's no profits to be made with a little warm tap water.

For me, it seems to help. Since I am giving myself enemas on a regular basis, I feel healthier in general. I had only one cold during the last months and got it away in far less time than it would have taken in earlier times (without enemas). I firmly believe that ancient medicine does work, maybe even better than modern pills with their adverse reactions.

There was a mention of Icelandic Moss. The link failed and Butt, here is the link to the same web site that really gives results.

http://www.florahealth.com/herbal_encyclopedia_usa.cfm?appSession=583145345966255

Don't think so because I tried it and it didn't

Sadly it never helps me either ... don't get me wrong, it's nice to do and helps you feel cleaned out and maybe a bit refreshed as it were ... but a cold or what most people call a flu are bronchial/sinus/throat infections and variations thereof.

Luckily people don't have to breathe through the intestinal tract, so I doubt that cleaning that out will have much of an effect on a bronchial infection ... and these are also viral infections ... your body needs to make antibodies, not get cleaned out with water/soap.

That said, an enema, like a good cup of tea, while not curing you, certainly helps you feel less miserable ...

My mom gave me a cold or cool water enema a few times as a child when I was sick and had a fever. The idea was the cool water would reduce the fever but when I was sick and feeling bad anyway the last thing I wanted an enema.

We would all like it if enemas cured or relieved the common cold. It could give those of us whoe enjoy them, but still aren't comfortable with our use of enemas for sexual reasons, justification for taking them.

Sadly there is no cure for the common cold, we can relieve symptoms with several over the counter medications, and there seems to be some evidence zinc will shorten the duration.

People that believe they are gettin relief from enemas may be experiencing the placebo effect. the placebo effects can have real, measurable effect on physiological changes in the brain. The objective physiological changes have been reported, from changes in heart rate and blood pressure to chemical activity in the brain, in cases involving pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and some symptoms of Parkinson’s, but in other cases, like asthma, the effect is purely subjective, when the patient reports improvement despite no objective change in the underlying condition.

But, none the less, there are people here that believe, and therefore probably perceive benefits from taking enemas for the relief of various ailments.

Enemas relieve constipation, and can be used for colon cleansing for medical procedures, as a carrier for some medications, and the reason most are here, sexual stimulation.

That makes me wonder about the medical use of marijuana... How much is real medical benefit and how much if for the enjoyment of the user.... And is there a way to add it to an enema or suppository.

Yes, I'm 420 friendly!

I am no expert in the medical field. It is doubtful that enemas can cure the common cold. However, for me an enema feels so good that it reduces the symptoms of the cold. No logical reason, but it works for me.

I cannot help but remember the old saying: If you do all of the right things, you will be able to stop a cold in only seven days, but if you do nothing, it will hang on for a whole damned week.

Enemas make the seven days more bearable, so do them if you wish, but they cannot shorten its duration.

hankb

Sometimes when I have a bad cold , I'll get constipated and the enema does help me to feel better but not sure if it helps the cold get better any quicker.

I'm with Jds and Hankb colds have a mind of their own. As a medical mentor once said to me "viruses kick the hell out of your DNA. I'm not aware of any benefit of enemas for colds in the medical literature. I think any benefit comes from a placebo effect which is nothing to be sneezed at!

Some antibiotics can have a slight constipating effect and so an enema can relive this. I like them when I have a cold to while away the down-time; a very pleasurable and relaxing activity.

I've only tried it once when I was sick. Not much ambition to do any thing when you are sick. Energy levels are sapped. Anyway it did relieve some constipation and I felt better for a few hours afterwards but that may have been purely coincidental.

Not really but never stopped my mother giving them for every little sniffle or head ache or any other type ailment under the sun

Probably placebo but it's as good excuse as any to take an extra enema. Having the flu right and not having any energy to do anything else I'm going to take a few enemas. I don't think the actually help against the flu but I do feel better while having them and also after. That's enough for me...

There is some very interesting info here. People genuinely think enemas help them and that may be all that is necessary to actual improve your health. Mental state can have a great effect on the human condition.

I read an article just this week that stated that just seeing a sick person can boost your immunity. Positive energy cannot be dismissed as a factor in some so called miracle cures.

A real scientific study would be interesting to see the results published with more than anecdotal info.

I agree piper

Enemas pump up your immune system. and a new study indicates that flora in your intestines effects your immune response.I read about it on a gastro site. I got the link here on zity. search around on new posts here on zity for more links.....and Ricini, I know you like castor oil, but taking a laxative that clears out all the nutrients in your small intestines at a time when you need to strengthen your defenses doesent make sense. I have read that enemas boost your immune system by raising the temp in your colon. they must be hotter than body temp. I wouldn't go over 110f. and I wouldn't put much stock in what many doctors tell you nowadays.they try to debunk everything they cant make money on, including enemas....they'd much rather pump you full of antibiotics than build your immune system to naturally fight off sickness like nature intended....I just heard a report on the radio, that taking vitamins doesn't help your health, and might even cause cancer.well, since I pumped up my intake of about 12 different supplements, I haven't been sick,(a few years) no more joint pain,no more pain from my kidney stone, no more back pain either.and headaches are gone.I haven't changed my diet. I still eat too much junk food. the only thing I haven't corrected is constipation once in a while.hot soapy water takes care of that......the links were posted by Jillieann in Medical Updates

A cold will go away in a week if you do nothing. It will take 7 days if you follow everyone's advice for treatment.

I think that Susie has it right.

hankb

A cold will go away in a week if you do nothing. It will take 7 days if you follow everyone's advice for treatment.

But if you can find something in the meantime to alleviate the symptoms or just make you forget them for a while, well then so much the better. And finding that something will probably be a very personal and individual choice.

I've yet to find any physical activity that helps except for sleep and if you precede that with some vigorous sexual fantasizing it seems to help even more.

I agree with Susie- enemas will not affect a cold virus's progression to help it go away faster. If you like doing enemas and they make you feel good whether you have a cold or not then you should do them. You may be spending more time at home and have some extra free time on your hands- sounds like a perfect time for a relaxing enema session!

I agree with Susie also. It is easy to attribute certain anecdotal happenings to an activity but only a controlled double blind study will truly reveal whether there is truly a causal relationship. Sorry for the run on sentence. As for medical professionals only approving of treatments which yield financial returns--we have more than enough work as it is. Any time we can suggest a non medical solution we do.

Hey.....we got enemas as children whenever we were sick for more than 2 or 3 days. Whatever we had, it went away shortly thereafter. Perhaps the "crud" had already run it's course by that time, who knows, but the enema wasn't all that bad either. 😃