Colon cleansing has been used as a treatment for constipation for thousands of years. A colon cleanse is also known by a number of other terms, with colonic irrigation, colonic hydrotherapy, colon irrigation and entero-lavage all in common usage at the moment.

There is a general agreement among doctors that enema using purified water can be used to treat impacted bowel, that being its only valid use. However, conventional medical opinion puts only a little value in that procedure and many of the patients and their practitioners strongly disagree.

The proponents of the colon cleanse procedure vouch for its benefits. They suggest its use for maintaining good health. The underlying idea is that waste build-up in the large intestine can lead to several intestine and gastronomical diseases. A form of autointoxication, it is believed to be caused by large scale growth of fungi and bacteria in the colon.

Many have claimed that there a specific health benefits from undergoing the procedure. Among these are flatulence, bowel complaints, chronic fatigue syndrome, cramps, arthritis, Candida and skin problems, though many other cures have been cited. The practice is also claimed to reduce the changes of a person contracting bowel cancer, which is a very common disease, if the person receives regular treatments.

Only a few States in America have laws governing the practice and therefore it is not very well regulated. A list of registered members is being maintained by the Guild of Colon Hydrotherapists and the International Association of Colon Hydrotheraphy. To be ensured by the prospective patients about clean equipment and facilities and experienced practitioners is vital. It is of great risk when training is poor and hygiene is substandard.

A colon cleanse involves a speculum being passed into the rectum thorough which body-temperature water is passed. Over a gallon of water may be used in the process and the used water and waste which is eliminated is passed back down the tube where it can be viewed by the practitioner. The practitioner will often massage the patient's abdomen to help dislodge waste. The treatment may be uncomfortable but is not painful.

The treatment is quite often, also combined with few other therapies such as acupuncture or reflexology. Some practitioners may add few extra ingredients to the purified water they use, like minerals, salts and even coffee, which they claim to have added health benefits.

Colon cleansing has been around for thousands of years. Many claim it to have health benefit to relieve the colon from toxins, or fungi, and bacteria. Treatments have been know to relieve irritable bowel syndrome, cramps, gas, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Before a person considers such a procedure you must ensure the facilities, and equipment are clean. The practitioner should be skilled. The procedure of a colon cleanse is to insert a tool know as a speculum into the rectum with warm water passing through a tube into you colon. The waste then returns back down the tube. The alternative is to try a colon cleanse in the privacy of your own home with one of the many good cleanse programs available today.