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.

Conventional medical opinion is that there is little health benefit in the procedure, and the consensus of doctors is that a purified water enema is only a useful treatment in the case of an impacted bowel. However, this is contradicted by patients and practitioners alike.

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.

Other claimed benefits of this procedure include relief from bowel complaints, flatulence, chronic fatigue syndrome, Candida, arthritis and many skin problems. Proponents of this procedure go on to claim that the probability of contracting bowel cancer is mitigated by this procedure. Due to the several claimed benefits, they prescribe regular sessions to prevent diseases and not just use it as a treatment.

The practice is not very well regulated and only a few States in America have laws governing it. The Guild of Colon Hydrotherapists and the International Association of Colon Hydrotherapy have lists of registered members. It is vital that prospective patients ensure that the facilities and equipment or clean and that their practitioner is experienced. Poor training and hygiene can be very dangerous.

A colon cleanse procedure involves a speculum inserted into the rectum through which water at body temperature is injected. Over a gallon of water may be injected depending on the patient. The waste gets cleansed and the practitioner can view it to make certain conclusions. Massaging the patient's abdomen during the process of enema helps dislodge waste. This treatment is everything but painful.

Other forms of therapy such as acupuncture or reflexology are sometimes combined with the treatment. Extra ingredients such as minerals, salts and even coffee are added to the purified water, and such mixture, some practitioners claim, can have added benefits to health.