SOAP SUDS ENEMA: WHAT CAN IT DO AND HOW TO USE IT

A lot of people experience difficulty in making bowel movements, whether it’s because of their diet or an underlying illness. A laxative is not always a good solution to the problem. A person with chronic constipation cannot take a laxative all the time. A fiber-rich diet is a key to preventing these conditions.  However, if it lasts for days, it can become very uncomfortable and even painful especially if constipation develops into fecal impaction.

Fecal impaction is the accumulation of stools in your colon which is caused by long-term constipation. The symptoms of fecal impaction include pain in the abdomen, episodes of diarrhea, bleeding in the rectum, feeling of nausea, weight loss and fatigue, and the feeling of having to move stools all the time.

One fast way to ease the discomfort and pain is by using an enema which is a method of clearing stools when you cannot do it on your own.

One type of enema solution called soap suds is adding detergent or mild soap such as castile soap to distilled water to relieve a person afflicted with constipation or fecal impaction. The soap suds can help stimulate a bowel movement. The more soap you add, the more irritating it will be to your bowels.

A point to remember is that you should only use soap suds enema if other natural methods of relieving constipation do not work. Consult your medical practitioner first before using one.

How to Make a Soap Suds Enema

Before starting, sterilize all the equipment you need.

In a bowl, pour in 8 cups of distilled water, and add 4 to 8 tablespoons of mild soap (castile soap is highly recommended). Ask your doctor about the appropriate amount of soap to be used for your condition. Remember, the more soap you put in, the more irritating it will be for your lower GI tract.

Use a bath thermometer to test the temperature of the solution. Around 105 to 110°F is advisable. If you need to warm your solution further, cover it and put it in a bowl or deep pan with hot water in it to avoid getting bacteria in the solution.  Never use a microwave to heat it.   Put the solution in a clean enema bag with a clean enema tubing.

The procedure of inserting an enema can be done by yourself if you know how to use one on your own or by another person. It is advisable however that before using one, you need to consult a medical professional.

Soap suds are generally safe but some mild effects may be felt such as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, but if done the right way, these symptoms will go away after you have had your bowel movement. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor or any medical practitioner right away.

Here are the things to look out for that require a phone call to the doctor:

• If you are unable to make a bowel movement
• If the pain persists even after you’ve passed stools
• Continuous pain
• You continue to have watery stools after the enema
• If you see blood in your stools
• If there is decreased alertness

Soap-suds enema is safe in general and they are one of the most effective ways of relieving constipation when all other methods fail. If you are using an enema for the first time for yourself or someone else, ask a doctor or a nurse how to do it properly.