Q&A: Why Does It Hurt When I Do an Enema?

Q: I did an enema last week. Only 2 tsp approximately. But it was enough to release some stuff. I was curious if I was sensitive to the enema solution. It was a bit painful. And I may have not had enough Vaseline on the end(?) Should I have just used water??

Do you wash and reuse the enema bottles?

Or is that a no no?

A: First of all, bravo for doing an enema! Your experience proves that it doesn’t take much to get the proverbial ball rolling.

It sounds like you’re using the pre-mixed saline enema, typically used prior to surgery or procedures, like CT scans. I’m not sure if they include stabilizers or other potentially toxic ingredients, but the enema kits I recommend are in my Amazon store.

It’s entirely possible that you are sensitive to the ingredients or that it was too strong.

I’m unclear, however, if the pain is from the solution or the tip. What kind of pain was it? Pressure from the fluid or stinging from the solution? If it’s the latter, the bowel may have perforations or, as you point out, the solution may need to be diluted or simply use plain, properly filtered water.

I don’t recommend using Vaseline (a petroleum product) on the tip. Coconut oil, vitamin E, shea butter, even sesame or olive oil are better options in my opinion.

I don’t know what they make those enema bottles out of, but I recall them being made of flimsy plastic similar to the kind used for distilled water, which famously leaches into the water.

There are several threads in the Turd Talk chat with more details on how to properly do an enema. As soon as my crazy schedule allows, I’ll turn them into a post.

Got questions? Please ask below.