What are enemas and douches?

Enema

An enema is when warm (not hot) water is passed into the rectum through a tube; a mug-full for beginners, up to one or two litres for men used to enemas. After around five minutes you can't hold the water in any more so out it comes, taking shit with it. This is repeated a few times until you're flushing out clear water.

Equipment used can be a:

• special hose attachment fixed to tap or shower, with a smooth, rounded metal end that's inserted into the arse
• gravity feed enema/douche bag hooked up about two metres off the ground, filled, so that gravity slowly takes water down into the arse through a tube fitted with a small tap
• bulb syringe, which is a handheld rubber container you fill with water. Squeezing the container pumps water into the arse through a detachable plastic nozzle.

Douche

A douche is basically the same as an enema. However, douche can be used in connection with arses or vaginas, whereas enema refers only to the arse.

Douches tend to involve less water, not reaching as far up the rectum as an enema.

Both douches and enemas can be bought from chemists, sex shops or online.

Chemical enemas or perfumed douches are best avoided as they can irritate the arse.

What's the attraction?

Before arse play some of us prefer to reduce mess, so use enemas to clean out the arse.

The physical sensation of your arse filling with warm water can be a pleasant feeling in itself: the bigger the volume, the stronger the sensation of pressure on the rectum. Pleasure comes from the sense of surrender then release as the arse is first filled, and then emptied.

Giving or receiving an enema can involve power play (for example in a medical scene), with one man submitting to what might be thought of as the surrender or humiliation that comes with another taking control over his most intimate body parts and functions.