If you're someone who uses your smartphone in the toilet, you might want to stop this habit. A new study from the United States has found this habit may increase your risk of developing hemorrhoids by up to 46 per cent.
So, what’s the connection? How can time on your phone lead to these painful lumps? Here's what we know.
What are Hemorrhoids?
Every healthy person has hemorrhoids, sometimes called piles. They are columns of cushioned tissue and blood vessels located near the opening of the anus. Hemorrhoids play a crucial role in maintaining bowel continence—in simple terms, they help keep your stool in.
When they are healthy, we don’t even notice them. However, they can become swollen, leading to symptoms like pain, bleeding, or a feeling of a lump inside the anus (internal hemorrhoids) or protruding outside (external hemorrhoids). When someone "has hemorrhoids," it means they have become inflamed and symptomatic.
This condition is very common, with more than one in two people experiencing symptomatic hemorrhoids at some point in their lives.
You are more likely to get hemorrhoids if you:
- Are older (over 45)
- Are pregnant
- Are overweight
- Have persistent constipation or diarrhea
- Regularly lift heavy objects
- Spend a lot of time on the toilet
The link between toilet time and Hemorrhoids
While prolonged sitting in general hasn't been linked to developing hemorrhoids, a standard toilet seat—unlike a chair or couch—lacks support for the pelvic floor, the group of muscles and ligaments that support the bladder, bowel, and uterus.
Prolonged sitting on a toilet seat is believed to increase pressure inside the pelvic floor, leading to blood pooling in the blood vessels of the anus. This makes hemorrhoids more likely to develop.
What the new study found
The new U.S. study recruited 125 adults, aged 45 and older, who were undergoing a colonoscopy. Researchers surveyed them about their smartphone habits on the toilet, including how often and for how long they used their phones. Participants also reported on other behaviors like straining, their fiber intake, and their physical activity levels.
The researchers confirmed the presence of hemorrhoids in participants, with a direct visual check during the colonoscopy.
Key findings
- Prevalence: Two-thirds (66 per cent) of all participants used their smartphones on the toilet. The most common activities were reading the news (54.3 per cent) and social media (44.4 per cent).
- Time spent: Smartphone users spent more time on the toilet. More than one in three (37.3 per cent) of these users spent over five minutes on the toilet, compared to just over one in 20 (7 per cent) of those who didn't use their smartphones.
- Increased risk: Smartphone users had a 46 per cent higher risk of hemorrhoids compared to non-users. The researchers accounted for other risk factors like gender, age, BMI, exercise, straining, and fiber intake to reach this conclusion.
- Interestingly, this study did not find a link between straining and hemorrhoids, contradicting some other research. The researchers concluded that time spent on the toilet poses a more significant risk than straining.
Other limitations to consider
This study has some limitations. It relied on participants’ subjective recall of their habits, which may be inaccurate. The small sample size and the specific age group of participants (all over 45) mean the findings may not be representative of the general population.
However, the study is not the first to explore this link. A 2020 Turkish study also found that spending more than five minutes on the toilet was associated with hemorrhoids. Another 2020 study from Italy noted that the longer people with hemorrhoids spent on the toilet, the more severe their condition became.
How to avoid Hemorrhoids
- The usual advice to prevent hemorrhoids is to increase your fiber and water intake to make bowel movements easier. However, this new research confirms that cutting down on toilet sitting time can also help.
- So, to reduce your risk, try to avoid distractions like your phone and leave it outside the bathroom. As a bonus, this will also expose your device to fewer germs.
- If you experience any concerning symptoms—such as blood in your stool, a new lump, or pain during a bowel movement—you should see your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
ALSO READ: 10-Day sale with 10-minute flash deals offer discounts on iPhone 17 and more
