Scrolling through a smartphone while using the toilet may significantly raise the risk of developing haemorrhoids, a new study has warned.
Researchers found that people who take their devices to the bathroom tend to spend longer sitting on the toilet than those who do not, increasing the likelihood of the painful condition also known as piles.
Haemorrhoids occur when veins in the anal or rectal area become swollen and inflamed.
“Using a smartphone while on the toilet was linked to a 46 per cent increased chance of having haemorrhoids,’ senior author Trisha Pasricha, from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in the US,” said.
The study involved 125 adults undergoing bowel cancer screening, who completed surveys on their lifestyle and toilet habits before being examined by doctors for haemorrhoids. Two–thirds of participants admitted to using smartphones on the toilet, with younger people more likely to do so.
Smartphone users also spent more time seated on the toilet, with 37 per cent staying for more than five minutes at a stretch, compared to just 7.1 per cent of non-users. Reading the news, scrolling through social media, checking emails, texting, gaming and watching videos were among the most common activities.
“We’re still uncovering the many ways smartphones and our modern way of life impact our health. It’s possible that how and where we use them – such as while in the bathroom – can have unintended consequences,” Dr Pasricha said.
According to Daily Mail, the study also noted that straining during bowel movements was not linked to haemorrhoid risk, differing from earlier findings. Instead, prolonged sitting time due to phone use appeared to be the key factor.
“This study bolsters advice to people in general to leave the smartphones outside the bathroom and to try to spend no more than a few minutes to have a bowel movement,’ Dr Pasricha added.
“If it’s taking longer, ask yourself why. Was it because having a bowel movement was really so difficult, or was it because my focus was elsewhere? It’s incredibly easy to lose track of time when we’re scrolling on our smartphones – popular apps are designed entirely for that purpose.”
According to the NHS, about half of people in the UK develop haemorrhoids at some point in their lives.
