Smartphones and Hemorrhoids: A Worrying Connection
Smartphones have impacted our health in a variety of ways, and here’s another surprising one. A recent study suggests that scrolling on your phone while on the toilet might actually lead to hemorrhoids.
Sitting on the toilet can put stress on the pelvic floor, which, in turn, increases pressure on the veins in the rectum, leading to swelling and inflammation. “The longer you sit on the toilet, the worse it is for you,” said Dr. Trisha Pasricha from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. She contributed to this intriguing study published in PLOS One.
It’s worth noting that smartphones are designed to keep us engaged for much longer than the casual bathroom reading of past decades. “People in the 80s could put down their newspapers and easily leave,” Pasricha observed.
In this study, researchers surveyed 125 individuals who were about to undergo routine colonoscopies. They found that 83 of them, or 66%, admitted to using their phones in the bathroom, primarily to catch up on news and scroll through social media.
Colonoscopies were conducted to check for inflamed veins, or hemorrhoids, and those who admitted to taking their phones with them were 46% more likely to have hemorrhoids than those who didn’t. This correlation held even when considering other risk factors like diet, exercise, and regularity.
Although hemorrhoids aren’t usually harmful, they can be itchy, painful, and might cause some bleeding, leading to nearly 4 million visits to healthcare providers every year. Over time, complications related to pelvic floor dysfunction could lead to incontinence or worsened constipation, said Dr. Reezwana Chowdhury from Johns Hopkins University, who did not participate in this particular study.
Additionally, there’s a gross aspect to using phones in the bathroom, as flushing can aerosolize microscopic particles from waste. “It’s kind of gross,” noted Chowdhury.
Younger Users
The research indicated that those who use smartphones while in the restroom tend to be younger, specifically adults in their 40s and 50s, as opposed to older individuals. Dr. Robert Cima, a colorectal surgeon at the Mayo Clinic, remarked on noticing more cases of hemorrhoids among younger patients. However, he cautioned against directly linking this trend to smartphone use, suggesting other factors like better healthcare access or dietary habits might be involved.
The Five-Minute Rule
Experts generally agree that you shouldn’t spend more than five minutes on the toilet. Surprisingly, over 37% of participants who used smartphones took longer than that, compared to only 7% who kept their phones away.
Pasricha, along with other experts, advise against bringing phones into the bathroom. If you must take one, consider setting a timer. “If the magic isn’t happening within five minutes, it’s not going to happen,” she advised. “Take a breather and try again later.”
