A new study has found that scrolling on a smartphone while using the toilet may significantly increase the risk of hemorrhoids, adding another health concern to the growing list of issues linked to excessive phone use. The research, published Wednesday in PLOS One, suggests prolonged sitting on the toilet while distracted by social media or news feeds may strain the rectal area and worsen pelvic floor pressure.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center surveyed 125 adults preparing for routine colonoscopies. About 66% admitted to bringing their phones into the bathroom, most often to read the news or check social media. Those who used their phones were 46% more likely to have hemorrhoids than those who did not, even after adjusting for other known risk factors such as constipation, straining, fiber intake, and exercise.
"The longer you sit on the toilet, the worse it is for you," said Dr. Trisha Pasricha, gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and senior author of the study. "They're completely consuming to us in ways that wasn't happening to the casual bathroom reader in the 80s. They could much more easily put the newspaper down and get up and leave."
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the rectum and anus that can cause itching, pain, and bleeding. While not usually dangerous, they are one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints, leading to nearly four million medical visits annually. Doctors warn that prolonged sitting on an open toilet bowl is particularly harmful because it provides no pelvic support, causing blood to pool and inflame rectal tissue.
"Pelvic floor dysfunction can also lead to incontinence, worsen constipation and be associated with rectal pain," said Dr. Reezwana Chowdhury, an inflammatory bowel disorder specialist at Johns Hopkins University, who was not involved in the research. She also noted the hygienic risks of taking phones into bathrooms: It "is kind of gross."
The study also found younger participants-those in their 40s and 50s-were far more likely than older adults to use their smartphones in the bathroom. Dr. Robert Cima, a colorectal surgeon at the Mayo Clinic, said he has noticed an increase in hemorrhoid complaints among younger patients. "I am seeing younger, earlier- and middle-aged people having more hemorrhoidal complaints, but I can't tie it to smartphones," he said.
Experts recommend limiting bathroom sessions to no more than five minutes. Yet the study found 37% of smartphone users spent longer than that compared with just 7% of non-users. Doctors suggest leaving the phone outside, or if necessary, setting a timer.
"If the magic is not happening within five minutes, it's not going to happen," Dr. Pasricha said. "Take a breather and try again later."
