Health and Me

Rachel V Thomas

Scrolling Your Phone While In Toilet Can Spike Your Risk Of Hemorrhoids By 46%: Study

Scrolling Your Phone While In Toilet Can Spike Your Risk Of Hemorrhoids By 46%: Study

Are you in the habit of catching up on <span>social media</span> or news updates while sitting on the pot? A new study shows you may be "unintentionally" spending extra time and increasing your risk of developing painful <span>hemorrhoids</span> by 46 percent.

The study, published in the open-access journal <span>PLOS One</span>, explained that getting distracted by news or social media can increase pressure on sensitive anal tissues, which leads to hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoids, also called <span>piles</span>, are swollen and inflamed veins around your anus or in your lower rectum. 

"Using a <span>smartphone</span> while on the toilet was linked to a 46 percent increased chance of having hemorrhoids. We're still uncovering the many ways smartphones and our modern way of life impact our health,” <span>Trisha Pasricha</span>, from the <span>Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center</span> in the US. 

“It's possible that how and where we use them -- such as while in the bathroom -- can have unintended consequences," she added.

For the study, the researchers examined data from colonoscopies of 125 adults in America, and conducted an online survey to understand their lifestyle habits and behavior while using the toilet. 

Two-thirds of the participants reported using their smartphones while on 

the toilet. Compared with those who did not, endoscopists found that they had a 46 percent higher risk of hemorrhoids. 

<h2><span rel="noindex">Longer Toilet Time</span> And Mobile Scrolling </h2>

More than a third of bathroom smartphone users reported spending more than five minutes there during a single visit -- reading news (54.3 percent), or browsing social media (44.4 percent). 

In comparison, just 7.1 percent of non-users reported staying that long.

"Smartphone use may unintentionally extend the time people spend sitting on the toilet. Sitting for longer periods could increase pressure on tissues in the anal region, which may contribute to the development of hemorrhoids,” the researchers said. 

Pasricha suggested individuals leave smartphones outside the bathroom to understand the actual time it takes for a bowel movement. 

"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?" she said, calling for more studies. 

<h2>Hemorrhoids: The Symptoms, Risk Factors </h2>

Studies estimate that hemorrhoidal disease affects 40% of people all over the world, and it is one of the most common diseases in the anorectal region. 

<ul><li>external hemorrhoids -- under the skin around the anus</li><li>internal hemorrhoids -- in the lining of the anus and lower rectum</li></ul>Th common symptoms include:

<ul><li>bright red rectal bleeding during bowel movements, </li><li>anal itching or irritation, pain or discomfort (especially while sitting), </li><li>swelling or hard, tender lumps around the anus </li></ul>The risk factors for hemorrhoids include:

<ul><li>straining during bowel movements</li><li>sitting on the toilet for too long</li><li>chronic constipation or diarrhea</li><li>eating low fiber foods</li><li>older age &gt;50</li><li>pregnancy</li><li>lifting heavy objects</li></ul>To prevent the risk of hemorrhoids:

<ul><li>consume 25-35g of fiber daily, </li><li>drink 6-8 glasses of water, </li><li>avoid straining, </li><li>limit toilet time to under five minutes</li><li>do not delay bowel movements, </li><li>maintain hygiene.</li></ul>

Health Conditions A-Z

health

longer toilet time

social media

trisha pasricha

beth israel deaconess medical center

plos one

hemorrhoids

piles

smartphone

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Are you in the habit of catching up on social media or news updates while sitting on the pot? A new study shows you may be "unintentionally" spending extra time and increasing your risk of developing painful hemorrhoids by 46 percent. The study, published in the open-access journal PLOS One, explained that getting distracted by news or social media can increase pressure on sensitive anal tissues, which leads to hemorrhoids.Hemorrhoids, also called piles, are swollen and inflamed veins around your anus or in your lower rectum. "Using a smartphone while on the toilet was linked to a 46 percent increased chance of having hemorrhoids. We're still uncovering the many ways smartphones and our modern way of life impact our health,” Trisha Pasricha, from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in the US. “It's possible that how and where we use them -- such as while in the bathroom -- can have unintended consequences," she added. For the study, the researchers examined data from colonoscopies of 125 adults in America, and conducted an online survey to understand their lifestyle habits and behavior while using the toilet. Two-thirds of the participants reported using their smartphones while on the toilet. Compared with those who did not, endoscopists found that they had a 46 percent higher risk of hemorrhoids. Longer Toilet Time And Mobile Scrolling More than a third of bathroom smartphone users reported spending more than five minutes there during a single visit -- reading news (54.3 percent), or browsing social media (44.4 percent). In comparison, just 7.1 percent of non-users reported staying that long. "Smartphone use may unintentionally extend the time people spend sitting on the toilet. Sitting for longer periods could increase pressure on tissues in the anal region, which may contribute to the development of hemorrhoids,” the researchers said. Pasricha suggested individuals leave smartphones outside the bathroom to understand the actual time it takes for a bowel movement. "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?" she said, calling for more studies.  Hemorrhoids: The Symptoms, Risk Factors Studies estimate that hemorrhoidal disease affects 40% of people all over the world, and it is one of the most common diseases in the anorectal region. The two types of hemorrhoids are:external hemorrhoids -- under the skin around the anusinternal hemorrhoids -- in the lining of the anus and lower rectumTh common symptoms include:bright red rectal bleeding during bowel movements, anal itching or irritation, pain or discomfort (especially while sitting), swelling or hard, tender lumps around the anus The risk factors for hemorrhoids include:straining during bowel movementssitting on the toilet for too longchronic constipation or diarrheaeating low fiber foodsolder age >50pregnancylifting heavy objectsTo prevent the risk of hemorrhoids:consume 25-35g of fiber daily, drink 6-8 glasses of water, avoid straining, limit toilet time to under five minutesdo not delay bowel movements, maintain hygiene.