How many times have you found yourself whether at a gas station restroom, mall bathroom, or airplane lavatory, the need to squat or hover over a public toilet, dreading direct contact with the seat? More often than you'd care to remember, right? Who knows, after all, who wants to risk touching something that hundreds of strangers have used? But while it might seem the most secure, did you know that this habit can actually be damaging to your bladder health? If you've ever had to deal with lots of pee urges or surprise leaks, your hovering habit could be the cause.

It is an unpleasant experience to use a public toilet. In a restaurant, airport, or gym, most people will avoid sitting on the toilet seat itself because of hygiene issues. They hover or squat over the seat to keep contact to a minimum. This might seem like a reasonable precaution, but medical professionals advise that it's really an unhealthy habit that can have long-term effects on your bladder and pelvic floor health.

Why Do People Squat Over Public Toilets?

It's no surprise that so many individuals prefer squatting. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals using public toilets every day. Sharing a toilet seat with unknown people can make one feel nervous, and folklore regarding the spreading of infections due to toilet seat contact contributes to the anxiety.

A 2019 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health study on women's bathroom habits showed that the majority of people opt not to use public toilets at all. Those who do might hover in an attempt to avoid touching possibly germ-covered surfaces. Though this may seem safer, it has serious consequences.

Harmful Effects of Squatting While Peeing

Squatting on the toilet puts tension on the pelvic floor muscles so that they are not able to relax completely. This has the following adverse effects:

1. Incomplete Bladder Emptying

While squatting, your pelvic muscles are around 30-40% tense, thus not allowing the bladder to drain completely. This residual urine can cause pain, augment the frequency of urination, and even elevate the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).

2. Increased Risk of Leaks

When urine accumulates in the bladder, it may lead to involuntary leakage, particularly upon laughing, sneezing, coughing, or jumping. This gradually weakens bladder control and may result in stress incontinence.

3. Bladder Irritation and Urgency

The residual urine left behind due to improper emptying can irritate the bladder lining, making you feel like you need to pee more frequently or urgently. This condition, often mistaken for an overactive bladder, can disrupt daily life and lead to discomfort.

Are Public Toilets Really That Dirty?

One of the primary reasons individuals hover is due to germs. Yet, numerous studies have indicated that the chance of getting an infection from a toilet seat is less than slight. Most everyday bacteria, such as E. coli and staphylococcus, exist for only a short time on hard, dry surfaces like toilet seats. Besides this, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) cannot be acquired by sitting upon a public toilet.

Instead, the actual threat in public bathrooms is unwashed hands and dirty surfaces such as door handles and faucets. Proper hand washing after using the bathroom is much more likely to keep you from getting sick than staying away from the toilet seat.

What You Should Do Instead

If you're still worried about cleanliness but wish to guard bladder health, these safer alternatives can be used:

1. Use Toilet Seat Covers or Toilet Paper

Most public restrooms offer disposable seat covers, which act as a barrier between you and the seat. If covers are not available, toilet paper can be used to form a protective barrier.

2. Wipe Down the Seat

Keeping disinfectant wipes in your bag can be an efficient and speedy method of sanitizing the seat prior to use. Many find this to be reassuring and a good middle ground between hygiene and bladder health.

3. Practice Good Bathroom Habits

In addition to sitting correctly, taking your time when on the toilet is also important. Rushing is common, and it results in incomplete bladder emptying. Sitting for a few more seconds and practicing deep breathing can enhance urine flow and safeguard pelvic health.

When Is It Okay To Squat?

Although squatting is not advisable to do often, there are instances when it cannot be helped. If a toilet is too dirty or not properly sanitized, hovering occasionally won't immediately harm. But turning squatting into a habit can result in chronic pelvic floor dysfunction.

Identifying Signs of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

If you squat over toilets on a regular basis and notice any of the following, it's time to re-evaluate your bathroom routine:

• Leaking urine during coughing, sneezing, or laughing
• Having an overwhelming urge to urinate even after recently going
• Struggling to make it to the bathroom in time
• Pain or discomfort before, during, or after urination
• Pressure or a feeling of heaviness in the pelvic region

Pelvic floor dysfunction can cause long-term bladder problems, but simple changes—such as sitting correctly when on the toilet—can have a great impact on urinary well-being.

Squatting on a public toilet might appear to be the most effective means of evading germs, but it might do more harm than good. Squatting stops the bladder from being able to fully empty, causing leaks, irritation, and urinary tract infections. Rather, choose to use seat covers, clean the seat, or just wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Your bladder health is worth it, and doing the right thing can allow you to have more control and comfort in the long term.

Sometimes signs of chronic and serious diseases can show up in the most unexpected ways and places. One such condition is Bronchiectasis. It is a chronic lung condition that damages your airways, leading to excessive phlegm production. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute explains that this damage to your airways can hurt your lungs, as it will cause them to expand, become loose and scarred.

It has a big range of symptoms, some of which may seem unrelated to lungs. While there's typically no cure, the treatments available can help you manage the condition and also help you improve the quality of your life.

Bronchiectasis affects approximately one in 200 adults in the UK. The damage to your lungs and airways results in an overproduction of phlegm. This excess mucus can lead to various complications and presents a variety of symptoms.

However, an issue with conditions like this is that many times early warnings can go ignored or misidentified by people. Hence learning these crucial signs can help you get the treatment you need. Bronchiectasis may be a lung disease; however, its signs can be seen at your fingertips!

Unusual Early Warning Signs

According to Asthma + Lung UK, one surprising early indicator of bronchiectasis is "clubbing" of the fingertips. This refers to the swelling and rounding of the fingertips around the nails. It often occurs due to chronically low blood oxygen levels, which can be a consequence of lung diseases like bronchiectasis.

Pelvic Floor Issues

Lung conditions like bronchiectasis can put extra strain on your muscles, including those in your bladder, bottom, and pelvic floor. As a result, individuals with bronchiectasis may experience incontinence, such as slight urination or defecation, especially during exertion like coughing or laughing.

Common Bronchiectasis Symptoms

Beyond the more unusual signs, common symptoms of bronchiectasis include:

• A persistent cough with sputum (phlegm)
• Repeated chest infections
• Breathlessness
• Fatigue
• Chest pain or tightness

How Is Bronchiectasis Diagnosed

The American Lung Association explains that diagnosing bronchiectasis can be tricky because its symptoms often look like other lung problems. But getting an early diagnosis is really important to stop more damage to your lungs.

If your doctor thinks you might have bronchiectasis, they'll usually start by asking about your family's health history and ordering blood tests. These tests can help them figure out if you have an underlying condition that might be causing the bronchiectasis or if your body's infection-fighting cells are low.

Other tests include chest X-ray, lung function test which would measure how much can you breathe in and out, sputum culture, which will sample your phlegm to catch any infection. Sometimes, doctors order sweat test to see if you have cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition that can lead to bronchiectasis.

In some severe cases, if bronchiectasis isn't getting better with treatment, doctors might suggest a bronchoscopy. This procedure involves putting a thin, flexible tube into your airways. It helps them find any blockages or sources of infection that are hard to see otherwise.

Managing Your Condition

While bronchiectasis is generally incurable, treatment aims to control symptoms and prevent the condition from worsening. Management strategies include:

Lifestyle Changes

Quitting smoking is strongly advised to help manage the condition more effectively.

Respiratory Physiotherapy

A respiratory physiotherapist can teach you techniques to effectively clear excess phlegm from your airways.

Medication

These are often prescribed to fight chest infections and flare-ups. If you experience frequent flare-ups, long-term antibiotic use may be necessary.

Surgery

In rare cases, surgery might be needed to repair lung damage or if a ruptured blood vessel in the lung leads to coughing up blood.

We all love a bit of touch up, whether on a regular day or for an event. For millions of women across the globe, threading is a regular part of their beauty routine. From shaping eyebrows to removing unwanted facial hair, this grooming technique is practiced weekly or monthly and is widely considered quick, safe, and inexpensive.

But a recent video from a doctor turned influencer has caused a stir online by claiming that threading — like tattooing and body piercing — can potentially spread Hepatitis B, a serious liver infection.

What Did The Doctor Say?

In a video that has garnered over 400,000 views within two days, Dr Vishal Gabale, an internal medicine doctor from Navi Mumbai, narrates a case where three young women, all of whom had visited the same threading salon, tested positive for Hepatitis B with identical virus strains.

Dr Gabale says he investigated the case like a “medical mystery,” and found the common link between the patients was their visit to the same salon. Citing a 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) bulletin, he claims that Hepatitis B has been known to spread through tattooing, razor-sharing, and “even cosmetic procedures like threading.”

According to him, threading can cause micro-abrasions, and if contaminated tools or threads are used, the virus could survive for days — even without visible blood.

Medical Experts Respond with Skepticism

However, not all doctors are convinced. A dermatologist based in Hyderabad acknowledges that if threading causes skin abrasions, transmission is “theoretically possible,” but stresses that no confirmed case has ever been recorded.

“Tattoos are a different story — they break the skin and do carry a risk. But threading is far more superficial,” he said. “If threading was truly risky, we’d have seen documented evidence by now, considering how common the practice is.”

He also criticized the influencer’s decision to disable comments on the video, making it harder for experts to counter misleading claims.

Missing Evidence and Misleading Sources

Hyderabad-based neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar also raised concerns. He pointed out a small disclaimer in the video saying it’s “only for educational purposes” and presents a theoretical risk — suggesting the doctor hadn’t treated any actual Hepatitis B cases linked to threading.

“The issue is that viewers may miss that disclaimer and assume the risk is real. But to date, not a single case report has linked Hepatitis B transmission to threading — that’s significant,” Dr Kumar explained.

About the WHO bulletin cited in the video, the doctor reportedly shared a screenshot of an unrelated 2010 article, which did not reference threading and wasn’t published by WHO.

Beauty Risks vs. Clickbait

Dr Kumar added that while there are documented links between Hepatitis B and procedures like tattooing, body piercing, manicures, or even shaving with unsterile equipment, threading has never been associated with such risk, reported The South First.

He warns against fear-mongering and called the video an example of “clickbait,” made worse by its origin — a doctor, not just an influencer.

“Threading doesn’t typically break the skin. Unlike tattooing or piercings, it doesn’t create the conditions necessary for virus transmission. We must focus on real risks — unprotected sex, reused medical needles, and poor hygiene in clinical settings — not unproven, hypothetical scenarios,” he said.

Our eyes can reveal a lot about us, you can say that they are not just the window to our soul but also to our health. Not only can you see signs of conditions like high cholesterol and diabetes, but doctors can also identify signs of a few other diseases.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, doctors can spot signs of heart disease during a regular eye exam. They also explain how studies have found that people with heart disease often have tiny "eye strokes" in their retinas.

Also Read: Spike In ‘Gas Station Heroin’ Use Sparks National Health Warning

Harvard Health Publishing adds that sudden changes in your vision, like blurriness, dark spots, or shadows, could mean there's a blockage in an eye blood vessel. This can be a warning sign of a more serious stroke in your brain. Also, there's growing evidence that tiny, early damage to blood vessels in your eyes might predict heart problems. Other unusual eye changes can also hint at heart issues, like small yellow bumps around your eyes, or pupils that get bigger and smaller with your heartbeat.

How Your Eyes Reveal Heart Disease Risk?

Tiny blood vessels, as thin as a single strand of hair, supply blood to your retina. Harvard Health Publishing also explains that these tiny vessels, like arteries throughout your body, can be damaged by long-term problems like diabetes and high blood pressure.

Over time, high blood sugar, which is diabetes, makes the walls of these eye vessels weak and leaky. This condition is called diabetic retinopathy and can harm your vision. Poorly controlled high blood pressure can also make eye arteries narrow or break and bleed into the retina.

Both diabetes and high blood pressure are known to contribute to heart disease. But sometimes people don't even know they have these conditions if they haven't seen a doctor in years.

Also Read: Lethal Fungus Is Spreading Across Many US States, Why Is It Concerning?

Yellow Bumps Around the Eyes

Harvard Health Publishing also specifies that some adults, usually middle-aged or older, develop soft, yellowish bumps filled with cholesterol on or around their eyelids, often near the nose. These are called xanthelasmas. They don't hurt and rarely affect vision. But they can be a sign of high levels of cholesterol or other fats in the blood. They're a bit more common in women. If you have them, you should definitely get a cholesterol test. Xanthelasmas are more common in people with genetic conditions that cause very high cholesterol.

About half of people with xanthelasmas have normal cholesterol levels, and for them, the bumps are just a cosmetic issue. But if heart disease runs in your family, make sure your doctor knows about these bumps, as they could be a sign of a higher risk of heart problems.

What Are Eye Strokes?

Eye strokes happen when the eye doesn't get enough blood and oxygen, causing some cells to die. This leaves a small mark called a "retinal ischemic perivascular lesion." Eye doctors can see these marks using a special camera called an OCT (optical coherence tomography) to look closely at the back of your eye.

American Academy of Ophthalmology says these eye scans are great for finding problems all over the body, not just in the eyes. They can even show signs of diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Rare Occurrence of Pupil That Pulsates with Your Heartbeat

Harvard Health also brings up a rare yet obvious sign of heart issues that affect your eyes. In serious cases, a rare eye sign can appear: your pupils might get bigger and smaller with each heartbeat. This is called Landolfi's sign, first described in 1909. People with this heart condition have a big difference between the two numbers in their blood pressure (the top and bottom numbers). The pupil movements show these big changes in pressure.

A 2017 issue of the American Journal of Medicine detailed a case study of a 60-year-old woman who was admitted with shortness of breath, lightheadedness as well as palpitations, which when checked, doctors heard a murmur. Another careful examination of the eyes revealed constriction and dilation of the pupils which synchronized with the patients' heartbeat. The study detailed how this was a sign of the “Landolfi's sign”.

How An Eye Check-up Can Save You

For people with heart disease, which is the leading cause of death worldwide, finding it early and getting treatment can help prevent a heart attack or a bigger stroke.

In the future, if an eye doctor sees these eye strokes on a scan, they might send the patient to a heart doctor, especially if the patient hasn't had a full health checkup or doesn't know if heart disease runs in their family.