Using Your Phone on the Toilet Linked to Higher Hemorrhoid Risk, Study Finds

A new study has found that bringing your smartphone to the bathroom may significantly raise your risk of developing hemorrhoids.

The research, published in PLOS One, followed 125 adults undergoing colonoscopy screenings and asked them about their toilet habits, including phone use. Sixty-six percent admitted to regularly scrolling while on the toilet, with most using the time to read news or browse social media.

Researchers discovered that regular smartphone use in the bathroom was linked to a 46 percent higher risk of hemorrhoids. Those who used their phones spent much longer on the toilet—often more than five minutes—compared with just 7 percent of non-users who sat that long.

Hemorrhoids develop when veins in the rectum and anus swell due to pressure. Doctors say sitting too long on an open toilet seat increases that pressure, while poor posture from hunching over a phone can make matters worse.

“The entire business model of these social media apps is to distract us, make us lose track of time and addict us to the algorithm,” said Dr. Trisha Pasricha, senior author of the study and gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. “We’re just now understanding how much smartphones impact lots of other factors in our lives.”

Doctors not involved in the study also pointed to posture and toilet design. Unlike squatting, which aligns the rectum for smoother bowel movements, sitting for long periods hinders the body’s natural process.

Although constipation was not more common among phone users, passive scrolling led to longer sitting times, which in turn caused hemorrhoidal tissue to swell.

Experts recommend limiting bathroom time to no more than 10 minutes, ideally three to five minutes. Simple strategies like setting a timer, leaving your phone outside, or taking breaks if a bowel movement isn’t happening can help reduce the risk.

Doctors also noted that hemorrhoid diagnoses are rising among younger people, who are more likely to carry their phones everywhere.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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