The unseen health tax of toilet scrolling: Smartphones linked to surge in hemorrhoid cases

• Smartphone use on the toilet is linked to a significant increase in hemorrhoid risk. A clinical study found that those who use their phones in the bathroom have a 46 percent higher incidence of developing painful hemorrhoids.
• The primary risk factor is prolonged sitting, not the phone itself. Smartphone users are far more likely to extend their bathroom visits, which increases pressure on rectal veins and weakens supportive tissue, leading to swelling.
• Smartphones are uniquely hazardous due to their “endless” content. Unlike books or magazines, apps and algorithms are engineered to be absorbing and make users lose track of time, creating a perfect storm for ignoring the body’s natural signals to finish.
• While traditional causes like constipation, diet and pregnancy are well-known, the study identifies extended toilet sitting supercharged by smartphone use as a new trigger that needs to be added to the list.
• Researchers advise making the bathroom a phone-free zone to reorient its purpose, encouraging individuals to focus on the biological function and then leave promptly to protect their health.

In an era where smartphones are virtually an extension of the human body, a new and uncomfortable truth is emerging from one of the most private spaces in the home: the bathroom. Groundbreaking research now suggests that the habit of taking a phone to the toilet is not just a quirk of modern life but a significant health risk, correlating with a nearly 50 percent increase in the likelihood of developing painful hemorrhoids.

This investigation, led by gastroenterologists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, provides the first clinical evidence linking smartphone distraction to prolonged toilet sitting and a subsequent rise in hemorrhoid prevalence. The findings challenge decades-old medical advice and reframe a common, often dismissed ailment as a potential byproduct of our digitally saturated lifestyles. (Related: Using your phone while on the toilet is “dangerous,” researchers say.)

The study, published in the journal PLOS One, surveyed 125 adults scheduled for colonoscopies. Researchers discovered that two out of every three participants admitted to using a smartphone while on the toilet. This group, which tended to be younger, was found to have a 46 percent higher incidence of hemorrhoids compared to those who left their devices behind.

The mechanism is not the phone itself, but the behavioral change it causes. The research indicates that smartphone users are far more likely to extend their bathroom visits, with 37 percent spending more than five minutes per session compared to just 7 percent of non-users. This prolonged sitting, often on an open toilet bowl without pelvic floor support, is hypothesized to weaken the supportive tissue around rectal veins, causing them to swell and bulge.

The algorithmic trap

The study delves into why smartphones are a uniquely dangerous bathroom companion. Unlike a book or a magazine, which requires a conscious decision to turn the page, smartphone apps are engineered to be endless and absorbing. Algorithms autoplay videos and curate feeds designed to maximize engagement, making it far easier to lose track of time. Participants reported their primary activities as reading news (54 percent) and scrolling social media (44 percent), both of which are notorious for their bottomless content.

This creates a perfect storm: a relaxed, seated posture that increases pressure on the rectal veins combined with a distraction so potent that the body’s natural signals to finish are ignored. The research notably found that baseline constipation and straining were not significantly different between the groups, suggesting that the sheer amount of time spent seated is the primary new risk factor introduced by smartphones.

“The seated position on a toilet is anatomically incorrect, leaving the colon unsupported and inactive,” Brighteon.AI‘s Enoch noted. This forces you to push and strain during a bowel movement. That straining significantly increases pressure in the rectal veins, which directly exacerbates hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoids: A common but misunderstood ailment

To understand the significance of this finding, one must understand hemorrhoids. Nearly everyone is born with hemorrhoidal tissue – cushions of blood vessels and muscle in the anal canal that aid in stool control. Problems arise when these veins become dilated, clot and become inflamed, turning into what are commonly called hemorrhoids or piles.

This condition has always been widespread, affecting about half of all adults over age 50. Traditional risk factors are well-documented and include chronic constipation, recurring diarrhea, pregnancy, heavy lifting, obesity and a low-fiber diet. The new data posits that extended toilet sitting, supercharged by smartphone use, should be added to that list.

The treatment for hemorrhoids ranges from simple home remedies to surgical procedures. Conservative measures include increasing fiber intake to at least 30 grams per day – far more than the average American consumes – drinking plenty of water, using over-the-counter creams and taking warm sitz baths. More severe cases may require procedures like rubber band ligation or coagulation therapy.

The ultimate solution, according to researchers, is behavioral. The study’s senior author advises treating the bathroom as a phone-free zone, akin to the dinner table or the bedroom, to preserve well-being. The goal is to reorient the purpose of a bathroom visit: to focus on a single biological function and then leave.

This research serves as a stark reminder that the conveniences of modern technology often come with hidden costs. As smartphones continue to reshape every facet of daily life, from communication to entertainment, their impact on even our most fundamental physical health can no longer be ignored. The message is clear: for the sake of your health, let your bathroom break be a true break – from your phone.

Watch and learn a natural way to treat hemorrhoids and varicose veins.

This video is from Natural Cures on Brighteon.com.

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Five essential herbs for hemorrhoids.

Heal Hemorrhoids Naturally With Herbs.

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Sources include: 

EverydayHealth.com

ScienceAlert.com

Brighteon.ai

ABCNnews.go.com

Brighteon.com