This harmless looking daily habit can increase the risk of piles by 50%

In our increasingly digital world, smartphones follow us everywhere, including the restroom. While this habit may seem harmless, a new peer-reviewed study published in PLOS ONE suggests otherwise. Researchers have found that using your smartphone while on the toilet may significantly increase your risk of developing hemorrhoids, a common but often painful condition.

What are Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids, or piles, are inflamed veins within the lower rectum and anus, much like varicose veins. They are internal (within the rectum) or external (below the skin surrounding the anus). They may present with itching, pain, bleeding from the rectum, or a mass in the anus. While not usually threatening, they can drastically affect quality of life and frequently return if causative factors are not treated.

Hemorrhoids are often associated with straining during defecation, persistent constipation, low-fiber diets, pregnancy, and excessive sitting—leads us to the findings of the new study.

The Study: Smartphone use and hemorrhoid risk

The study recruited 125 adult subjects undergoing colonoscopy. By using questionnaires, researchers ascertained data on their bowel patterns, smartphone use while defecating, fiber ingestion through diet, exercise, and self-assessed hemorrhoid symptoms.

Here's what the researchers discovered:

• 66.4% of the people who participated said they used a smartphone when they were on the toilet.
• Smartphone users were much more likely to be on the toilet for longer than five minutes.
• After controlling for factors such as age, sex, BMI, exercise, and fiber consumption, smartphone users were 46% more likely to have hemorrhoid symptoms.

The research found that extended time spent on the toilet, and not straining or dieting in isolation, could be a primary cause of hemorrhoids—particularly when coupled with distraction due to smartphone use.

The astonishing results: 43% of all respondents had hemorrhoids visualized on colonoscopy. In a multivariate logistic regression, smartphone use on the toilet was associated with a 46% increased risk of hemorrhoids.

How does this happen

Sitting on the toilet for a long time puts pressure on the rectal and anal veins. Where squatting straightens out the rectal canal and facilitates quicker bowel movements, sitting, particularly distracted sitting, can mean too much time spent straining those veins in an unnatural position.

This is compounded by toilet design today, which does not provide the pelvic floor support necessary to reduce pressure. The activity of reading emails, scrolling through social media, or watching a video can silently add minutes to bathroom use.

The researchers were unable to find a significant correlation between straining and hemorrhoid symptoms, which contradicts popular wisdom. This implies that time may be more important than believed before.

Health implications

Hemorrhoids are among the most prevalent gastrointestinal problems, accounting for millions of ambulatory visits and more than $800 million in healthcare expenditures each year. Although not potentially life-threatening, they will result in ongoing discomfort and can necessitate surgery if left untreated.

The findings of the study are a cautionary tale: innocuous-sounding behaviors such as toilet scrolling may contribute to hemorrhoid formation more significantly than we thought.

Here are evidence-based steps to protect yourself:

Limit toilet time to under 5 minutesDon’t linger after you’ve finished your bowel movement.

Avoid using your phone in the bathroomLeave it outside to avoid temptation and distraction.

Use a footstoolElevating your feet helps mimic a squatting position, easing bowel movements.

Eat more fiber and drink plenty of waterA high-fiber diet makes stools softer and easier to pass.

Exercise regularlyPhysical activity supports healthy digestion and bowel regularity

It is often true what all our mothers say, sometimes, healthier habits begin only after putting down our phones.