ISLAMABAD: A recent study revealed that the habit of scrolling on your phone in the toilet can cause a worrying health problem.
The study, conducted by researchers at Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, United States, stated that people who take their smartphones with them to the toilet have a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids.
The study showed that scrolling increases the time people spend seated, which compresses the rectal area, putting extra pressure. Over time, it gradually swells the veins around the rectum and anus that cause pain, itching, and bleeding.
Along with spending more time sitting, using a smartphone on the toilet may increase the risk of hemorrhoids due to poor posture.
“We’re still uncovering the many ways smartphones anom td our modern way of life impact our health. It’s possible that how and where we use them – such as while in the bathroom – can have unintended consequences,” Dr Trisha Pasricha, a senior author of the study, said.
The study included a survey of 25 adults, through which they found that those who used smartphones in the toilet often spent over five minutes more in the bathroom. “Nearly 37 percent of phone users sat for more than five minutes at a time, compared to just 7 percent of non-users.”
Sixty-six percent of survey respondents reported regularly using their smartphones on the toilet. About 54% of respondents reported using their phones to read news, while about 44% spent their time on social media.
In turn, the researchers found a 46 per cent greater risk of having haemorrhoids for those using a phone on the toilet, according to the study.
The study added that it is really easy to lose track of time when we’re scrolling on our smartphones, and this distraction from phones could increase the risk of hemorrhoids.
