Phone use in bathroom linked to higher hemorrhoid risk, study finds

A study by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston found that adults who bring smartphones into the bathroom are more likely to have haemorrhoids, with phone users spending longer on the toilet and showing a 46 percent greater chance of having the swollen anal veins after accounting for common risk factors. The cross sectional analysis, published in PLOS One, examined 125 patients undergoing screening colonoscopies and collected detailed questionnaire data on toilet habits, diet, exercise and mobile phone use.

Researchers had colonoscopy images reviewed for haemorrhoids and asked participants, all aged 45 and older, how long they typically spent on the toilet and whether they used a phone while there. Two thirds of respondents reported taking a phone with them. Among those, 37 percent said typical visits lasted more than five minutes, compared with 7 percent of people who did not use a device in the lavatory. After adjusting for age, body mass index, fibre intake, physical activity and straining, phone use on the toilet remained associated with a 46 percent higher likelihood of haemorrhoids.

Senior author Dr. Trisha Pasricha said the finding is consistent...