Smartphone use on toilet linked to hemorrhoids

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston report that people who use smartphones while sitting on the toilet had higher odds of having hemorrhoids detected at colonoscopy, a finding the authors say may be related to prolonged time seated without pelvic floor support. The study, published in PLOS One and based on questionnaires and colonoscopy exams conducted between August and December 2024, found smartphone users had 46 percent higher odds of hemorrhoids than nonusers among 125 adults screened for colonoscopy.

Participants, who were aged 45 and older, reported their toilet habits, including frequency and duration of phone use and the types of activities performed while seated. About two thirds said they used a smartphone on the toilet. Hemorrhoids were visualized on colonoscopy for 43 respondents. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, fiber intake and physical activity, smartphone use on the toilet remained associated with higher odds of hemorrhoids, the authors reported.

The investigators said the most likely mechanism is prolonged sitting on an open toilet bowl without pelvic floor support, which can increase pressure in the hemorrhoidal cushions...