Taking Your Phone to Toilet? Risk of Painful Piles Ahead

Smartphones have become an inseparable part of daily life, with many people carrying them everywhere, including the bathroom. However, recent research suggests that smartphone use during toilet time is not as harmless as it seems. In fact, it may significantly raise the risk of developing hemorrhoids, a common yet uncomfortable condition affecting millions worldwide.

What Are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids, also called piles, occur when the veins in the lower rectum or anus become swollen and inflamed. Normally, small cushions of blood vessels and tissue in this area help regulate bowel movements. But when these cushions swell, they can cause symptoms such as:

Pain and discomfort
Itching around the anus
Occasional bleeding during bowel movements

Hemorrhoids are extremely common and can affect anyone, especially adults with constipation, poor diet, or prolonged sitting habits.

Why Does Smartphone Use Matter?

Doctors have long known that straining during bowel movements, sitting too long on the toilet, pregnancy, and low-fibre diets can increase the risk of hemorrhoids. Now, research adds smartphone use in toilet time to this list of risk factors.

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston observed 125 adults, all aged 45 and above, who had recently undergone routine colonoscopy checks. Participants were asked about their bathroom habits, including phone use. The findings were eye-opening:

66% admitted to using smartphones on the toilet.
Those who used their phones were 46% more likely to develop hemorrhoids compared to non-users.
People who used smartphones in the bathroom tended to sit much longer; around 37% stayed on the toilet for more than five minutes, while only about 7% of those without phones did the same.

Interestingly, the study did not find major differences in constipation or straining between the two groups. Instead, the risk came from the extra sitting time caused by scrolling through social media or reading news on the toilet.

How Prolonged Sitting Triggers Hemorrhoids

When you sit on a regular chair, your pelvic floor muscles and tissues get proper support. But the toilet seat is different. It places uneven pressure on the rectal area, and the longer you sit, the more pressure builds on the blood vessels.

Sitting too long puts extra pressure on the rectal veins, which can cause the natural tissue cushions in that area to swell and turn into painful hemorrhoids. Using a smartphone in the bathroom often distracts people, making them sit far longer than necessary.
Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a physician and Harvard Medical School instructor, explains that smartphones are designed to keep users engaged. This design keeps people glued to their screens, even in the bathroom, unintentionally increasing their risk.

Conclusion

While smartphones have become part of modern life, smartphone use during toilet time comes with hidden health risks. Spending extra minutes scrolling on the toilet may seem harmless, but research shows it can increase the chance of painful hemorrhoids by nearly half. To protect your digestive health, it’s best to keep your phone out of the bathroom and focus on quick, healthy bathroom habits.

Source: Inputs from various media Sources

Priya Bairagi

Copy-Writer & Content Editor

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I’m a pharmacist with a strong background in health sciences. I hold a BSc from Delhi University and a pharmacy degree from PDM University. I write articles and daily health news while interviewing doctors to bring you the latest insights. In my free time, you’ll find me at the gym or lost in a sci-fi novel.