Smartphone use on the toilet can lead to a painful health condition

With the increasing use of smartphones in society, many individuals have taken the opportunity to utilize their smartphones while using the restroom. What once may have been an opportunity for only a quick visit to the bathroom can quickly become an extended period of time spent looking at a smartphone.

A small clinical study has shown that this habit may lead to an unexpected consequence for health. Those who reported using a smartphone while sitting on the toilet were more likely to develop hemorrhoids than those who did not use their smartphones.

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins located in the rectum or anal region. They can cause a person to experience pain and/or bleeding. In fact, hemorrhoids are among the most prevalent conditions associated with the gastrointestinal system in the United States. They generate almost 4 million visits to offices and emergency rooms annually and cost more than $800 million in health care expenses.

Despite the extensive health care burden, the exact causes of hemorrhoids continue to be a subject of heated debate. Factors such as constipation, straining, insufficient fiber intake, pregnancy, obesity, and inactivity are all believed to be contributing factors.

Researchers have begun to investigate whether smartphone use, a relatively new behavior, may also be a contributing factor.

The study was conducted with adults preparing for screening colonoscopy procedures at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston. Researchers surveyed patients to obtain information about their patterns of behavior based on responses to an online questionnaire.

The survey collected responses regarding age, BMI, exercise, and fiber intake. In addition, respondents indicated how often they used their smartphones while sitting on the toilet and the average length of time they remained seated on the toilet.

A total of 125 individuals completed the online survey. The study found that 66% of respondents used their smartphones while on the toilet.

The endoscopists reviewed colonoscopy reports for evidence of hemorrhoids. In a few situations, two independent specialists further scrutinized high-quality images taken during the procedure to affirm the initial findings.

There was a significant difference between the two sample groups.

After controlling for age, sex, body mass index, physical activity, fiber intake, and straining during bowel movements, the researchers determined that individuals using their smartphones while sitting on the toilet had a 46% higher chance of developing hemorrhoids than those who did not use their phones during this period. The p value for this finding was 0.044.

In general, 43% of participants had hemorrhoids during their colonoscopy.

Smartphone users also differed in other ways. The average age of smartphone users was 55.4 years, while the average age of nonusers was 62.1 years.

Additionally, smartphone users reported exercising less on a weekly basis.

One of the most significant differences in the behavior of smartphone users when using the toilet was the time spent there.

Among smartphone users, 37.3% reported spending more than five minutes sitting on the toilet per visit. By contrast, only 7.1% of non-smartphone users reported spending that long.

Many respondents stated that they would read news articles or scroll through social networking websites during their toilet visit.

The researchers speculated that this increased time spent seated may be related to the increased risk of developing hemorrhoids.

Since toilet seats provide inadequate support to the pelvic floor, this may account for the increase in hemorrhoid development.

Sitting on the toilet for prolonged periods can put more pressure on the hemorrhoidal cushions, a group of tissues used to regulate bowel movements. Over time, continued pressure on these cushions can lead to swelling.

While this survey did not provide support for a frequently cited theory that straining when going to the bathroom causes hemorrhoids, researchers did not find any indication that straining during bowel movements increased the risk of developing hemorrhoids among participants in this particular research.

There were also no differences in constipation and other bowel disorders as reported by participants using the Rome IV gastrointestinal questionnaire.

The researchers acknowledged that the amount of time people spend on the toilet may have more significance in the development of hemorrhoids.

Smartphone users may not be aware of how much extra time their phone keeps them on the toilet due to distractions created by mobile devices.

One thing that stood out in the survey results was that while 35% of smartphone users reported their phone keeping them on the toilet longer than usual at least once or twice a week, the data showed that smartphones kept those individuals on the toilet longer in general.

This discrepancy between the two numbers suggests that many individuals may be unaware of how much time they spend scrolling through smartphone apps. As a result, their time sitting on the toilet becomes prolonged because of reduced awareness of how much time has passed.

Trisha Pasricha, the lead author of the study, said, "The use of smartphones while on the toilet was linked to a 46 percent increase in the risk of developing hemorrhoids."

"The design of smartphones keeps your attention for a prolonged time while you are sitting on the toilet, so you can easily lose track of how long you have been sitting there. The general design of mobile apps is to keep your attention and to make it easy for you to lose track of time while scrolling on your smartphone, which could lead to an increase in your risk of developing hemorrhoids."

The research team warned that the study does not prove that smartphone usage causes hemorrhoids directly.

This type of research is cross-sectional, meaning all behaviors and outcomes are measured at one time point. Because of this design, reports from smartphone users concerning the time they spent on the toilet and the amount of force applied while eliminating waste may be affected by recall bias.

Additionally, participants were adults aged 45 years or older who were participating in a population undergoing colonoscopy screening. Therefore, the study population does not necessarily represent younger individuals.

Lastly, it would be necessary to measure how many years participants had spent using smartphones in the bathroom to add to the validity of the results.

Regardless of these caveats, the results of the study raise questions about how technology habits from recent decades can affect health in unexpected ways. They also raise questions about how smartphone habits are being adopted by individuals who may not believe they are being affected by their device use.

Because of the evidence, physicians have long advised patients not to remain in the restroom for extended periods. The study supports this notion and suggests that a widely recognized modern cause of prolonged toilet sitting may contribute to the development of hemorrhoids for many patients.

For patients at higher risk for hemorrhoids, the authors of the study suggested that simple behavioral changes may help.

Leaving a smartphone outside the bathroom and completing a bowel movement within a few minutes may reduce the risk of developing hemorrhoids.

Ultimately, the authors hope that future studies will follow participants over time to determine how often smartphones are used while sitting on the toilet. Researchers also hope to investigate possible interventions that could reduce prolonged toilet use.

Research findings are available online in the journal PLOS.

The original story "Smartphone use on the toilet can lead to a painful health condition" is published in The Brighter Side of News.

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