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A recent U.S. study connects using smartphones while seated on the toilet with a significantly higher likelihood of hemorrhoids. Researchers report a 46% increase in hemorrhoid risk among people who use their phones during bowel movements. Although the research is preliminary and observational, it adds to growing evidence that modern digital habits can influence physical health in unexpected ways.
Study design and key findings
Researchers surveyed 125 adults who were undergoing colonoscopy screening. Participants completed questionnaires about bathroom habits, including how often they used a phone on the toilet and how long they typically remained seated. More than 40% of participants were found to have hemorrhoids on clinical exam; 93% said they used a phone on the toilet at least once per week.
Phone behaviors reported included reading news (≈50%), browsing social media (≈44%), and messaging or email (≈30%). Several respondents estimated they spent more than six minutes per visit on the toilet and attributed part of that extra time to smartphone use. After adjusting for factors such as age, sex, body mass index, exercise, and fiber intake, phone use on the toilet remained associated with an increased risk of hemorrhoids.
Experts caution that this type of survey shows correlation, not direct causation. Still, the pattern aligns with established hypotheses about hemorrhoid formation: prolonged straining and extended sitting during defecation can raise pressure in the lower rectum and anal blood vessels, encouraging swelling and dilation.
Scientific background: what are hemorrhoids and why time matters
Hemorrhoids are normal vascular cushions—clusters of blood vessels, smooth muscle, and connective tissue—located in and around the lower rectum. When these tissues become swollen, inflamed, or bleed, clinicians and patients refer to the problem as hemorrhoids. Commonly proposed contributing factors include chronic straining, constipation, frequent bowel movements, and prolonged sitting on the toilet.
Biomechanically, extended sitting can increase venous pressure in the anorectal region and reduce venous return, potentially promoting dilation of the hemorrhoidal plexus. Because of these concerns, some clinicians recommend limiting toilet time: advice ranges from under 10 minutes to as little as 3 minutes per visit in certain patient education materials.
Public health context and data gaps
In the United States, hemorrhoids account for nearly 4 million outpatient or emergency visits each year, yet national surveillance of the condition is sparse—the last comprehensive national survey dates back to 1989. That gap complicates efforts to quantify trends and to link population-level behavioral changes (like increased smartphone use) with outcomes.
Given widespread “toilet scrolling,” understanding the relationship between device use and bowel health has practical implications for public health messaging, primary-care counseling, and digital well-being guidance.
Practical guidance and unanswered questions
Based on current evidence, clinicians often recommend minimizing time spent seated on the toilet and avoiding prolonged straining. A simple, precautionary step is to keep your smartphone outside the bathroom during bowel movements and to focus on regular bowel habits: adequate fiber, hydration, and exercise reduce straining. More rigorous prospective studies and larger population samples are needed to determine whether phone-related toilet behavior independently causes hemorrhoids or simply correlates with other risk factors.
Expert Insight
Dr. Miriam Patel, a colorectal surgeon and health communicator, notes: "This study highlights a plausible behavioral risk factor linked to an everyday habit. While we must avoid alarmism, reducing unnecessary toilet time is a low-cost, low-risk preventive measure. If your phone is stretching a five-minute routine into 15 minutes, it's reasonable to change that habit."
Conclusion
The available evidence suggests that smartphone use during bowel movements may be associated with a higher risk of hemorrhoids, likely by prolonging time spent seated and increasing local pressure. The association underscores broader questions about how our devices reshape even private, physical routines. Until stronger causal data appear, practical steps—limit toilet time, leave devices out of the bathroom, and maintain good bowel health—are sensible precautions.
Source: sciencealert
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