Your Toilet Scrolling Habit Might Be Linked to Hemorrhoids, Study Finds

We bring our phones everywhere now, even into the bathroom without thinking twice. But a quick scroll can easily stretch a short break into several extra minutes of sitting on the toilet, and research suggests those added minutes may matter more than most expect.

A study published in PLoS One finds that smartphone use on the toilet is linked with longer sitting time and a higher risk of hemorrhoids, swollen veins in the rectum and anus that develop when pressure builds in the area. They can cause pain, itching, discomfort, and sometimes bleeding.

Doctors say the pattern reflects what they are beginning to see in practice. People often stay seated longer than intended when their phones are in hand, said Dr. Trisha Pasricha, the study’s senior author, gastroenterologist, and director of the Gut-Brain Research Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

“The entire business model of these social media apps is to distract us, make us lose track of time and addict us to the algorithm,” Pasricha said. “We’re just now understanding how much smartphones impact lots of other factors in our lives.”

Researchers surveyed 125 adults undergoing screening colonoscopies. They were asked about toilet habits, including smartphone use, along with diet, fiber intake, exercise, and straining. Hemorrhoids were confirmed through endoscopy.

About 66% of participants reported using smartphones on the toilet. This group spent more time seated compared with those who did not bring phones into the bathroom. Many said they used their devices for reading news or scrolling social media.

Phone use on the toilet was associated with a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids. Around 37% of smartphone users spent more than five minutes seated, compared with 7% of non-users.

Hemorrhoids are often associated with straining, but prolonged sitting is also a key factor, especially on a toilet seat that does not support the pelvic floor.

“When you’re sitting on an open toilet bowl, you have no pelvic floor support,” Pasricha said.

That position can increase pressure in the rectal area and affect blood flow, which may contribute to swelling over time.

Posture may also play a role. Dr. Hima Ghanta, a colorectal surgeon at Holy Name Medical Center in New Jersey, said people tend to hunch over their phones, which can interfere with the natural alignment needed for easier bowel movements.

“People way back who had to squat did not tend to have as many issues, but because we changed the angle we’re evacuating and sitting longer, these are exacerbating factors for hemorrhoids,” Ghanta told CNN.

The study found no clear link between smartphone use and constipation or increased straining. The main difference was how long people remained on the toilet.

According to Dr. Ghanta, people who used their smartphones weren’t more constipated than those who did not. “They didn’t actually strain harder to have a bowel movement than the ones who didn’t. My hypothesis is that it’s passive smartphone use that causes these hemorrhoidal cushions to become engorged and bulge, and that’s what leads to hemorrhoids.”

Prevention is key. Keep your toilet time short, and skip your phone in the bathroom if you can. If not, just stay mindful of the time or set a limit so you don’t end up sitting longer than you should.

Click here for tips to avoid hemmorhoids while pregnant.