Smartphone Scrolling on the Toilet Linked to Hemorrhoids, Study Finds

Smartphones are known to affect our health in countless ways, but a new study says bathroom scrolling may come with an especially unpleasant consequence: hemorrhoids. Published in PLOS One, the research found that people who take their phones into the bathroom are significantly more likely to suffer from inflamed rectal veins compared to those who don’t.

The reason is simple: sitting on the toilet for long periods puts pressure on the pelvic floor and veins in the rectum. Unlike sitting in a chair, the toilet bowl offers no Support. That extra pressure can make veins swollen and irritated, leading to hemorrhoids.

Dr. Trisha Pasricha, director of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s Institute for Gut-Brain Research in Boston and co-author of the study, explained that smartphones make it harder for people to get up and leave. “They’re completely consuming to us in ways that wasn’t happening to the casual bathroom reader in the 80s,” she said.

Researchers surveyed 125 adults about to undergo routine colonoscopies. Sixty-six percent admitted to using their phones while on the toilet. Those individuals were 46% more likely to have hemorrhoids, even after accounting for other risk factors like low dietary fiber, constipation, or straining.

Hemorrhoids aren’t life-threatening, but they can be itchy, painful, and sometimes bleed, leading to millions of doctor visits each year. Over time, pelvic floor strain may also worsen constipation, cause incontinence, and lead to rectal pain. Experts also point out the hygiene risks: flushing sends microscopic particles of urine and feces into the air, which can contaminate phones brought into the bathroom.

Younger adults, especially those in their 40s and 50s, were more likely than older adults to report bathroom phone use. Doctors say that while it’s hard to blame smartphones alone, the uptick in cases seems to align with their rise.

Specialists recommend the “five-minute rule”: if business doesn’t happen within that time, it’s best to take a break and try again later. Or better yet, leave the phone outside the bathroom altogether.

Sign These Petitions! 

Please sign our latest and most urgent petitions to help the planet. Every signature counts!

• Petition: U.S. Cities Must Cut Car Use Like Europe to Tackle Climate Change
• Petition: Denmark Zoo Feeding Unwanted Pets to Lions Must Be Shut Down
• Petition: Free Asha the Endangered Wolf and Her Pups From Captivity

Related Content:

•  Study Shows Donkeys Can Experience PTSD-Like Trauma
•  Vegetarian Diet Linked to Lower Cancer Risk in Major Study
•  Plastic Pollution Study Warns of Alarming Health Risks
•  New Study Finds Weed May Alter Genes Like Cigarettes Do

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Stand against fast fashion Pollution by supporting circular brands like Tiny Rescue, which create cause-based collections using recycled, zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade, ensuring it never ends up in a landfill.
• Shop Sustainably for Your Home: Visit SustaiNOBLE.org, an eco-friendly and ethically sourced home decor store that will empower your home with luxurious fair-trade, and sustainable products made by global artisans. 
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!