🌅 Scrolling on the Toilet May Give You Hemorrhoids

SOURCE

Ramprasad et al. (2025)

WHAT TO KNOW

• A new study by researchers at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston found people who use their smartphones while on the toilet have a 46% higher risk of developing hemorrhoids compared to those who don’t scroll while going about their business. The study found people who use their phones while in the bathroom spend significantly more time sitting on the toilet, increasing pressure on anal tissues, which could contribute to developing hemorrhoids.

WHY IT MATTERS

• Interestingly, the present study didn’t find an association between hemorrhoids and straining while on the toilet, countering the results of some earlier studies. The authors say the findings suggest that time spent sitting on the toilet may be a more significant risk factor than straining.

CONNECT THE DOTS

• Hemorrhoids are extremely common in the U.S. (nearly half of people over age 50 will have them at some point in their life), accounting for more than 4 million visits to doctors offices or emergency rooms each year and over $800 million in annual healthcare expenditures. More patients seek medical care for hemorrhoids each year than for colon cancer, diverticular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or inflammatory bowel disease. A 2022 survey by NordVPN found 71% of U.S. adults report using their phones while on the toilet, with millennials and Gen-Z being the most likely to do so.