We all do it. Come on, admit it. You grab your phone, go to the bathroom, and before you know it, you’ve been sitting there for like, ten, maybe fifteen minutes. Just scrolling. Checking emails. Watching TikTok. Reading news you’ll forget super fast.
Seems chill, right? But doctors are saying this habit might not be so harmless. It could be slowly making you more likely to get something painful. Something nobody wants to talk about: hemorrhoids.
Yeah, not a great word to read while you drink your coffee. But let’s be real. Health is important. And sometimes the truth is a bit gross.
The Study That Made People Cringe
Some U.S. researchers recently checked out bathroom habits. What they found is… awkward. People who sit on the toilet longer, especially while using their phones, are more likely to get hemorrhoids. The study said that guys tend to sit longer than girls.
It’s not hard to see why. Sitting like that puts pressure on your butt veins. The more pressure, the more likely those veins are to swell up. And that’s what a hemorrhoid is: a swollen, annoyed vein where you really don’t want one.
The phone isn’t the bad guy on its own. But it’s the reason you stay longer than you should. What used to be a quick trip is now a long scrolling session.
A Current Habit With Old Issues
Think about your grandparents. They didn’t have phones. Maybe a newspaper. Bathroom time was fast.
But now? Phones have turned bathrooms into hangouts. People check social media. Some even answer work emails while they’re sitting down. It feels like doing multiple things at once, but it’s really just stressing your body.
Doctors are seeing the results: more hemorrhoid cases. And at younger ages, too. It’s becoming a digital-age problem, as one doctor put it. Weird, right? Something cool like a phone is causing a problem that’s been around forever.
The Secret Problem
By the time they’re 50, almost half of adults will get hemorrhoids at least once. That was before phones took over everything. Now, younger people are going to doctors with problems that used to be for older people.
It makes sense. If the bathroom is a 10-minute break instead of a 2-minute thing, it adds up. Pressure plus time equals trouble.
But here’s the thing nobody talks about it. Not with friends. Not with family. It’s one of those embarrassing health things. Which makes it worse. Because if people don’t talk about it, they won’t realize their habits are causing issues.
A Story We Know Too Well
A friend of mine joked that the bathroom was the only place she gets peace. She’d scroll TikTok every time. Videos, memes, whatever. It’s my break, she said. But then she said something else: she started feeling pain. Annoying pain.
She was embarrassed, so she ignored it. Months later, it got worse. Turns out yep hemorrhoids. She never thought her phone could be the reason. But now she leaves it outside the bathroom. It’s hard, but I learned, she told me.
And that’s how it is. A lot of people are making the same mistake. And they won’t realize it until it’s too late.
What You Can Do
Okay, this might sound familiar. You might be reading this on the toilet right now (don’t worry, you’re not alone). Here’s what doctors suggest:
Don’t bring your phone. Easier said than done, but try.
Go when you need to. Don’t wait. Sitting just in case makes things worse.
Drink more water. It makes things easier to pass.
Eat fiber. Veggies, fruits, whole grains make things go smoothly.
Notice any issues. Pain, bleeding, swelling? Don’t ignore it.
Small changes make a big difference.
The End (Pun Intended)
Nobody’s saying phones are evil. Don’t freak out. Just be aware. That extra time you spend scrolling while sitting can cause you problems. Maybe not now, but eventually.
So next time you go to the bathroom, think about it. Leave the phone charging. In and out, like the old days. Because let’s be honest, the memes and videos will wait. But your health should be your first concern.