More and more people are suffering from 'unspeakable diseases' because of... the phone

A new study shows that people who have a habit of bringing their phones into the toilet have a 46% higher risk of developing hemorrhoids than those who do not.

Doctors recommend avoiding bringing your phone to the toilet, or limiting your internet surfing time to “just two TikTok videos ” - Photo: CNN

According to the Guardian newspaper, a new study published in the journal PLOS One said that people who have the habit of using their phones while going to the toilet have a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids than those who do not.

The study involved 125 people aged 45 and over undergoing colonoscopy for bowel cancer screening, and examined their diet, activity levels and toilet habits, including time spent on the toilet and constipation or straining.

The results showed that two-thirds (66%) admitted to taking their phones into the toilet, mainly to browse news and social media. After excluding common risk factors such as old age, lack of exercise and lack of fiber, the group who used their phones while going to the toilet had a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids than the group who did not.

Of those, more than a third (37%) sat in the toilet for more than five minutes, compared to just 7% of the group that didn't bring their phones.

Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston, USA), said that sitting for long periods of time puts pressure on anal tissue, which over time leads to weakening of connective tissue and the formation of hemorrhoids.

“If you don't see results within five minutes, get up, rest, and come back,” she stressed.

Ms. Pasricha also compared reading newspapers and magazines in the past, which were not as distracting as TikTok and Instagram today, and social networking applications that make users easily forget the time, prolonging sitting time.

She added that an ongoing study of college students, nearly all of whom admitted to taking their phones into the bathroom, raised concerns that the younger generation could be developing hemorrhoids earlier.

It is estimated that hemorrhoids affect around 25% of adults, but many people are too embarrassed to talk about them. In the UK, more than 20,000 people a year undergo surgery for the condition.

Although the research results are still preliminary, the authors advise people to avoid bringing their phones into the bathroom, or at least set a time limit for browsing to avoid distraction and sitting too long.

For those who “can’t live without their phone” even when they’re on the toilet, Dr. Pasricha advises: “Set a limit for yourself—two TikTok videos. Don’t get into a cycle of surfing the web and watching TikToks and then forgetting the real reason why you’re sitting there.”

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ngay-cang-nhieu-nguoi-mac-benh-kho-noi-vi-cai-dien-thoai-20250904093731887.htm