It’s a habit that many people are probably guilty of in the modern age – taking our phones into the bathroom.
While this may seem completely harmless, an expert has warned that it could be leaving you vulnerable to a painful and gruesome condition.
Speaking on social media platform TikTok, gastroenterologist Doctor Joseph Salhab, advised against using your phone while on the toilet.
This could put you at risk of haemorrhoids, also known as piles, he said.
Dr Salhab explained: “So can using your phone causing you to sit for a prolonged period of time increase your risk of haemorrhoids?
“I’m Doctor Salhab, I’m a board certified gastroenterologist and we treat haemorrhoids every single day.”
Haemorrhoids are lumps found inside and around your anus.
They can cause pain, itching and bleeding among other symptoms.
According to Dr Salhab, using your phone on the toilet encourages you to sit and strain for longer, thus increasing your risk of piles.
He said: “There are a few things that we think increase your risk of developing haemorrhoids and that includes prolonged sitting with your bottom stretched.
“It can lead to something called vascular engorgement and pressure of the blood supply over here and you couple that with having to strain when you use the restroom not only increases your risk of haemorrhoids but increases your risk of bleeding, and increases your risk of developing a tear in your lower canal, which can be very painful.
“So I often tell my patients with haemorrhoids to stop using their phone when they’re in the bathroom and just focus on bathroom time.
“Don’t sit on the toilet in that position for a prolonged period of time.”
Being constipated can also add to the problem.
He recommended: “Things that you can do to avoid constipation and straining include eating more fruits and vegetables that can stimulate bowel movements, increasing your dietary fibre with psyllium husk, flax seeds, chia seeds, drinking more water, and using a stepping stool which can allow easier passage of stool.”
Dr Salhab specifically advised eating the following fruit to prevent constipation:
- Kiwifruit
- Apples
- Dragonfruit
- Prunes
- Pears.
“While there probably isn’t one thing that just causes haemorrhoids all of these can be contributing factors,” he said.
Taking your phone into the bathroom can also cause the spread of nasty bacteria.
Dr Salhab added: “Plus your phone is probably getting super dirty and you don’t even realise it. “
Symptoms of piles include:
- Bright red blood after you poo
- An itchy anus
- Feeling like you still need to poo after going to the toilet
- Mucus in your underwear or on toilet paper after wiping your bottom
- Lumps around your anus
- Pain around your anus.
The NHS also recommends you do not spend more time than you need to on the toilet to prevent piles.
