19-05-2025
The popular toilet habit that could increase your risk of painful haemorrhoids by 46%, experts warn
READING on the toilet can be a good way to pass the time and potentially relax while using the bathroom.
Some people find it helps with the matter at hand by offering a gentle distraction and relaxation.
But a new survey has found scrolling on your phone may have you sitting on the loo for an unhealthy amount of time, increasing the risk of haemorrhoids - swollen veins in your bottom.
The new survey, presented recently at the Digestive Diseases Week conference in San Diego, California, involved 125 participants who were receiving a colonoscopy.
It found 46 per cent had a haemorrhoid - and 93 per cent said they used their phone on the toilet at least once a week.
Participants' age, sex, body mass, exercise, and fibre intake didn't impact the results.
About half the group said they read news on the toilet, while 44 per cent said they scrolled social media.
Around 30 per cent were emailing or texting.
Some of the respondents revealed they spent more than six minutes on the toilet, per visit, and said they believed they were on the toilet longer because of their smartphones.
According to a study by eXroid, approximately five million people in the UK experience symptoms from haemorrhoids each year.
Also known as piles, haemorrhoids are lumps inside and around the bottom.
They're caused by increased pressure in the blood vessels around the anus and rectum, which then lead to swelling and inflammation.
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This increased pressure can be due to various factors, including straining during bowel movements, constipation, prolonged sitting, and pregnancy.
Some doctors advise spending no more than 10 minutes on the toilet.
While others suggest spending no more than three minutes.
The three minute recommendation is based on a study of 100 patients with haemorrhoids who spent time more time reading on the toilet than age and sex-matched counterparts who didn't have haemorrhoids.
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Check if you have piles
According to the NHS, the 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
Piles often get better on their own after a few days, and there are things you can do to help, including drinking lots of fluid and eating plenty of fibre to keep your poo soft, wiping your bottom with damp toilet paper, taking a warm bath to ease itching and pain, and cutting down on alcohol and caffeine to avoid constipation.
The NHS also advises:
Not wiping your bottom too hard after you poo
Not ignoring the urge to poo
Not pushing too hard when pooing
Not taking painkillers that contain codeine, as they can cause constipation
Not taking ibuprofen if your piles are bleeding
Not spending more time than you need to on the toilet
A pharmacist may be able to help with symptoms, recommending creams to ease pain, treatment to help constipation, or cold packs to ease discomfort.
But if you have piles and your temperature is very high, or you feel hot and shivery and generally unwell, or you have pus leaking from your piles, ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111.
