Bathroom Doomscrolling May Increase Your Risk of Hemorrhoids (popsci.com)
- Reference: 0179010368
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/09/04/2159215/bathroom-doomscrolling-may-increase-your-risk-of-hemorrhoids
- Source link: https://www.popsci.com/health/bathroom-doomscrolling-hemorrhoids/
> According to a new medical survey, scrolling on your smartphone while using the toilet [1]may dramatically increase your risk of hemorrhoids . The evidence is laid out in a study [2]published on September 3 in the journal PLOS One . [...] Over the past 20 years, one single device has unequivocally lengthened the amount of time most people spend sitting. "We're still uncovering the many ways smartphones and our modern way of life impact our health," Harvard Medical School gastroenterologist and study co-author Trisha Pasricha said in a statement. "It's possible that how and where we use them -- such as while in the bathroom -- can have unintended consequences."
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> To test this theory, Pasricha and colleagues oversaw a study of 125 adults who recently received a colonoscopy screening. The patients were surveyed on both their daily lifestyles and toilet traditions, while endoscopists subsequently evaluated them for hemorrhoids. Of those volunteers, 66 percent reported passing time in the bathroom while smartphone scrolling. After factoring in potential hemorrhoid influences like age, exercise habits, and fiber intake, the researchers determined that those who relied on this screentime had a 46 percent higher risk of hemorrhoid problems than non-users. "It's incredibly easy to lose track of time when we're scrolling on our smartphones -- popular apps are designed entirely for that purpose," added Pasricha.
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> The survey's results made this abundantly clear: 37 percent of smartphone users spent over five minutes at a time on the toilet, while barely seven percent of non-users reported the same. In general, people opted for reading the news and checking their social media while in the bathroom. [...] Pasricha cautioned against drawing any definitive conclusions just yet, noting the preliminary study's comparatively small sample size. The team intends to investigate the issue further, possibly by tracking patients over longer periods of time, while also experimenting with ways to limit smartphone use. "We need to study this further, but it's a safe suggestion to leave the smartphone outside the bathroom when you need to have a bowel movement," said Pasricha. "If it's taking longer, ask yourself why. Was it because having a bowel movement was really so difficult, or was it because my focus was elsewhere?"
[1] https://www.popsci.com/health/bathroom-doomscrolling-hemorrhoids/
[2] https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0329983
How Many Times . . . (Score:3)
. . . might you have been right on the money when you called your flamewar opponent "butthurt" . . .
Uh oh or Thank God (Score:1, Troll)
> Bathroom Doomscrolling May Increase Your Risk of Hemorrhoids
This may put a damper on some President's late-night social-media routine ...
Re: Uh oh or Thank God (Score:1)
Trump *is* a hemorrhoid, that's redundant.
On a less political note, sitting on the john by itself doesn't aggrevate hemorrhoids. May have something to do with stress, including forcing stuff out quicker, which is not recommended.
Re: Seriously? (Score:2)
I agree.
Re: (Score:2)
The number of people who have been on their phone while I'm in the bathroom is not a small number. Including ones who are having a conversation.
Re: (Score:2)
> I mean who wants faecal matter on the phone?
Do you have so little control over your bowel movement? I can see if you are experiencing explosive diarrhea you might want to put the phone down, but under normal circumstances how do you end up with feces on the phone? What do you do to scroll?
Correlation is not causation (Score:2)
That is something a first year student and any journalist should know. Adding to that - survey, with how many participants? Sounds like just some minutes more sitting causes drammatic increase of hemorrhoids risk, sounds not plausible to me, especially when no info on how much other type sitting the people do. This article about shitting is shit itself.
Re: (Score:2)
Slow your roll there boy. The title says "may increase your risk" meaning it's not conclusive but may be worth further investigation. Also, gross, who does this?
Re: (Score:2)
It's likely just because spending long times sitting on the toilet causes hemorrhoids. It's just that doom scrolling is what people are doing now on the toilet, rather than reading.
There were previous studies saying spending more than 15 minutes or so per movement increased your chances.
Does the study mention stinky screen? (Score:1)
Does the study say anything about increasing your risk of having a stinky phone screen?
This is why you don't (Score:2)
handle someone else's phone
Gross (Score:2, Insightful)
... using your phone while on the toilet ewww ...
Re: (Score:2)
My ex-girlfriend used to call me at work when she on the toilet. Advice to everybody out there - dump them if they are dumping while talking to you. When I heard the toilet flush, I knew that was when I could get off the phone with her.
Re: (Score:2)
> ... using your phone while on the toilet ewww ...
At least phones can be wiped down with disinfectant. In ye olde days we used to keep newspapers and magazines in the bathroom for reading material.