HEALTH TIPS: HAEMORRHOIDS AND PHONE USE ON THE TOILET: WHEN A MODERN HABIT BECOMES A PAINFUL PROBLEM

By Dr Tariq Jagnarine
Fam Med

For many people, the bathroom has quietly become a place of extended scrolling news updates, social media, messages, and videos, all consumed while sitting on the toilet. What was once a quick biological routine has turned into a prolonged daily habit. Unfortunately, this modern behaviour is now being linked to a very old and uncomfortable problem: haemorrhoids.
Doctors are increasingly seeing patients with rectal pain, bleeding, and discomfort who share one common habit: spending too long sitting on the toilet, often while using a mobile phone. While haemorrhoids are not life-threatening, they can significantly affect comfort, daily function, and quality of life.

What are haemorrhoids?
Haemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels in the lower rectum or around the anus. Everyone has these veins, but they become problematic when they swell, stretch, or become inflamed. Haemorrhoids can be internal, located inside the rectum, or external, forming under the skin around the anus.
They are extremely common. Nearly half of adults will experience haemorrhoids at some point, yet many delay seeking help due to embarrassment or misunderstanding of the cause.

Why sitting too long on the toilet is a problem
From a clinical perspective, the toilet is not designed for prolonged sitting. When you sit on a toilet seat, gravity increases pressure on the veins of the rectum and anus. This pressure becomes even greater when a person strains or sits idle for long periods.
Using a phone extends the time spent on the toilet far beyond what is physiologically necessary. What should take two to three minutes can stretch into 15 or 20 minutes. During this time, blood pools in the rectal veins, increasing swelling and weakening vessel walls. Over time, this contributes directly to haemorrhoid formation.
This phenomenon has become so common that some clinicians now refer to it informally as “toilet phone syndrome”.

The role of straining and distraction
When people are distracted by their phones, they often strain unconsciously or sit waiting for a bowel movement that is not ready. Straining increases abdominal pressure, forcing blood into the rectal veins. Repeated daily straining, especially combined with prolonged sitting, creates the perfect environment for haemorrhoids to develop or worsen.
Additionally, constipation plays a major role. Low-fibre diets, dehydration, and sedentary lifestyles already make bowel movements harder. Add phone use and prolonged sitting, and the risk increases significantly.

Common signs and symptoms
People with haemorrhoids often describe:
• Bright red blood on toilet paper or in the bowl
• Anal itching or irritation
• Pain or discomfort during or after bowel movements
• Swelling or a lump near the anus
• A feeling of incomplete evacuation
Internal haemorrhoids may bleed without pain, while external haemorrhoids are more likely to cause discomfort, swelling, or clotting.

When phone use makes things worse
The link between phone use and haemorrhoids is not about radiation or screens; it’s about time and posture. Sitting upright on a toilet with the hips flexed increases pressure in the rectal veins compared to a squatting position, which is more anatomically natural for bowel movements.
When phone use prolongs sitting, it magnifies this pressure. Over weeks and months, the cumulative effect becomes clinically significant.

Diagnosis and when to seek care
Haemorrhoids are usually diagnosed based on symptoms and a simple physical examination. However, rectal bleeding should never be automatically assumed to be haemorrhoids, especially in adults over 40. Other conditions, including colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or anal fissures, must be ruled out.
Seek medical care if bleeding is persistent, pain is severe, or symptoms do not improve with basic measures.

Treatment: Simple steps often work best
Most haemorrhoids improve with conservative treatment:
• Increasing fibre intake through fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Drinking adequate water
• Avoiding straining
• Limiting toilet time to no more than five minutes
• Warm sitz baths to relieve discomfort.
• Over-the-counter creams or suppositories when needed.
Severe or persistent cases may require procedures such as rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, or surgery, but these are typically last resorts.

Prevention: Changing habits makes the difference
The most effective prevention strategy is also the simplest: stop taking your phone to the toilet.
Bowel movements should be guided by the body’s natural urge, not by boredom or scrolling. If nothing happens within a few minutes, it’s better to stand up and try again later rather than sit and strain.
Other preventive measures include regular physical activity, fibre-rich meals, good hydration, and responding promptly to the urge to defecate.

Dos and Don’ts for bathroom health
Do:
• Keep toilet visits short.
• Eat fibre-rich foods.
• Drink plenty of water
• Use the toilet only when you feel the urge.
• Maintain good hygiene.
Don’t:
• Bring phones, tablets, or reading material to the toilet.
• Sit and strain for long periods.
• Ignore bleeding or pain.
• Delay bowel movements repeatedly
Haemorrhoids are not just a result of aging or genetics; they are often the product of modern habits we barely think about. Something as simple as scrolling through your phone on the toilet may seem harmless, but over time it can lead to discomfort, bleeding, and unnecessary medical visits.
Sometimes, protecting your health starts with putting the phone down, especially in the bathroom.