Using a cell phone in the bathroom increases the risk of hemorrhoids, says study

However, public interest has been increasing recently, also due to influential voices on social media. “When famous people talk about the problem, many say, ‘Oh, I have that too’. This raises awareness, more people go to the doctor and some of them are recruited for studies. This contributes significantly to the advancement of science,” says D’Amato.

Younger people can also be affected

Experts like Pasricha are seeing more and more cases in younger people and suspect that smartphones play an important role. In Germany alone, more than half of adults take their cell phones to the bathroom, according to a survey by British opinion polling institute YouGov. Among young people aged 25 to 34, this total exceeds 80%.

“The average age at which hemorrhoids first appear is decreasing,” D’Amato noted.

Pasrucha, in turn, warned that men could be particularly affected. Her male patients report that they often spend much more time in the bathroom than necessary – along with their smartphones.

Smartphone as a risk factor

The problem, however, is not new. Even before the existence of smartphones, doctors were warning about sitting on the toilet for hours reading the newspaper. Back then, distraction itself wasn’t the problem. A brief break can even make it easier to go to the bathroom.