Using your phone too long in the bathroom would cause hemorrhoids

Using your phone too long in the bathroom would cause hemorrhoids

Previously, the habit was to read a magazine or read a novel or newspaper in the bathroom. However, right now, many of us have traded the book for the smartphone or the tablet. Yet according to the doctors, this bad habit would do us more harm than good and even give us hemorrhoids.

We are many to take our phone wherever we go, even or especially, the toilet, to relax, distract or even as a precaution against the curiosity of our partner. A UK study reported by The Irish Sun on September 19, 2019 found, for example, that 57% of Britons sometimes use their phones in the bathroom while 8% say they always do so.

While carrying your cell phone does not seem a priori harmful to your health, health experts say it causes hemorrhoids, that is, swelling and inflammation of the veins in the rectum and anus that cause bleeding, itching of the anus, swelling or pain around the anus or the presence of viscous mucus in the undergarments or on the toilet paper.
MANY PEOPLE SUFFER IN SILENCE
Dr. Sarah Jarvis, general practitioner and clinical director of patient.info, told The Sun Online, in her remarks reported by The Irish Sun, that "it is difficult to know how many people are affected by hemorrhoids because many people suffer in silence but estimates range from 1 in 20 British to 1 in 4 British adults.

Regarding risk factors for hemorrhoidal disease, this expert explains that constipation, pooping efforts, pregnancy, chronic cough and age are risk factors. She adds that it's the same for long periods of sitting on the toilet. Therefore, this expert strongly advises against consulting the applications in the toilets.

HEMORRHOIDS AND GERMS
Lisa Ackerley, a doctor of hygiene, explains the link between using the smartphone in the bathroom and hemorrhoids. She states that in the toilet, the seat, handle, roll holder and cabin door are infested with germs. "These germs," ​​says the expert in The Irish Sun, "can include anything from norovirus to salmonella. "

Going further in her explanations, the expert explains that "the germs go through the toilet paper. So, once you've finished your commission, your hands are dirty, which is why you wash them. But if your hands are dirty and contaminated with viruses or bacteria and you pick up your phone after using the toilet, you transfer your germs and everything your hands have on the phone, then everything you touch, even if you wash them after. The germs can then penetrate directly into your mouth, biting your nails, eating chips, or passing from your hands to food, preparing a sandwich for example. They can also go on any surface where the phone goes. So if you share your phone with someone, you could pass on all the germs that you picked up in the bathroom. "


PREVENTION MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED
To prevent hemorrhoids and all the inconveniences mentioned above, Dr. Sarah Jarvis recommends that you do not take the cell phone to the bathroom or at least leave it locked when you go to the bathroom. At the same time, she also recommends eating a high-fiber diet, drinking enough water and exercising regularly.

Dr. Ackerley says that if it is imperative for you to take your smartphone to the bathroom, it's best to keep it in your left hand and not touch anything else with your left hand. However, she points out that she does not advocate the use of telephones in the bathroom but just wants to make people aware of the risks they face.