A new study found that people who use smartphones while on the toilet are 46% more likely to develop hemorrhoids. Researchers say the lack of pelvic floor support from an open toilet puts pressure on hemorrhoidal cushions, leading to inflammation and swollen veins. The study advises limiting toilet smartphone use to under 5 minutes to reduce this risk. Previous beliefs that hemorrhoids are solely caused by straining during constipation may be overly simplistic, as the researchers found no difference in bowel movement strain between smartphone users and non-users on the toilet. (Story URL)
