An extended period spent on cell phone use in the bathroom, especially when sitting on the toilet has severe health implications, particularly for the rectal region. According to Dr Amol Dahale, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist, DPU Super Specialty Hospital, Pimpri, Pune, it is crucial to realize that posture, an extended period of sitting, and perhaps straining can all lead to hemorrhoids.
How does posture affect pressure on the rectum?
Those who use a mobile phone in the toilet will sit for a longer time on the toilet than otherwise. The extra sitting will make the posture during the bowel movement worse. The sitting posture on a Western-style toilet is not any natural posture to get rid of the bowels.
“The body remains upright as if it is sitting in a chair, when anatomically it must squat. This sitting position results in a less acute bending of both the body and the anorectal angle, increasing the challenge to stool passage. At the time of defecation, when it should ideally open more widely to make it easy to pass stool, the anorectal angle remains considerably more closed when sitting upright. This increased difficulty in passing stool often leads to more straining,” Dr. Dahale told Financial Express.com.
There is also a cell phone added to the equation of distraction that people spend longer times on the toilet, which may result in increased straining time. This accordingly causes undue pressure on the blood vessels in the rectum, thereby upping the possibility of hemorrhoids. As said, hemorrhoids are an inflamed and swollen state of these blood vessels as a result of strain and pressure with bowel movements, he said.
Apart from straining that exacerbates the problem unconsciously, overstretching of the rectum may happen in several ways unconsciously, he added.
Health Risks of Prolonged Sitting
Forced sitting on a toilet for long periods, especially distracted by a cellular phone, has implications beyond the rectum. Dr. Dahale highlighted that pressure on the legs and the lower body can cause stresses to muscles and joints in more than one way.
“This will heighten the chances of uneasiness in the knees, hips, and lower back; hence, long-term joint problems may arise. Also, prolonged periods of sitting in one place can exacerbate other health conditions such as limited blood flow or stiffness. Prolonged sitting heightens the risk of Urinary Tract Infections, particularly in women. Incomplete emptying of the bladder can occur if the flow of urine is restricted for long periods due to sitting for long stretches without getting up to walk around. The bladder becomes a perfect breeding ground for bacteria under such circumstances,” he told Financial Express.com.
Long sitting hours in an unhygienic toilet makes way for infection of the urinary tract by the entry of bacteria into this system, he said.
Bacterial Contamination and Hygiene Problems
Yet another factor is the hygiene factor involved in taking calls while in the bathroom. Bathrooms, particularly toilets, are environments where bacteria thrive, and the mobile phone is often a surface that gets exposed to those bacteria.
According to Dr. Dahale, people tend to carry their phones from one possibly contaminated surface to another—be it from a dinner table or a bed to the toilet. Without proper cleaning, the phone might pick up bacteria from many surfaces, even the toilet itself. “This could mean that bacterial transmission will be facilitated, and people are thus transferring these germs innocently from the bathroom into their face, hands, or other body parts. Worst-case scenario, such bacteria might cause gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea or even contribute to other infections,” he said.
Recommendations to Reduce Health Risks
The best remedy is to avoid using the phone while on the toilet. For those who must use a cell phone-for example, in making an emergency call or calling someone urgently-then limiting the use to making calls rather than reading something, checking social media, or watching videos that encourage people to stay longer in sitting positions is recommended.
“When you are one of those people who have made a habit of taking your phone to the bathroom, it can be an attachment to break the habit by not taking the phone into the toilet or using it only for the briefest periods. It is also possible to maintain the cleanliness of your bathroom with that of your toilet as well as keeping your phone always cleaned of bacteria in case this is one of the things bringing about the problem,” he said.
It may be pleasant to kill some time by using a phone in the bathroom, but it can lead to very serious health problems such as hemorrhoids, joint problems, UTIs, and even bacterial infections that prove to have a serious toll on the health of the individual, Dr. Dahale said. “Thus, being aware of these risks and managing bathroom time one way or another can work greatly to improve the general health and wellness of the person,” he added.