Surgeon shares grim reason you should never use your mobile phone while on toilet
27.07.2023 - 12:09
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Scrolling through your phone, reading messages or browsing social media is a common way to pass the time these days.
But do you use your mobile while on the toilet? According to YouGov statistics, a huge 57 percent of people use their device while perched on the loo, with many taking the time to catch up on texts and emails while doing their business.
However, one doctor has issued a warning urging people to avoid scrolling while on the toilet as it is "not a good thing to do". The hugely common habit could actually be increasing your risk of health issues, the medical expert advised, as reported by the Daily Star.
Speaking to Healthline, colorectal surgeon Dr Karen Zaghiyan suggested that using your scrolling while on the loo could increase your risk of haemorrhoids, explaining: "Haemorrhoids are a collection of veins in and out of the anus. Everyone has haemorrhoids. We are born with them.
Explaining the reason behind the increased risk, the doctor added: "The act of sitting and straining as you scroll can 'cause the haemorrhoids to engorge with blood, causing symptoms such as pain, swelling or bleeding'."
Currently, there is no scientific evidence of this. However, there is an ongoing clinical trial researching the link.
Aside from the increased risk of the painful condition, using your phone while on the toilet can also pose a threat to your health due to bacteria. Taking your phone into the toilet with you means the device will likely become contaminated, transferring the germs to your hands.
According to a 2017 study carried out in a high school, it was found that carrying your mobile into the bathroom could result in E.coli exposure as well as other microbes that can make you very unwell.
The harmful bacteria can