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  • Using Your Phone on the Toilet May Raise Hemorrhoid Risk

    Using Your Phone on the Toilet May Raise Hemorrhoid Risk

    Many people read while on the toilet, but smartphones may keep us sitting there longer than is healthy.
    Depositphotos

    Many people read while on the toilet, but smartphones may keep us sitting there longer than is healthy. A recent survey found that toilet phone users have a 46% higher risk of developing hemorrhoids, swollen veins in the rectum often caused by prolonged pressure.

    The study showed that age, sex, BMI, exercise habits, and fiber intake had no significant effect on the findings.

    Survey Links Frequent Toilet Phone Use to Hemorrhoids in Study Presented at Digestive Diseases Week

    Presented at the Digestive Diseases Week (DDW) conference in San Diego, the survey involved 125 patients undergoing colonoscopies. Over 40% had hemorrhoids, and 93% admitted to using their phones on the toilet at least once a week.

    Of those, around half read news, 44% browsed social media, and 30% sent texts or emails, according to presenter Dr. Trisha Satya Pasricha from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

    Some participants reported spending over six minutes on the toilet per visit, with many admitting their smartphone use likely extended their time there.

    Small Survey Suggests Possible Link Between Toilet Reading and Hemorrhoids, But More Research Needed

    A small survey like this can only highlight correlations and potential risk factors—it doesn’t confirm whether reading on the toilet directly leads to hemorrhoids. More research is needed to determine a clear connection.

    In the U.S., hemorrhoids account for nearly 4 million doctor and ER visits each year, yet the condition remains poorly understood and under-researched. Currently, we rely on hypotheses to explain how it develops.

    Remarkably, the last national survey on hemorrhoids in the U.S. was conducted in 1989, and no updated data at that scale has been collected since.

    Hemorrhoids are made up of blood vessels, smooth muscle, and connective tissue located in and around the lower rectum. While everyone has these structures—which help make bowel movements smoother—when they become swollen or bleed, they’re commonly referred to as hemorrhoids.

    Experts Point to Straining and Extended Toilet Time as Key Contributors to Hemorrhoids

    Although several factors likely contribute to their development, most experts believe hemorrhoids are linked to excessive straining, prolonged time on the toilet, or frequent bowel movements.

    Some research suggests that sitting for too long, particularly on the toilet, may worsen the issue by weakening and expanding the blood vessels around the anus and rectum.

    Because of this, some doctors recommend limiting toilet time to 10 minutes or less, while others go further, advising no more than 3 minutes. That stricter limit stems from a study of 100 hemorrhoid patients, who were found to spend more time reading on the toilet compared to a control group matched by age and sex.

    The habit of reading on the toilet isn’t new—during colonial times, people reportedly used newspapers for both reading and wiping.

    However, smartphones are far more distracting, and their use in the bathroom may draw attention away from the task at hand.

    Given this, some health professionals have raised concerns that excessive “toilet scrolling” could be harming our bathroom habits and hygiene.

    Read the original article on: Science Alert

    Read more: Apple’s New Feature May Soon Let You Control Your IPhone With Your Mind

  • Parasites Unearthed in 500-Year-Old Toilet Expose Surprising Medieval Disease Networks

    Parasites Unearthed in 500-Year-Old Toilet Expose Surprising Medieval Disease Networks

    Schistosoma mansoni egg recovered from the medieval latrine in Bruges. Black bar represents 20 µm. Credit: Marissa Ledger, McMaster University

    The discovery of a 500-year-old African parasite in a Bruges latrine offers new insights into how medieval trade networks facilitated the spread of infectious diseases. Linked to Spanish merchants and global commerce, this finding sheds light on historical health challenges and human migration patterns.

    Published in Parasitology, the study uncovers one of the earliest known cases of schistosomiasis outside Africa. This disease, caused by the waterborne parasite Schistosoma mansoni, penetrates the skin, travels through the bloodstream, and reproduces in the intestines. Remarkably, researchers found a preserved parasite egg in a 15th-century latrine, located thousands of kilometers from the parasite’s endemic region.

    The latrine, uncovered during a 1996 excavation and recently analyzed, belonged to Bruges’ Spanish Nation House. As the administrative hub for Castilian merchants, this site was central to trade in African goods like gold and spices, as well as involvement in the early Atlantic slave trade. Consequently, researchers believe that these trade networks also facilitated the unexpected spread of diseases.

    Medieval Bruges: A Hub of Trade and Disease Transmission

    The Spanish nation house with nearby warehouses (right) and former buildings of Spanish merchant Francisco de la Torre (left). Copper engraving with watercolor from Sanderus’s Flandria illustrata (1641). Credit: Ghent University Library.

    “Our findings reveal just how interconnected medieval urban life truly was,” says Maxime Poulain, an archaeologist at Ghent University. “Not only does this provide novel insight into daily life in medieval Bruges, but it also underscores how cities like Bruges, as international hubs of trade, inevitably became conduits for the spread of infectious diseases.”

    Furthermore, the research highlights the importance of analyzing organic remains, which can provide critical information about the health, hygiene, and mobility of historical populations. Looking ahead, lead researcher Marissa Ledger plans to study the parasite’s genetics to compare its ancient makeup with modern counterparts.

    “Understanding these parasites over time gives us valuable insight into how migration influences disease patterns,” Ledger explains. “Even centuries ago, human movement effectively carried diseases across long distances. This historical context is incredibly useful for modern disease studies.”

    Read Original Article: SciTechDaily

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