Many people who take their phones into the bathroom, often turn what should be a brief visit into a prolonged session of operating their phones and health professionals are now warning that spending excessive time on the toilet can have significant health consequences.
Dr Lai Xue, a colorectal
surgeon at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, explained that
long periods on the toilet can increase pressure on the veins and blood vessels
around the anus, leading to hemorrhoids.
"When patients present to
me with complaints, one of the main areas we have to delve deeply into is
spending a lot of time on the toilet," Xue said.
Dr Farah Monzur, an assistant
professor of medicine and director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at
Stony Brook Medicine, said that people should spend no more than five to 10
minutes on the toilet.
Prolonged sitting can lead to
increased pressure on the pelvic area, causing complications such as weakened
anal muscles and pelvic floor dysfunction.
Xue explained that the open,
oval-shaped toilet seat compresses the buttocks, lowering the rectum's
position.
With gravity pulling downward,
the body's blood circulation is impeded, increasing the risk of hemorrhoids.
"It becomes a one-way valve where blood enters, but blood really can’t go
back," Xue said.
Many people, distracted by
their phones, may spend excessive time on the toilet, unintentionally straining
their muscles and weakening the pelvic floor.
Monzur noted that this could
increase the risk of rectal prolapse, where part of the large intestine slips
down and bulges out of the anus.
The American Cancer Society
recently reported an increase in colorectal cancer rates among people under 55.
Dr Lance Uradomo, an
interventional gastroenterologist at City of Hope Orange County, advised making
the bathroom as uninteresting as possible.
“You don’t want to go with the mindset that
you will be there for a long time,” Monzur said.
Xue also recommended walking
around after 10 minutes if a bowel movement hasn’t occurred.
For those who experience
chronic difficulty or discomfort when passing stool, experts caution that it
could be a sign of gastrointestinal issues, including irritable bowel syndrome
or Crohn’s disease.
Uradomo noted that persistent
symptoms might also indicate a more serious condition, such as colorectal
cancer, which can obstruct stool flow.
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