A gastroenterologist has warned people about the risks of using phones on the toilet, and gave advice on how to fix the habit.
Dr Joseph Salhab confirmed that prolonged sitting and straining on the toilet – perhaps encouraged by taking your phone to the bathroom – can lead to an increased risk of developing hemorrhoids, also known as piles.
He also commented on how it can lead to undesirable bacteria on your device.
Dr Salhab, who goes by ‘thestomachdoctor’ on TikTok, said: ‘Straining and prolonged sitting when you’re trying to use the restroom puts you at risk for developing hemorrhoids which can be painful and bleed.’
He then gave tips on how to reduce time doing a number two, including limiting your mobile phone use.
‘Definitely try to limit your phone use while you’re using the bathroom, and you can use a stepping stool,’ he added, ‘because when you raise your feet it allows easier passage of stool – which is really beneficial.’
Another piece of advice he gave was to change your diet to include more fruit if a visit to the toilet takes so long that you might as well scroll through you social media.
‘Increase your fiber with fruits that can help stimulate bowel movements,’ he advised.
‘This includes things like kiwi fruit, dragon fruit, apples, pears, prunes and the vitamin C helps as well.’
Dr Salhab also added the option of using supplements such as psyllium husk – which can be added to drinks.
Speaking of which, he reminded people to ‘make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, because water and fibre go like this [he said with fingers entwined].’
Magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate were singled out as other supplements to go for.
And Dr Salhab went back to discussing phone use in the bathroom in the comments under his original TikTok.
In response to someone saying that you ‘can’t do nothing these days’, he wrote: ‘Poop time should be just that though! Cleaner. Easier. Imagine the bacteria on your phone.’
Bacteria from both human and cockroach poo are among the secret germs that lurk on our phones, experts have warned.
With that, 100 per cent of smartphone screens were home to E.Coli and Fecal Streptococci in a study of the harmful microbes that plague our devices.
