Is Your Smartphone Giving You Hemorrhoids? | WTF Health News
Can using your smartphone on the toilet increase your risk of hemorrhoids?
In this episode of WTF Health News, Dr. Eeks explores one of the strangest health headlines of the year—and yes, it's based on a real scientific study.
Researchers found that adults who reported using smartphones while sitting on the toilet had a 46% higher likelihood of hemorrhoids compared with people who didn't bring their phones to the bathroom. But does that mean your phone causes hemorrhoids?
Not exactly.
Dr. Eeks breaks down what the study found.
Topics discussed include:
- Can smartphone use increase the risk of hemorrhoids?
- Why prolonged toilet sitting may matter more than straining
- The surprising study linking phones and hemorrhoids
- Why smartphone apps may distort our perception of time
- The difference between correlation and causation
- How technology quietly changes everyday human behavior
If you've ever found yourself scrolling on the toilet for "just a minute"...this episode might make you think twice.
Source: Smartphone use on the toilet and the risk of hemorrhoids, Plos 0ne, 2025.
About WTF Health News
WTF Health News is a recurring series within Causes or Cures, where Dr. Eeks breaks down strange, surprising, and occasionally ridiculous health headlines with evidence, context, and a healthy dose of dry humor.
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