Digital health educator Chinonso Egemba, popularly known as Aproko Doctor, has warned that using smartphones while sitting on the toilet for prolonged periods can increase the risk of developing haemorrhoids, also known as piles or “Jedi-Jedi”.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Egemba explained that spending excessive time on the toilet—especially while scrolling through social media—increases pressure on the veins in the lower rectum, leading to irritation and swelling.
He wrote, “Many of you are wondering why Jedi-Jedi (Piles/Haemorrhoids) is so common now. It’s not just sugar, it’s your smartphone. Yes, that phone you are using to read this.”
Egemba said the human body was designed to “do the business and stand up,” advising that time spent on the toilet should not exceed ten minutes.
“That 30-minute private time you’re spending on the toilet scrolling Instagram, checking football scores, and watching TikToks… that is the main culprit,” he noted.
According to him, prolonged sitting places “a special kind of pressure on the veins in your lower rectum,” causing blood to pool and the veins to swell.
“The human body was never meant to do this. When you sit and scroll, blood starts to pool in those veins. They were not designed to carry that load for that long. They swell up, get irritated, and start to itch,” he explained.
Egemba added that straining or forcing bowel movements can lead to bleeding and worsen haemorrhoids.
“When you try to force things, they can even bleed. Congratulations, you’ve unlocked Haemorrhoids. The toilet is for business, not for catching up on gist,” he cautioned.
He further advised Nigerians to increase their intake of fibre-rich foods and water to improve bowel movements and prevent straining.
“If you find yourself straining, it’s not a sign to sit longer and scroll. It’s a sign that your body is screaming for more fibre (fruits, vegetables) and more water,” Aproko Doctor stated.
Egemba’s observation is supported by a recent study cited by Medscape. The research, which involved 125 adults, found that people who used smartphones on the toilet had 46 per cent higher odds of having haemorrhoids, even after accounting for factors like age, body mass, fibre intake, and straining.
According to the study, the main factor appears to be prolonged sitting time. Smartphone users tended to spend longer periods on the toilet, often over five minutes, compared to non-users. The researchers explained that this extended sitting can increase pressure on rectal veins, thereby raising the risk of venous swelling in susceptible individuals.
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