Bringing a phone into the bathroom has become a popular warning sign for hemorrhoids. But a study from Türkiye found the reverse of what that warning would predict: people being treated for hemorrhoids and related anal conditions were less likely than healthy volunteers to scroll on the toilet.
The researchers do not think phones are protective. Their explanation says more about how painful symptoms change people's habits, and it points back to a factor both studies flagged: how long people stay seated.
