A Medical Practitioner, Dr. Olufunmilayo Ogunsanya, has warned against sitting on the toilet seats longer than 10 minutes, noting that it increases an individual’s risk of developing hemorrhoids
The physician, who is popularly known as ‘OurFavOnlineDoc on social media disclosed that a mobile phone has 17 times more germs than a toilet seat and that using it in the toilet can predispose one to stomach ache and diarrhea
Taking to his Twitter handle @Drolufunmilayo, he explained that many individuals develop what is known in local parlance as jedi-jedi (hemorrhoids), not as a result of consuming sugar or sweet drinks but because they usually sit for too long in the toilet.
He tweeted, “You have piles and itchy anus because you turned your toilet to a lounge and phone booth.
“When you sit for long on a toilet seat straining, this eventually increases pressure in your anus area, which causes the veins there to get engorged.
“The engorged vein becomes painful, itchy, and sometimes bleeds. This is called hemorrhoids or pile, which is popularly known as jedi jedi.
“When you go to the toilet, don’t sit for too long. Also, your phone acquires germs there. If you touch the phone and touch your mouth or put it in your mouth, you can have diarrhea.”
Hemorrhoids, also known as piles are enlarged or swollen veins in the lower part of the rectum. Its common symptoms are rectal bleeding, itching and pain.
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According to Healthline, a medical portal, hemorrhoids can be visible, meaning they can be seen or felt in the outer part of the anus or they may be hidden inside.
It also warned that sitting and scrolling is bad for the anus.
“Prolonged sitting, which can happen if you get very absorbed in your smartphone, can up your risk of hemorrhoids. There’s no concrete research yet (although a clinical trial is in the works), but still, experts are concerned.
“Another big risk of using your Smartphone in the toilet is that you may contaminate it with fecal bacteria.
“And while you may be a stickler about cleanliness in your home, you never know what the level of sanitation is like in public bathrooms, especially in places where multiple people spend a lot of time, like offices or other workplaces.
“You should spend anywhere from one to 15 minutes pooping; anything longer can indicate an issue with constipation.
“Avoid sitting and straining for long periods of time. If you get distracted, try setting a timer so you will know when to get up and move on if nothing has moved, so to speak,” Healthline advised.
According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, About 75 per cent of people will have hemorrhoids at some point in their lives. Hemorrhoids are most common among adults aged 45 to 65.
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