Cynthia Ezegwu
Digital health educator, Dr. Chinonso Egemba, popularly known as Aproko Doctor, has cautioned Nigerians against using smartphones for prolonged periods while sitting on the toilet, warning that the habit increases the risk of developing haemorrhoids, commonly called piles or “Jedi-Jedi.”
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Dr. Egemba explained that spending excessive time on the toilet — often due to scrolling through social media — exerts unnecessary pressure on the veins in the lower rectum, leading to irritation, swelling, and in some cases, bleeding.
“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,” he wrote.
He noted that 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,” Egemba stated.
According to him, prolonged sitting causes blood to pool in the rectal veins, resulting in swelling and irritation. “The human body was never meant to do this. When you sit and scroll, blood starts to pool in those veins. They swell up, get irritated, and start to itch,” he explained.
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He further warned that straining during bowel movements could worsen the condition, adding that it may lead to bleeding. “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.
Egemba also urged the public to adopt healthy toilet habits, including eating fibre-rich foods and drinking enough water to aid digestion and reduce straining.
Supporting his warning, a study published by Medscape found that people who use smartphones while on the toilet have a 46 per cent higher risk of developing haemorrhoids compared to non-users, largely due to prolonged sitting time.
The study, which involved 125 adults, revealed that smartphone users typically spent over five minutes per toilet visit, increasing pressure on rectal veins and raising the likelihood of venous swelling.