With the increasing use of smartphones in society, many individuals have taken the opportunity to utilize their smartphones while using the restroom. What once may have been an opportunity for only a quick visit to the bathroom can quickly become an extended period of time spent looking at a smartphone. A small clinical study has shown that this habit may lead to an unexpected consequence for health. Those who reported using a smartphone while sitting on the toilet were more likely to develop hemorrhoids than those who did not use their smartphones. Hemorrhoids are swollen veins located in the rectum or anal region. They can cause a person to experience pain and/or bleeding. In fact, hemorrhoids are among the most prevalent conditions associated with the gastrointestinal system in the United States. They generate almost 4 million visits to offices and emergency rooms annually and cost more than $800 million in health care expenses. Ongoing Debate Over Hemorrhoid Causes Despite the extensive health care burden, the exact causes of hemorrhoids continue to be a subject of …