Hold the phone — or don’t, actually.
Taking your cell phone into the bathroom to entertain yourself on the toilet may not be such a good idea, according to a Stanford- and Harvard-trained gastroenterologist.
In a video posted to TikTok over the summer, Dr. Saurabh Sethi revealed that scrolling on social media while doing your business can actually have some serious health consequences.
“First, using your phone while doing number two can lead to prolonged sitting on the toilet, which can cause strain and pressure on your rectum and anus,” Sethi explained.
“This can lead to issues such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures and rectal prolapse,” he continued.
Hemorrhoids, which happen when the veins or blood vessels around your anus become swollen, are quite common but painful, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Anal fissures are similar, except instead of irritating the veins, it is a crack or tear in the lining of your anal canal, per the Cleveland Clinic.
However, perhaps more serious is a rectal prolapse, according to Sethi. That “occurs when the rectum sags and comes through the anal opening,” per Penn Medicine, and can sometimes require a procedure in adults.
But these aren’t the only reasons not to bring your phone to the bathroom with you.
“Another issue is that it can be a breeding ground for bacteria,” he said. “Studies have found that an average smartphone is dirtier than a public toilet seat, so try avoiding scrolling while on the toilet.”
For those who don’t think they can part with their phone, he had one more tip.
“But if you can’t help it, at least have a disinfectant wipe around to clean the phone after you’re done with the business,” he concluded.
The Post reached out to Sethi for comment.
In the comments section of the TikTok clip, some admitted that they were watching the video clip while they were on the toilet.
“I am watching this video sitting in toilet🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️,” one user wrote.
Another typed, “I’ve been caught.”
“Lemmi forward this to my hubby,” someone else joked.
However, Sethi isn’t the only doctor who has recently taken to TikTok to share some bathroom warnings.
Last month, Dr. Janine Bowring, a naturopathic doctor based in Canada, offered her top three tips that she says will make you poop instantly.
One of her suggestions included eating figs and coffee with olive oil.
“Figs are fantastic, they’re loaded with fiber, fabulous to help with that constipation,” she said in the video.
And, in June, Dr. Karan Rajan posted a video to the social media platform revealing that some people have actually been pooping wrong their whole life.
The doctor explained how to have a “truly wonderful dump” without a “squatty potty” — the floor-level toilet that’s standard in Asian countries from China to Pakistan.
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