Not everyone has the same relationship with the toilet. Some rush by, doing what they have to do without feeling the need to linger, while others take the opportunity to check their smartphone or read a magazine article. It was no less necessary for scientists to decide to study the potential consequences of staying too long in this obviously crucial room.
As CNN explainsstaying on the toilet for a long time in a seated position can be harmful to your health. This type of behavior is even linked to an increased risk of hemorrhoids and weakening of the pelvic muscles, points out Dr. Lai Xue, a colorectal surgeon who works at the University of Dallas Southwestern Medical Center in Texas. “When patients come before me with complaints, he says, One of the main areas we need to look at in depth is time spent in the toilet.”
Director of the Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease located in Long Island (New York), Dr. Farah Monzur confirms: people should not spend more than ten minutes on the toilet in a seated position. It is first of all a problem of gravity: the seat tends to compress the buttocks, this keeps the rectum in a lower position than if you were sitting on the sofa. With gravity pulling the lower half of the body down, the increased pressure affects your blood flow: the body has to work harder to pump blood to the heart.
A sign of cancer
This phenomenon can have a direct consequence on the body: the appearance of hemorrhoids is favored, since the veins and blood vessels surrounding the anus and the lower part of the rectum dilate and become engorged with blood. But that’s not all: for Dr Lai Xue, people who spend too much time sitting on the toilet increase their risk of rectal prolapse: this is what happens when the rectum, part of the large intestine, slides towards the down and comes out of the anus.
The advice is therefore simple: in the toilets, screens or reading should be avoided. “You shouldn’t go there thinking that you’re going to stay there for a long time, says Dr. Farah Monzur. We need to make sitting on the toilet bowl as uninteresting as possible.” Let’s also remember that taking your phone or a magazine to the toilet is making a huge mistake when it comes to hygiene.
In case of constipation, specialists agree that it is better to declare defeat after ten minutes and take a few steps rather than remaining in a seated position. The movement can in fact stimulate the intestinal muscles and allow the intestine to start moving. Increased hydration is also recommended, as is a diet rich in fiber, which will avoid having to spend too much time in the toilet.
Unfortunately, certain illnesses, such as irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease, can lead to an increased need to spend a long time in the toilet. Worsening constipation or a need to sit on the toilet for a long time can also be a sign of cancer. “If a tumor inside the colon grows large enough, it can block the flow of stool, which can cause constipation and bleeding”warns Dr Lance Uradomo, gastroenterologist, who therefore invites you to consult in case of doubt.
Source: www.slate.fr
