Prolonged phone use on toilet causing haemorrhoids, say doctors
New Delhi, Feb 23 (PTI): Prolonged mobile phone use while sitting on the toilet is contributing to a surge in haemorrhoids and anal fistulas, doctors have said.
The habit, coupled with a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet, is putting increased strain on the rectal area, leading to painful conditions that often require medical intervention, they added.
Dr Jignesh Gandhi -- a senior robotic and laparoscopic surgeon at Gleneagles Hospital in Mumbai -- highlighted the concern, linking it to a sedentary lifestyle and excessive phone use in toilets.
He was speaking at the 74th foundation day of ESIC Hospital in Okhla on Saturday.
Dr Ravi Ranjan, a surgery specialist at the hospital, said it recorded more than 500 cases of haemorrhoids and fistulas in a year.
He pointed to poor lifestyle habits such as low water intake, excessive consumption of junk food and extended time on the toilet as key contributors.
Marengo Asia Hospital surgeon Dr Birbal said, "Chronic constipation from poor diet and prolonged time spent sitting on the toilet create a vicious cycle."
"This puts undue stress on the rectal area, leading to painful inflammation, which can result in haemorrhoids and, in severe cases, anal fistulas," he added.
The experts said the rising number of such cases was straining government hospitals.
They also highlighted the potential of minimally invasive procedures such as radiofrequency ablation of haemorrhoids under local anaesthesia (Rafaelo) to ease the burden.
"The Rafaelo procedure, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and widely used in the UK's National Health Service, offers quicker recovery, same-day discharge, and reduced waiting times compared to traditional surgical methods," said Ranjan.
However, despite being introduced in India about three to four years ago, awareness about radiofrequency treatments remains low among surgeons, he noted.
In high-volume institutions such as ESIC and AIIMS, where patient backlogs extend for months due to limited operation theatres, radiofrequency ablation can prove to be revolutionary, the doctors said.
Since the procedure can be performed in minor operation theatres or outpatient department settings under local anaesthesia, they suggested it could help treat 40-50 patients a day in both government and private hospitals.
Doctors are urging greater awareness and adoption of advanced treatments such as Rafaelo to improve patient care while alleviating pressure on India's healthcare system.
Gleneagles Hospital's Gandhi said, "With wider adoption of radiofrequency procedures, we can ensure faster and more effective relief for patients while easing the load on hospitals."
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Texas halts H-1B visas at state universities, agencies; to affect Indians
Houston (US) (PTI): Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered state agencies and public universities to immediately halt new H-1B visa petitions, tightening hiring rules at taxpayer-funded institutions, a step likely to impact Indian professionals.
The freeze will remain in effect through May 2027.
The directive issued on Tuesday said that the state agencies and public universities must stop filing new petitions unless they receive written approval from the Texas Workforce Commission.
The governor's order, in a red state that is home to thousands of H-1B visa holders, comes as the Trump administration has initiated steps to reshape the visa programme.
“In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa programme, and amid the federal government’s ongoing review of that programme to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions as outlined in this letter,” Abbot said.
Institutions must also report on H-1B usage, including numbers, job roles, countries of origin, and visa expiry dates, the letter said.
US President Donald Trump on September 19 last year signed a proclamation ‘Restriction on entry of certain non-immigrant workers’ that restricted the entry into the US of those workers whose H-1B petitions are not accompanied or supplemented by a payment of USD 1,00,000.
The H1-B visa fee of USD 1,00,000 would be applicable only to new applicants, i.e. all new H-1B visa petitions submitted after September 21, including those for the FY2026 lottery.
Indians make up an estimated 71 per cent of all approved H-1B applications in recent years, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with China in the second spot. The major fields include technology, engineering, medicine, and research.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the second-highest beneficiary with 5,505 approved H-1B visas in 2025, after Amazon (10,044 workers on H-1B visas), according to the USCIS. Other top beneficiaries include Microsoft (5,189), Meta (5,123), Apple (4,202), Google (4,181), Deloitte (2,353), Infosys (2,004), Wipro (1,523) and Tech Mahindra Americas (951).
Texas public universities employ hundreds of foreign faculty and researchers, many from India, across engineering, healthcare, and technology fields.
Date from Open Doors -- a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutions in the US -- for 2022-2023 showed 2,70,000 students from India embarked on graduate and undergraduate degrees in US universities, accounting for 25 per cent of the international student population in the US and 1.5 per cent of the total student population.
Indian students infuse roughly USD 10 billion annually into universities and related businesses across the country through tuition and other expenses – while also creating around 93,000 jobs, according to the Open Doors data.
Analysts warn the freeze could slow recruitment of highly skilled professionals, affecting academic research and innovation.
Supporters say the directive protects local jobs, while critics caution it could weaken Texas’ competitiveness in higher education and research.
The order comes amid broader debate in the US over skilled immigration and state-level interventions in federal programmes.
H-1B visas allow US companies to hire technically-skilled professionals that are not easily available in America. Initially granted for three years, these can be extended for another three years.
In September 2025, Trump had also signed an executive order ‘The Gold Card’, aimed at setting up a new visa pathway for those committed to supporting the United States; with individuals who can pay USD 1 million to the US Treasury, or USD 2 million if a corporation is sponsoring them, to get access to expedited visa treatment and a path to a Green Card.
