Anyone who uses tampons has been taught to fear toxic shock syndrome (TSS).
We only really hear about TSS when atragic storymakes it into the news.
While the condition is extremely rare, its true that it can be life-threatening.
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If you use tampons, there are some things you need definitely should know beforeyour next period.
After removing a highly absorbent tampon brand from the market, the rates reportedly went down.
Current estimates put the rate at one to 17 for every 100,000 menstruating women.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only26 cases were reportedin 2015.
When you consider that 70 percent of menstruating women use tampons, the incidence rate is really low.
It’s really just a jot down of staph infection.
She adds that many womenup to 20 percentcan already have staph aureus in their vaginas.
It looks like a sunburn, and the skin may continue to peel for a week or two after.
TSS can turn on a dime, Rosser notes.
Within the first few days, it can get bad enough to warrant hospitalization.
If it progresses, it leads to multi-organ failure.
If you notice these symptoms, call your doctor right away.
Only about half of all TSS cases are menstruation related.
“Other cases have also been associated with diaphragms and contraceptive sponges,” says Tyson.
Expert analysis says the more absorbent the tampon, the more bacteria it can hold onto.
Organic or not, wearing a super-absorbent tampon, and wearing it for too long, increases your risk.
OK, real talk.
We’ve all left a tampon in for longer than we should.
But the longer it’s in there, the more you’re putting yourself at risk.
Tampon brands advise8 hours maximumwear time, but gynecologists will tell you to switch them out sooner than that.
If you’re using the right absorbency, you should need a fresh tampon every few hours anyway.
Again, tampons are technically approved for 8 hours of wear.
If there’s a chance you may sleep for longer than that, use a pad instead.
Ultimately, she tells her patients to skip the tampon overnight and sleep with just a pad.
Tyson also tells her patients to wear pads to bed to be safe.
Once your vagina has been colonized by the bacteria, your chances of getting TSS again skyrockets.
The recurrence rate can be as high as 30 percent.
There is one case report of one woman having five episodes of TSS, Tyson says.
