All these years of getting your period
makes you a tampon expert now, right? Er, except for that heart-stopping moment
when you go to yank out your tampon and…wait…where is it? Did you even have one
in? Or is it…stuck? SOS.
First, breathe. A stuck tampon is more
common and far less freaky than you might think. “Most of the time, a woman
simply forgets the tampon is in there or she places a second one, forgetting
about the first,” says Dr. Jessica Kiley, associate professor and chief of
obstetrics and gynaecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of
Medicine.
More
good news: A tampon doesn’t really
have anywhere to go—the vagina‘s only about seven or ten centimetres deep, and
the opening of your cervix is way too small to let a tampon pass through, says
Kiley. So, a tampon is never really lost (whew).
Still, having a tampon stuck up there
isn’t exactly something you want. Keep this info handy just in case one of your
tampons goes rogue.
How
do I know if I have a tampon stuck up there?
Your discharge will give you a hint: If
it’s changing colour to a thick yellow or even brownish red—yes, even when on
your period—that might mean you left a tampon up there.
This is especially true when combined
with other tell-tale symptoms like a musty or fishy odour that gets stronger
(and fouler) as time passes, along with abdominal cramping, says Dr. Jessica
Shepherd, obstetric-gynaecologist and gynaecologic surgeon at Baylor University
Medical Center.
You might even feel a sensation of
pressure thanks to a tampon being more deeply lodged or because you’ve put
another one in (a.k.a., every girl’s fear when putting in another tampon).
On their own, these symptoms are
definitely a sign you might have a tampon stuck—and need to get it out ASAP.
But having a combo of these symptoms, in addition to fever, nausea, vomiting,
or body rash could indicate something more serious, like Toxic Shock Syndrome
(TSS), which happens when bacteria enter the bloodstream through tiny tears in
your vagina. While this is rare, the longer you have a tampon up there (like,
longer than the recommended eight hours), the greater the risk of TSS, so it’s
even more reason to fish it out.
Okay,
so what do I do if there is a tampon stuck?
Don’t panic—seriously. Your muscles
clench when you’re anxious, even the ones down there. Contracting your pelvic
muscles can make it harder to locate and remove the tampon.
It’s definitely okay to DIY. Pros
recommend squatting over a toilet or standing with one foot elevated on a
toilet cover or edge of the bathtub so that your pelvis is at an angle, which
can help you access the tampon.
With clean hands (and cut nails,
please!), insert one finger and gently sweep around to locate it. Grab and
lightly pull. Don’t worry, you won’t hurt yourself or do any damage by reaching
up, says Kiley, who recommends having some lube nearby for easier entry.
Once the tampon is outta there, Shepherd
cautions against douching. Instead, briefly rinse your vagina with a shower
head to clean up any blood or discharge. In a day, you should be symptom-free
and back to your norm.
Well,
what if I can’t find it, but something still feels off?
Go ahead and call your doctor. There’s
nothing to be embarrassed about—they see this kind of stuff all the time. Pros
of having an expert help? They get a full-front view compared to, well, barely
any view when doing it yourself (yoga can only make you so flexible). Plus,
your obstetric-gynaecologist has all the tools necessary to, uh, get up in
there—like a speculum, says Shepherd.
Another reason to make a visit? Worsened
symptoms, especially when fever, pain, or heightened stench come into play.
Sure it’s rare, but again, TSS is no joke. So ditch Dr. Google and have a
consultation with your doc IRL, just to be safe.
This
article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com
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