Medical Questions » Female Problems Questions » Question No. 394
| Question: | I am concerned about using tampons after reading about the toxic shock syndrome. Is this a significant risk for women, or can I still use tampons safely? |
| Answer: | The toxic shock syndrome, despite all the publicity, is actually a very rare condition, and most general practitioners have never seen a case. Only a dozen or so cases occur in Australia each year. The people who do develop the condition are extremely ill, and about 5% of them die, despite the best efforts of doctors.
Some bacteria, and particularly one called Staphylococcus aureus (the golden staph) which is a common cause of vaginal and other infections, may produce a toxin or poison. Most people have antibodies to protect them from this problem, but in a very small number of people, the toxin may cause severe effects.
The symptoms of toxic shock syndrome are a high fever, dizziness, severe diarrhoea, vomiting, muscle aches, fainting and sometimes a rash. An examining doctor will find the blood pressure to be low.
The syndrome can occur in anyone, but seems to be more common in women and particularly in women who are menstruating. Of the last 30 cases reported in Australia, only one was associated with tampon use.
Treatment involves antibiotics to treat the bacterial infection, and hospitalisation to teplace the fluids lost with the severe diarrhoea and vomiting. There is no specific antidote to the toxin, and so the earlier the diagnosis is made, the better the chances of recovery.
There is no reason why women should not use tampons, as the risk of developing toxic shock syndrome with them is infinitesimally small. Only if the tampon becomes infected is there any chance of developing the syndrome.
To reduce the risk to a minimum, ensure your hands are clean before unwrapping and inserting the tampon; use the lowest absorbency tampon necessary for your flow; never insert more than one tampon; do not leave the tampon in for any longer than necessary; and pads may be a better alternative overnight. Make sure you don' t forget to remove the last tampon of your period.
There is no evidence that any one brand or type of tampon is more likely to cause the syndrome than any other.
Relax and use the menstrual hygiene product that best suits your needs.
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