Contents:
- Medical Video: Toxic Shock Syndrome: Way Beyond Tampons
- What is toxic shock syndrome?
- What are the symptoms of toxic shock syndrome?
- How can tampons cause toxic shock syndrome?
- How to treat toxic shock syndrome?
- How do you prevent toxic shock syndrome from happening to you?
Medical Video: Toxic Shock Syndrome: Way Beyond Tampons
In Indonesia, most women choose to use sanitary napkins during menstruation. However, some physical activity can sometimes be difficult when wearing sanitary napkins. Therefore, some women use tampons if they have to do activities such as swimming or other sports that do not allow them to wear pads, or simply because they have to wear certain clothing that cannot be fitted with sanitary napkins. However, if you decide to use tampons instead of sanitary napkins, there are a number of things you need to pay attention to, because the use of careless tampons can get you exposed to a dangerous disease called toxic shock syndrome.
What is toxic shock syndrome?
Toxic shock syndrome is a rare disease caused by the poison of the Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria that enters the blood vessels and infects the blood. In this case, those who are very at risk of experiencing this disease are women, because women experience menstruation every month and this can be used by bacteria to enter the body.
Even so, toxic shock syndrome still can be experienced by various groups and ages. If this disease is not treated quickly, it can threaten someone's life. But this disease can be cured if found in an early condition and then treated properly.
READ ALSO: 8 Things You Should Not Do During Menstruation
What are the symptoms of toxic shock syndrome?
Some of the symptoms and signs that are often experienced by people with toxic shock syndrome are:
- Fever
- Gag
- Diarrhea
- The skin feels hot
- Pain in the muscles
- Headache
- Red eye
- Blood pressure drops
- Sensitive to light
- Disorders of kidney function
- Feel pain throughout the body
How can tampons cause toxic shock syndrome?
Toxic shock syndrome is caused by poisons produced by bacteria, not because of the infection of the bacteria itself. Staphylococcus aureus is the type of bacteria that most often causes this condition to occur. These bacteria usually live on the surface of the skin and inside the nose.
At first this bacterium grows and then develops to a very large number. Then bacteria produce poisons that can cause problems in body tissues. Then, why can using tampons cause a woman to experience toxic shock syndrome?
The use of tampons can increase the risk of getting toxic shock syndrome, because:
- Tampons, especially those that have high absorption, can trigger bacterial growth if they are left in the vagina for a long time.
- Tampons that attach to the vaginal wall can cause irritation that makes the wound. This wound can be used by bacteria to grow.
In addition to improper use of tampons, here are the factors that cause a person at risk of getting toxic shock syndrome:
- Child who has just been born
- Has open wounds
- Using a contraceptive in the form of a diaphragm or foam used as a tampon
- Have burns
- Infection after surgery
- Having an infection with Staphyloccus or Strepcoccus bacteria, such as sore throat, impetigo, or cellulitis.
Toxic shock syndrome does not spread from person to person. If you don't have a strong immune system, if you experience it once, then you risk experiencing it many times.
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How to treat toxic shock syndrome?
If indeed you experience toxic shock syndrome, you should immediately see a doctor. Treatment that will be given in the form of:
- Giving antibiotics to overcome infections that arise
- In some cases, patients are given injections of immunoglobulins or antibodies that are commonly used by the body to attack growing bacteria
- Oxygen to help patients breathe more easily
- Giving fluids, to prevent patients from becoming dehydrated and organ damage
- Dialysis, if the patient has kidney failure
- In rare cases, surgery is performed to remove the tissue that died from a bacterial infection.
READ ALSO: 9 Causes of Menorrhagia, Excessive Blood Exit During Menstruation
How do you prevent toxic shock syndrome from happening to you?
There are a number of things you can do to avoid this disease, namely:
- If you are menstruating and using tampons, change your tampons frequently. At least 4 to 8 hours to avoid bacteria growing around the vagina. So even if you use regular sanitary pads, because sanitary napkins that are dirty and not replaced for hours can trigger the growth of bacteria in the vagina.
- Open the package of sanitary napkins and tampons only if you want to wear them. Don't wear sanitary napkins that have been opened before.
- Wash hands before and after using sanitary napkins or tampons.
- Don't use more than one tampon at the same time.
- If your menstrual period is finished, stop using sanitary napkins or tampons.
- Maintain personal hygiene, especially the vagina, while menstruating.
- If you experience open wounds due to infection, burns, or other injuries, immediately treat the wound properly and correctly, if necessary, do wound care with the help of medical personnel.
