If you're sleeping for no more than eight hours, sleeping with a tampon in does not increase your risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS).
It is safe to sleep with a tampon in as long as it's not for more than eight hours. So, if you can keep your night-time snooze to 8 hours or under, then you can wear a tampon overnight.
There isn't a set time for when symptoms of TSS start after using a tampon. However, tampons should be removed from your vagina after eight hours to lower your risk of TSS. This doesn't mean you will get TSS if a tampon is left in your vagina longer than eight hours.
The instructions on your tampon box are clear: You should never keep the same tampon in for longer than eight hours. If you leave it in longer than that, you risk toxic shock syndrome and other health concerns.
While the instructions on the tampon box encourage women to change their tampon every eight hours, sometimes people forget to change them or occasionally may lose them. Leaving a tampon in for longer than 8-12 hours, can increase risk of infection or possibly TSS, according to Jessica Shepherd, a gynecologist.
If it's only been left in for 12 to 24 hours and you feel fine, just remove it and go on your way. If it's been longer than that or you can't remove it yourself, see a doctor for removal and a checkup.
Tampon manufacturers advise that a tampon should not be left in for more than 8 hours. Occasionally, a rare but life-threatening bacterial infection called toxic shock syndrome has been linked to women using tampons.
In general, TSS symptoms can develop as soon as 12 hours after a surgical procedure. Symptoms usually develop in 3 to 5 days in individuals who are menstruating and using tampons or menstrual cups.
A sudden high fever. Low blood pressure. Vomiting or diarrhea. A rash resembling a sunburn, particularly on your palms and soles.
You should only use a tampon for up to 8 hours. So, if you're asking can you sleep with a tampon in, the short answer is yes. Your tampon doesn't know if it's day or night and will work the same while you sleep, just be sure to only use a tampon for up to 8 hours.
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by an infection.
Clinical Criteria
Multisystem involvement (three or more of the following organ systems): Gastrointestinal: vomiting or diarrhea at onset of illness. Muscular: severe myalgia or creatine phosphokinase level at least twice the upper limit of normal.
TSS is treatable, especially if it's caught early. You can reduce your risk for TSS: Use the lowest absorbency tampon you can to manage your flow.
If you discover you've accidentally left a tampon in for more than eight hours, don't freak out, says Sparks. You're not automatically going to get TSS, but you are at higher risk. Simply take the tampon out and wait a bit before putting another one in to lower the chances of more bacteria growth, suggests Fraser.
Change tampons every four to eight hours: Wearing a tampon for over eight hours is linked with TSS. If you are wearing a tampon to bed, consider setting an alarm to ensure you remove it before eight hours passes.
Prostration and hypotensive shock can occur within 24 hours. Milder forms of the disease also may be seen. The overall mortality rate is approximately 8 percent. This report describes a mild case of TSS in a young, healthy, 16-year-old female who developed symptoms during menstruation.
Prognosis and complications
Despite aggressive treatment, the mortality rate for STSS ranges from 30% to 70%. Mortality from STSS is substantially lower in children than adults. Known complications of shock and organ failure can occur, including tissue necrosis and loss of extremities.
About half of all cases of toxic shock syndrome with staphylococci bacteria occur in women of menstruating age (most often in women ages 15 to 25 years of age who use tampons).
Leaving a tampon in for days puts you at risk for getting toxic shock syndrome (TSS), an infection, similar to a staph infection, caused by the absorbent material found in sanitary products, says Laura Corio, MD, an OBGYN at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
In most cases, the person can remove a retained tampon on their own, but when this is not possible, a doctor can help. Tampons that remain in the vagina for too long can raise the risk of infection and TSS, so prompt medical attention is key.
TSS may start like other infections, but it can quickly progress to a seriously life-threatening disease. If a mild illness quickly becomes severe with whole-body symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
There's no one test for toxic shock syndrome. You may need to provide blood and urine samples to test for the presence of a staph or strep infection. Your vagina, cervix and throat may be swabbed for samples to be analyzed in a lab.
In the U.S., TSS is estimated to affect 3-6 people per 100,000 per year," said Erin Clark, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist with University of Utah Health. "The National Organization for Rare Disorders estimates that TSS related to tampon use occurs in about 1 in 100,000 menstruating women."