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.
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare but very serious infection. TSS is a medical emergency. So it's important to know how to prevent it and what signs to watch for. With prompt treatment, it's usually cured.
The condition can progress to kidney failure, shock, and death within 48 hours. Anyone who has been using tampons or who has a skin wound or infection and experiences the signs and symptoms described above, or if you have a skin or wound infection, should call a doctor immediately.
Common signs and symptoms include fever, muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhea, and a sunburn-like rash that later peels. Hypotension (low blood pressure), shock, multi-organ failure, and death can occur. How soon after exposure do symptoms appear? TSS can develop within 12 hours in some cases.
What Are the Symptoms of TSS? The symptoms are a lot like ones you might see from other kinds of infections: swelling, fever, redness, and a general feeling of being unwell. TSS symptoms usually come on quickly, about 2 days after the bacteria infects you.
How common is toxic shock syndrome (TSS)? Toxic shock syndrome affects 1 in every 100,000 people. TSS is more common in people assigned female at birth (AFAB), but it can affect anyone.
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.
Expert analysis says the more absorbent the tampon, the more bacteria it can hold onto. That, paired with a tiny tear from something like pulling out a dry tampon before it's saturated with blood, can introduce the bacteria into the body.
It can be caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, or Clostridium sordellii. Early symptoms are similar to other infections but can progress quickly to become life-threatening. TSS can be life-threatening and requires 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.
Infections include the rare but serious 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.
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.
Given the number of women worldwide who regularly use tampons, TSS is a very rare condition. Suggestions to reduce the risk include: Change tampons regularly (at least every four hours). Avoid using super-absorbent tampons.
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.
Patients with staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome may have a staphylococcal infection anywhere in the body and the site of infection may not be immediately apparent. Symptoms of toxic shock include: Flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
How common is TSS? Exact rates of TSS are not known in Australia as it's not a "notifiable" disease (meaning the health department doesn't have to be notified each time there's a case), but they are likely to be similar to those of the US and UK.
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).
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.
If you choose to use a tampon overnight, know that it's a safe option available to you. If you accidentally fall asleep with one in, don't panic. Just be sure to change it first thing in the morning and plan ahead for the next night you have a heavy flow.
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.
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.
It's better to wear a pad to bed. Tampons need to be changed within eight hours, meaning you're likely sacrificing sleep to do so.
You can safely wear tampons for four to eight hours. So, you can use one while sleeping. But if you'll be sleeping longer than eight hours, use an alternative. Then, use a tampon when you're awake.