Toxic Shock Syndrome: Why Experts Warn Women To Be Wary Of Tampons

A serious issue such as toxic shock syndrome (TSS) requires serious concerns, says Dr. Paul Sax, a medical director and expert on women infections and diseases. He opened the veil covering the faces of our knowledge about TSS.

He defined toxic shock syndrome (TSS) as a fatal complexity that is usually caused by infections, staph or Staphylococcus aureus. He explained that this infection is so bad that when it gains access to some people’s bodies, it breeds bacteria which in turn would produce toxins and the victim’s immune system may be too weak to combat the toxins effectively. Sax went on to say that as a result, there will be extremely low blood pressure (LBD) which can cause shock and in some cases, more diverse problems. If care is not taken, warns Sax, there will be a future opportunity for extra deadly diseases such as loss of a limb and organ damage to come into the body.

It can happen to anybody, like this model, Laurel Wasser.

Tragedy struck about six years ago in the life of Lauren Wasser, as she suffered toxic shock syndrome (TSS) and as a result, lost a portion of her right leg. Now in 2017, she is yet to recover from the medical challenges. The physical and psychological pain is still there, and the daily battle for survival becomes harder.

Right now, she might also lose her left leg soon as the disease keeps spreading.

She contracted the disease through Kotex tampons, according to her story. Not willing to bend and resign to fate, she sued the makers of the tampons in 2015.

Looking on the brighter side, the model is seizing the opportunity to create awareness about the disease. She is also legally fighting her way to the desks of the Congress, seeking a bill to be passed into law. The bill will enforce the National Institutes of Health to develop stronger research strategies and strengthen control on the production of tampons and similar female sanitary items. This is because these products have been found culpable for causing toxic shock syndrome.

Now back to the analysis of TSS, there are different ways through which someone can get toxic shock syndrome. The most common entry spot for TSS is through the use of sanitary products such as tampons and injury spots that are exposed. The aftermath of an operation that is not well sealed can also lead to TSS.

CDC reported that during the 80s, tampons that were made from materials like intercross carboxymethylcellulose and polyester fabrics, also tampons with deep absorptive tampons, were identified as carriers of TSS. According to Sax, the deep absorptive tampons and some of these dangerous materials generated the high case of staph aureus. Staph produced numerous toxins too strong for the body to curtail.

However, the outcome of this news was that firms embarked upon changing their method and started producing lighter-absorptive tampons, gradually erasing the hazardous health materials linked to TSS. Fortunately, these developments encouraged health facilitators to enlighten the general public about it. By the time all these were done, the occurrences of TSS started to reduce until many years later, reported the National Organization for Rare Disorders, only 4 in about 110,000 women who are having menstrual flow suffer from it.

In the present day, medical expert, Sax says, contracting the infection will require the patient to have acquired a breed of staph aureus which will give rise to the toxin. He added that the person must also belong to the lineage of people whose bodies do not give the right serum to toxins.

The signs of TSS are many. Among them are muscle pains, colors on one’s face, headaches, fever, gastrointestinal distress, low blood pressure, anxiety, convulsion, etc. Sax emphasized that victims behave abnormally during this time. They can talk incoherently, and they may believe they are suffering from a bad illness. He said that these people can even lose their sanity.

The treatment of TSS is possible but only if detected on time. The medical treatment of TSS usually involves a mixture of so many fluids, antibiotics drugs, and blood pressure treatments. Antibiotics and blood pressure drugs are effective in curing dehydration which often results from the attack of TSS. It sweeps of the toxins from the patient’s body.

To prevent TSS, Sax joined his voice to the voices of other medical professionals to advise women always to change their sanitary products, particularly tampons frequently.