Stuck or lost tampon

Tampons are small tubes of cotton wool that have a string at one end. You insert the tampon into your vagina and the string stays outside your body. You can remove the tampon at any time by pulling the string.

Tampons come with instructions that explain how to use them. You shouldn’t be able to feel a tampon inside you if you’ve inserted it correctly.

You should change your tampon regularly – around every 4 to 6 hours depending on your flow. There’s a rare risk of tampon-related toxic shock syndrome.

How far up can a tampon go?

A tampon cannot get lost in your body. Your vagina holds the tampon firmly in place and it expands inside you as it soaks up the blood. Your cervix (at the top of your vagina) is too small for a tampon to pass through.

Sometimes, the tampon may be high up in your vagina or squashed sideways, making it hard to reach. This may have happened if you if you forget to remover your tampon before you insert another one, or before you have sex.

You might have forgotten whether you have a tampon in. If you don’t see the string, you may have already taken the tampon out.

A tampon cannot get lost in your body

It’s very rare for a tampon string to break or pull off if you’re using it correctly.

However, it’s possible for the string to end up inside your vagina.

This may have happened if you if you forget to remove your tampon before you insert another one, or before you have sex .

If this is the case you should be able to feel for the tampon and pull it out.

A tampon won’t usually come out on it’s own. You can’t push a tampon out.

Stuck tampon

The medical name for a stuck tampon is a ‘retained’ tampon.

Tampons should be changed regularly, and should not be left in for more than 8 hours.

If a tampon is stuck inside you over a longer period of time, you might start to notice a strong smell from your vagina, and/or an unpleasant discharge.

How to remove a stuck tampon yourself

To remove a stuck tampon yourself:

1. Wash your hands.
2. Squat down. Squatting and bearing down (like you would if you had to poo), can help bring the tampon towards the vaginal opening and make it easier to remove.
3. Insert your finger into your vagina.
4. Move your finger around in a circle. You’ll probably be able to feel the tampon. Try to remove the tampon.
5. If you cant remove the tampon using 1 finger, try inserting 2 fingers into your vagina to grip the tampon instead.

When to get medical advice

Complications of a stuck tampon

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a very rare condition that’s caused when bacteria gets into the body and releases harmful toxins. It can happen when you use tampons if they’re not changed regularly enough.

TSS is rare but it can be life-threatening, so it must be diagnosed and treated quickly.

How to prevent TSS if you’re using tampons