What causes a tampon to stick and cause pain?

Question

Hello doctor,

I need help. I used a tampon for the first time today. The first one was not inserted correctly, and it hurt when I walked. I kept it in, and the pain subsided, so I took it out without issues.

The second one went in easily with no pain, but when I tried to remove it, it did not come out easily. It hurt a lot, and it felt like it would not come out at all. After pulling for a while, I saw the end of the tampon poking out, but there was a bit of skin covering it. It felt like there were two holes instead of one, and the tampon was stuck to the skin.

I tried to move the skin aside, and after a lot of pain, the tampon finally came out. Now, some skin or tissue is sticking out of my vagina that wasn’t there before.

Please tell me what went wrong and if I should be worried. Let me know if you need more details. Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to iclinic.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

You did the right thing by reaching out for help. The bit of skin you saw that seemed to split the tampon and made it hard to remove could be part of your hymen (a thin membrane that partially covers the vaginal opening in some people). Trying to pull the tampon out past it may have irritated or stretched that tissue, which could explain the pain and the new skin-like bit sticking out now.

Nothing you did sounded unsafe or harmful. You acted carefully and tried to figure things out, which was good.

You can book a visit with a doctor, ideally a gynecologist (a doctor who specializes in female reproductive health), if you want to reassure yourself. However, you do not need to visit unless you feel it is necessary.

During the visit, the doctor will likely perform a gentle external examination (which involves looking at the outside of your genital area) and explain everything clearly. You would not need an internal pelvic examination (an exam where the doctor checks inside the vagina) at your age unless it is necessary.

Until your check-up, do not try inserting anything else (tampon or otherwise) into your vagina. Stick to using pads (absorbent material worn outside the body during menstruation) for now to stay comfortable.

Nothing you did was wrong. Tampons can be confusing at first, especially when your body has some normal differences, like a thicker hymen or extra tissue. You are not alone in this; many girls go through similar experiences.

You are brave for speaking up, and you are going to be okay.

Investigations to be done:

You can visit a doctor urgently if you experience:

Severe pain that isn’t improving.
Excessive bleeding.
Difficulty peeing (urinating) or pooping (having bowel movements).
The skin or tissue turns dark purple, blue, or becomes very swollen.

I hope this helps.

Kindly revert so I can assist you further.

Thank you.