What is toxic shock?
Toxic shock occurs during a woman's menstrual period. Several conditions must be met. First, you have to be a carrier of staphylococcus aureus. It's a bacterium that's inside us, and in certain cases, when we wear a tampon or a menstrual cup for example, the blood flow will stagnate and create favorable conditions for the development of this staphylococcus aureus, which will produce a toxin that will clearly poison the body.
In general, it occurs when the protection used, be it a tampon or menstrual cup, or in rarer cases sanitary towels, has been left in position for too long.
20 to 30% of women are healthy carriers of Staphylococcus aureus. The ANSES (Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail) conducted a study and was unable to prove the link between the chemical substances contained in sanitary protection products such as tampons or menstrual cups, but it did issue a number of recommendations concerning the composition of these products: the use of these potentially controversial substances in sanitary protection products should be encouraged.
What are the symptoms of toxic shock? How should you react?
This syndrome is characterized by a very high fever. You may experience headaches, nausea and a sunburn-like rash. It's vital to treat it as quickly as possible, and of course to remove any protective gear.
How can I prevent toxic shock syndrome?
To prevent the onset of Toxic Shock Syndrome, it's important to observe the hygiene rules associated with wearing sanitary protection. Tampons, for example, should not be used for more than 8 hours at a time, and should be changed regularly. It's even advisable to change them every 4 to 6 hours. And above all, don't wear them at night, because generally speaking, when you sleep, you sleep a minimum of 8 hours. But sanitary towels also need to be changed regularly, as they can create a greenhouse effect, encouraging the growth of bacteria - not necessarily toxic shock, but other infections such as urinary tract infections or mycosis.
Avoid toxic shock syndrome with Elia menstrual panties?
Our Elia menstrual b riefs are made from organic cotton, and we use eucalyptus fibers for the absorbent part, which always creates an airy environment.
The advantage of menstrual briefs is that blood will flow through them, so there are no conditions conducive to the development of toxic shock syndrome.
However, even menstrual panties need to be washed every 12 hours or less. They should be pre-washed with clean water, then put in the rest of the washing machine at 30° or 40°. It's very important to change them every day, too, and not to wear menstrual underwear for several days at a time, since blood stagnating in the underwear can also cause infections.
Just remember to change your sanitary protection regularly, whatever it is!
