Trouble Inserting Tampon
Q.
I just started my period and I want to wear tampons because I can't stand pads. I read the instructions for using tampons, but when I try and insert it into the middle hole, I can't push it up there. It also hurts quite a bit. I've tried doing it several different ways, but it won't go in. Please help!
A.
Often, a woman first learning how to use a tampon does not insert it correctly. The vagina does not go straight in, but rather is angled. If you are standing up, the vagina angles back and up, toward the middle of your back, not straight up. If the tampon does not follow this angle, it will hit the vaginal walls. Also, you may be using a tampon that is just too big for you -- try the "teen" or slender tampons. A plastic applicator with a rounded tip may also slide in more easily than a cardboard applicator. Some women prefer brands with no applicator at all. I am assuming (and hoping!) you are a virgin. If that is so, you very likely still have an intact hymen (the membrane that partially covers the vaginal opening). Sometimes the hymen is fairly thick, even almost solid, so that a tampon cannot easily pass into the vagina. A gynecologist can correct this; for more information, see my earlier article.
If trying a different angle and a different type of tampon does not work, see a gynecologist. An examination can help to rule out any anatomic problems, and a trained person may be able to help you successfully insert a tampon.
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