I started using tampons a year ago and when I try to put
them in, I get really bad pain even though I’m not new at it. What am I doing
wrong?
Owwie! I’m sorry you’re still feeling this discomfort.
Believe it or not, a slight feeling of discomfort when you insert a tampon
isn’t unusual. To alleviate the pain you describe, there are couple of things
you can do…
1. Try a different angle. Most of the time, pain when putting in tampons occurs because we try
to slide them in at a less-than-optimal angle. Your vagina is basically a
straight passageway, so when you poke in an applicator at an angle that doesn’t
follow the line, you might be hitting the walls of your birth canal, which can
lead to a li’l bit of temporary pain.
2. Slow down. Easy
girl! Take your time when you’re putting in an applicator, especially if it’s
cardboard. Rushing can nick and pinch the sensitive skin down there.
3. Go small. The
length of your vagina changes based on a lot of different factors, so the
super-sized tampon that slid in easily yesterday might be a tight squeeze
today. If you get the tampon in and just can’t make it feel comfy, pull it
out—slowly—and try a smaller size. If all else fails, you can always revert to
pads, so keep a few close by.
4. Lubricate. If
you’re too dry down there, the tampon won’t slide in very easily. Put a drop of
lubricant on the tip of the applicator and go slowly, and you shouldn’t have
any trouble. If you don’t have any lubricant on hand, be patient and wiggle the
tampon around a bit to make the best of your natural lubrication.
BY BRITTANY TAYLOR ON 4/19/2011 1:38:00 PM
POSTED IN body, period 101, tampons