Do Tampons Make Cramps Worse – Myths About Cramps Busted

How can anyone miss out on the most dreadful effect of menstruation – Menstrual Cramps? As per research, almost 50% of women go through these cramps every month. And there are some groups of women that believe that tampons can be one of the triggers for such cramps, but the question is, do tampons cause cramps? The answer is a big fat NO! Tampons do not cause menstrual cramps, although we agree that it can be a little uncomfortable for several women out there.

Do Tampons Make Cramps Worse

As much as we love reading about how to handle our periods every month, there are so many myths that can exist both offline and online related to our menstrual cycle, cramps, choice of sanitary products, and so on. This blog post will debunk one of those myths and help you understand why these menstrual cramps are caused.

Menstrual Cramps

Does this term need any introduction? No, right? We all fear our periods because of the worst cramps that it comes with. So to make you understand the occurrence and reason for these cramps, let’s first understand why it happens.

Each month, the uterus prepares itself for fertilization by thickening its lining on the wall. There are hormones known as prostaglandins responsible for the contraction of the muscles around the uterus. It helps in shedding this lining each month, and these hormones also help during childbirth by contracting and relaxing the muscles.

When the egg is not fertilized and the uterus starts shedding its lining, the uterus releases these prostaglandin hormones, which leads to these menstrual cramps. So basically, your menstrual cramps are due to these prostaglandins that are responsible for uterus contractions. And during menstruation, these are hormones that help the uterus to shed its lining. 

And a lot of you might not know this, but these prostaglandins keep secreting till the lining and the entire blood flow is out and your period is over. Hence women experience the worst cramps during the first two days of their periods, and then this pain subsides. 

So there is no possibility that a tampon inserted into your vagina can cause these uterus contractions. It is all due to hormones; remember how we always say – THIS IS ALL OUR HORMONES!

Are Tampons Making your Cramps Worse?

No, tampons cannot and do not make your cramps worse. However, wearing tampons of the wrong size can cause discomfort. Although extra-large or plus size tampons do not trigger cramps, they can cause a little pain while you are inserting them. So ensure to buy the right size of tampons. A good way to check is to see if you feel the tampon once you have inserted it or if it is hurtful when you try to remove the tampon, and if any of these things happen and then it’s probably because it is sticking to the vaginal wall. And hence it also indicates that you should size down. 

Factors That Can Make Your Cramps Worse:

• Eatings salty and oily food
• Excess caffeine consumption
• Not sleeping enough
• Medical conditions such as endometriosis, vaginismus, etc.

Closing Thoughts

You might have heard this myth from your cousins, friends, or colleagues, but tampons do not make menstrual cramps worse. Yes, there is a possibility that you might not feel comfortable wearing tampons for some reason, but in no way can tampons worsen these cramps.

Do not avoid painful menstrual cramps that occur too frequently and are difficult to handle. Also, if you go through such bad cramps quite often or even after your periods, it is recommended to visit your gynecologist. Rest, we hope this blog post helps to clear out all your doubts regarding tampons and cramps.