does using tampons eventually lead or can lead to endromitriosis?

Question

my aunt has this and she said not to use tampons cause she swears that that's what caused it...just looking for an answer

Answer 1

It is unknown.

The research is lacking because there have yet to be intensive testing on tampons or any other menstrual options for that matter – until there are more acts introduced such as the Robin Danielson Act HR 3411 IH then there will be no suitable research carried out to investigate – baring in mind most research done now is funded by the parent companies of commercial tampon manufacturers.

With that said however - Tampons WERE linked with endometriosis.

Prior to 1997 when the Notification scheme adopted for tampons was updated as a code of practice for tampons in the UK many commercial tampon manufacturers used a manufacturing method known as chlorine gas bleaching. The problem with chlorine gas bleaching was that it resulted in the by-product dioxin which is one of the most toxic substances known to man – there were various arguments back and forth between official bodies and manufacturers on whether or not there is a 'safe level' of dioxin, official bodies determined there was not, and thus after many legal battles between tampon manufacturers and official bodies chlorine gas bleaching was banned.

According to the Endometriosis Association,

“Endometriosis is a hormonal and immune disease in which tissue like that found in the lining of the uterus, grows outside of the uterus in other parts of the body. Endometriosis is one of the leading causes of pelvic pain and can lead to infertility, hysterectomy, and increased risk of developing certain cancers. Dioxin is directly correlated with an increased incidence of endometriosis, according to a 1992 study (5) on rhesus monkeys exposed to TCDD for four years. The monkeys also showed immune abnormalities similar to those observed in women with endometriosis. Endometriosis affects girls and women from preteen to post-menopause."

Source: http://www.endometriosisassn.org

I personally do not know of where the US stands on this, whether they banned chlorine gas bleaching or not, I know within the UK there was an additional push for dioxin to be removed from tampons, pads and diapers because of the Women's Environmental Network – http://www.wen.org.uk/sanpro - releasing a book called 'The Sanitary Protection Scandal'. It is actually interesting that something like 15,000 people wrote to tampon, pad and diaper companies about this, pad and diaper companies stopped using this bleaching method, tampon companies however fought tooth and claw to keep it.

The US caught up on the problem when menstrual activism was fed across the waters by Liz Armstrong and Adrienne Scott and their book 'Whitewash'.

Dioxins are linked with a number of health problems; endometriosis can most certainly be caused by dioxin so of course caused a major issue when this toxin was being left within products that were going into the vagina. Dioxin causes endometriosis via its ability to disrupt immune and endocrine system function.

A little bit of information on dioxin from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioxin - mentions tampons as a source of dioxin (as well as MANY other sources) and endometriosis as one of the health effects - some of the external links are of particular relevance too, but only if you know why they are of relevance (arsy scientific/medical babble that most of us mere humans cannot make head nor tail of).

This site is a little cluttered but explains the link and has some reliable links: http://www.frontiernet.net/%7Eruthb/Tampons.html - this is specifically about tampon dangers, or perhaps a little more specifically tampons link to endometriosis.

Our stolen future also explains dioxin and endometriosis link very well - http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/reproduction/Endometriosis/2002/2002-1215rierandfoster.htm

As for whether it is a concern now, it is anybodies guess, commercial tampon manufacturers still use unnecessary bleaching methods although currently the method they use is oxygen gas bleaching – the problem is tampon manufacturers are protected by law not to have to divulge to customers how they make their tampons or what chemicals are used – try asking them for yourself, I bet $50 you get their FAQ as a reply. Oxygen bleaching can be done with any chemical which uses oxygen, without knowing what chemicals are used it is impossible to say if there are safe or if they could pose increased risk of endometriosis – bare in mind most toiletries contain chemicals that are linked with cancer, etc. the argument of 'if they weren't safe they wouldn't be on sale' really does not stick at all, hell they still sell cigarettes don't they?

This is why there is such an increase in popularity of safer options from non-bleached organic tampons through to menstrual cups, there are companies who make tampons specifically that are not bleached that sit side-by-side with commercial tampons because the dioxin issue was regarded as such a big issue – for example;
Natracare organic tampons and pads – http://www.natracare.com – this page of their web site discusses the risks of manufacturing methods - http://www.natracare.com/health_and_environment/your_health_and_environment2.htm and Tamponification organic tampons - http://www.tampontification.com

It's a case of assessed risk – tampons are themselves a risk to vaginal health, commercial tampons add to risk due to manufacturing, commercial tampon companies have twice purposefully put women's health and lives at risk – it's a risk that I and many other women don't take and a risk that is taken seriously by a lot of environmentalists, politicians, governing bodies, medical professionals, etc.

With oxygen gas bleaching it is seen as safer than chlorine gas bleaching, however without knowing what chemicals are used it is impossible to say if that method is safe or not – thus whether tampons are linked with endo or not is anyone's guess, to be honest I am going with 'not' but I'd still say it is a safe assumption that the chemicals used are hardly body-positive.

I've babbled, but in my defence I could have written a whole lot more – it's not as simple as a 'yes' or 'no' answer, this is an issue that's been going on for many years.

Answer 2

No. Endometriosis is a condition whereby some of the endometrial lining is found elsewhere in the body. This can cause pain and a good way to get rid of this is by surgery and also some drugs such as Danazol, etc. The tissue found elsewhere in the body proliferates at the same rate as the cycle of endometrial lining when it proliferates and sloughs off.
No, tampons cannot cause this condition because they do not effect the endometrial lining in anyway but what you can get from Tampons is TSS or toxic shock syndrome which is caused by the staph. bacterium.

Answer 3

nicely the only reason i ought to think of of to rationalize that remark is that probable being comforable adequate inclusive of your anatomy to insert a tampon could make it greater a risk to have intercourse? i think of this is distinctly ridiculous nevertheless, i don't be attentive to why it might effect pre-marital intercourse in any respect, intercourse is frequently approximately ideals, horomones, attraction, or love. once you're a virgin and you are going to have pre-marital intercourse this isn't any longer correct in case you have used a tampon or no longer this is nonetheless going to harm, so if that's what you're getting at, sorry- no such success.

Answer 4

I was told that this is not true. My doctor says that using tampons "too often" may cause some issues. But not endometriosis.

Answer 5

I have never heard of such a thing happening. But ask your doctor about this.

Answer 6

Have never heard of this connection before! Discuss this w/ your doc, really don't think it's possible.

Answer 7

How could not using it cause it?

Answer 8

my sister has endomitriosis, and it is not caused by tampons. using tampons is just fine, as long as you use them properly.

Answer 9

depends on how clean you are and how well you take care of yourself down there and if you get regular paps. the better you take care of yourself you going to be healthier

Answer 10

I have heard that but I don't think there is any research to support it.