What should you know about complications of toxic shock syndrome?

Toxic shock syndrome is an illness in which bacterial toxins trigger an intense whole-body response. Blood pressure can fall, reducing blood flow to the brain, kidneys, liver, heart, and other organs. Severe illness may lead to breathing problems, confusion, seizures, kidney injury, liver injury, heart strain, or failure of several organs.

A widespread rash may be followed by peeling skin, particularly on the hands and feet, during recovery. Infection may begin in the vagina, a wound, the skin, or another site. Tampons, menstrual products, wound packing, or a retained foreign body may need immediate removal by a clinician.

Toxic shock syndrome is an emergency. Hospital treatment may include intravenous fluids, antibiotics, medicines to support blood pressure, oxygen or breathing support, and close monitoring of organ function. Clinicians look for and control the source of infection, which may involve draining an abscess or treating a wound.

Do not wait to see whether symptoms settle or restart a menstrual product. If you are using a tampon or similar product and feel suddenly ill, remove it and seek emergency care. Tell the team about recent surgery, wounds, childbirth, menstrual products, and medicines.

Call emergency services for sudden fever with vomiting or diarrhoea, a sunburn-like rash, dizziness or fainting, severe muscle aches, confusion, unusual sleepiness, breathing difficulty, or rapidly worsening illness. Urgent assessment is needed even when the suspected infection source looks small, because the whole-body reaction can progress before local changes become obvious.

After recovery, ask what source was identified, whether any wound or foreign material needs review, which warning symptoms require immediate help, and how to use menstrual products safely in future cycles.