stuck menstrual cup

Can Menstrual Cups Get Stuck | How to Remove a Menstrual Cup?

Using A Menstrual Cup 

It’s not easy to use a menstrual cup and one may take time to adjust to its use. Of course, they are environmentally very effective, but using a menstrual cup involves a learning curve, along with acquiring techniques to master its insertion and positioning, which may initially appear like a daunting task. Once you know the 'know-how of a menstrual cup', it is not difficult. But dreadful is the ever-looming question related to them: What happens if your menstrual cup gets stuck? 


The stress, anxiety and the panic that one feels at the mere idea! It’s obvious of course, with all the preventives to avoid toxic shock syndrome (TSS) and those precautionary warnings that tells us to take the cup out after every 8 hours, one simply can’t help but wonder, how to remove the menstrual cup stuck inside the vagina? 


Can Menstrual Cups Get Stuck?

If you are reading this article, you’re probably in this situation right now. SO, the first thing we would like to tell you is, don’t panic. Before having a full-blown panic attack and calling your gynecologist or a friend over, try these few tricks to know how to take a menstrual cup out if it is stuck inside the vagina.

How to Remove a Menstrual Cup If It Gets Stuck?


  • Relax and take a deep breath
  • By the time you have realized your menstrual cup is stuck, you must have tried pulling on it at least a dozen times. But, by now you have reached your peak anxious state and have started getting restless and that is no way to get your cup out. So, relax and take a deep breath. 


    Understand that your vagina isn’t an endless cavern, rather it is pretty narrow and ends at the cervix. So, your menstrual cup isn’t lost and the cup has nowhere to go out but that one opening. A cup can shift in position making it a little challenging to remove, but can definitely be found. Therefore, wash your hands again and start fresh. 


  • Try again
  • Now that you’ve decided to give it a new go, try removing it as before, applying your usual technique. Locate the base of your menstrual cup near the stem and then try breaking the seal. Post that, holding the stem in between your forefinger and thumb, try moving it around in circular motions to ensure the seal has been broken. 


    Once that is confirmed, gently make an attempt to remove the menstrual cup. Your cup should come out seamlessly if the suction between the cup and the vaginal walls is broken and the cup can rotate easily. 


  • Test different positions
  • If the second step isn’t working, perhaps the problem is the way the menstrual cup is lodged in your vagina. So, test out different positions like squatting or lifting one leg on the toilet seat. The aim of this attempt is to try different angles to break the seal that holds the menstrual cup in your vagina. 


    Squatting has efficiently proven to be a great way to try and locate your menstrual cup and get it out, since it helps open up the pelvis and makes the vaginal canal shorter. All this while, keep relaxing or else your tense state will cause the pelvic muscles to tense up too, making the removal painful. 


  • Exercise
  • Yep, you read that right. Certain exercises like the kegel workout can potentially help in relaxing your pelvic muscles. They are also called pelvic floor exercises and doing them can help one contract and relax these muscles. 


    To ensure that the menstrual cup gets out, try the relaxing part of the exercise which helps push the menstrual cup down the vagina towards the vaginal canal. If you are still unable to reach the cup, insert your forefinger to the sides of the cup and attempt to break the seal to release the suction and then try removing it. 


  • The last resort
  • Well, if you have genuinely tried everything and still can’t get a hold of that little thing, it’s time to call for help. You can either call for a friend, mother or sister or simply go to the gynecologist’s office. There is no shame or embarrassment asking for help, especially if it is from a medical professional. 


    All of these are merely different approaches to help you remove your stuck menstrual cup, but if this is an ongoing issue, try changing your cup size. Menstrual cups come in different sizes and if the one you are using keeps getting stuck time and again, it simply means that it is too small for your vagina. 


    Try using Carmesi menstrual cups that are available in three different sizes and are made with biocompatible medical grade silicone, so that you can remove and insert it easily, without hurting your insides or worrying about it getting stuck. They are also made without irritants, dyes or perfumes ensuring perfect safety once inside you. 

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