In order to attribute stains found on an internal
bedikah to a
makkah (wound), there must be confirmation that a wound capable of bleeding exists.
One way to confirm the presence of a wound is to take a
bedikah cloth and gently press on the area where you suspect you have an irritation. If the
bedikah is stained only on that spot, this is sufficient confirmation of a wound. You may attribute the stain found on the previous
bedikah to this irritation, and you were not rendered
niddah.
If you are unable to locate the wound by the above method, you can go to a doctor or a
bodeket taharah, who can perform an internal examination to look for the wound. If s/he is able to see a wound, you may attribute the previous stains to
makkah.
Without confirmation of a wound, it is difficult to attribute stains found on an internal
bedikah. In general we advise against performing
bedikot unless they are required (i.e. during the
clean days or on an
onah). If you are unable to confirm the presence of a wound, unfortunately you must assume you were rendered
niddah and must observe the full
minimum wait before counting the seven clean days.
For the future, you should take care to wait at least a few seconds (ideally 15 seconds) after urinating before wiping. This way, you may disregard stains found on the
toilet paper. You should also wear colored underwear while
tehorah in order to disregard
stains found on your underwear.
You should also take care to go gently and slowly while performing
bedikot during the clean days to avoid further irritations. If
bedikot are problematic, please feel free to get back to us for further guidance.
Care should also be taken during intercourse to avoid irritating yourself. Try to go gently and use lubrication. After relations, it is advisable to wait a few minutes before getting up or cleaning yourselves. Clean yourselves with tissues or a dark-colored towel and do not look for any staining. Please see
here for a more detailed discussion of precautions at the time of relations.
Please feel free to get back to us with any further questions.
B’Hatzlacha!
This response was updated on 12 February, 2024.
