*Ringing in the ears, nerve pain, and frozen shoulder may not sound like menopause, but Dr. Tiffany Parks says they can be part of it.
Parks is the founder and medical director of Parks Wellness, a Georgia-based telehealth practice serving women navigating menopause, hormonal changes and metabolic shifts. The internal medicine-trained physician spoke with EURweb after World Menopause Day on Oct. 18. She discussed overlooked symptoms, lab results, and the care gaps Black women face.
Her message to women this year starts with validation.
“I want them to know that they’re not alone and to validate themselves and to validate their feelings. And the changes are real,” she said. “Most importantly, I want them to know that there is help and there’s treatment to get them to feel much better.”
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Mood changes often catch her patients off guard, but they aren’t the only surprise.
“I hear, ‘Hey, doc, I feel off balance. I have this ringing in my ear, or I have these really weird nerve pains down my leg and joint pain,'” Parks shared. “A lot of people don’t associate that with menopause, but it is a part of it.”
Parks also spoke to the pressure on Black women to push through. “A lot of times we may be the matriarch, or we may be the strong one. We may be the one caring for everyone else. And that results in little time for ourselves,” she explained.
Her approach starts with simple questions. “When I see patients, I ask, ‘Hey, how are you?’ No, truly, how are you? Has anything changed? Is anything affecting your day-to-day life?”
She also warned that a normal lab result doesn’t tell the full story. “We have to keep in mind that is just a snapshot of what is going on in your body at that specific time. So a normal lab does not rule out perimenopause,” Parks said.
Watch EURweb’s full interview with Dr. Tiffany Parks below as she discusses hormone therapy, non-hormonal treatments, sexual health and what women should track before seeing their doctor.
Learn more at parkswellness.com or on Instagram at Parks Wellness MD.
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