It’s Not Hysteria: How women’s health gets overlooked
Nov 21, 2024
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Dr. Karen Tang, a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon and author of "It's Not Hysteria," is on a mission to enhance women's health education. She discusses the urgent need for better communication with healthcare providers and how systemic biases affect women's pain perception. Karen also explains why reclaiming the term 'hysteria' is crucial and sheds light on the often-overlooked challenges of conditions like endometriosis. Her insights aim to empower women to advocate for their health with confidence and knowledge.
The conversation emphasizes the urgent need for more comprehensive education on women's reproductive health to empower informed decision-making.
Dr. Tang highlights the importance of effective communication with healthcare providers to ensure women articulate their health concerns clearly and accurately.
Deep dives
Understanding Women's Health Education
The podcast highlights the critical need for better education surrounding women's reproductive health, which is often overlooked. Dr. Karen Tang, a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon, emphasizes that many women lack basic understanding of their anatomy and health conditions, such as endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The conversation underscores how most individuals with a uterus or vagina have experienced some form of health issue, yet are often not provided with the necessary information or education to comprehend these problems fully. By raising awareness and providing educational resources, both Dr. Tang and the host aim to empower women to take control of their health and seek appropriate care.
Navigating Doctor-Patient Relationships
The episode discusses the importance of effective communication between patients and their healthcare providers. Many individuals struggle to articulate their symptoms or questions during a limited appointment timeframe, which can lead to misunderstandings and mishandled health issues. Dr. Tang suggests that preparation is vital; patients should come equipped with specific questions and a clear understanding of their concerns to maximize their time with doctors. When faced with dismissive attitudes or inadequate responses from providers, patients should feel empowered to seek second opinions or request referrals to specialists.
The Dismissal of Women's Pain
Dr. Tang elaborates on the historical dismissal of women's pain, linking it to the legacy of the term 'hysteria' and its implications in the medical community. She describes how women often face skepticism regarding their reported pain and symptoms, compounded by a general lack of research and data on women's health issues. This has resulted in women frequently receiving inadequate care for serious conditions, as their experiences are sometimes interpreted as exaggerated or solely psychological. By acknowledging the seriousness of women's pain and the medical conditions that underlie it, the episode calls for a shift in how these health concerns are perceived within the medical community.
Data Deficiencies in Women's Health
The conversation highlights a concerning gap in research and data regarding women's health, particularly compared to conditions like diabetes or heart disease. Dr. Tang explains how the lack of substantial studies leads to a reliance on anecdotal evidence and personal experiences rather than grounded scientific data for diagnosis and treatment. This deficiency affects the ability to develop effective treatment protocols, often leading to a trial-and-error approach in managing women's health conditions. The guests advocate for increased funding and research into women's health issues to create a more equitable and informed medical landscape.
We don’t all get to learn about vaginas in school or from our families or from creating a reputation as the "Vagina Economist." And quite frankly, this is to our detriment. But today on ParentData, we’re trying to make some progress on that. We're joined by Dr. Karen Tang, a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon (think: disorders like endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome), who is tearing up social media with her women’s health education. Her book, It’s Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (but Were Never Told), and it’s exactly what it sounds like — a user manual for anyone with a female reproductive system.
In this conversation, we discuss how to talk to your doctor and how to make the most of your time with them, the lack of data on women’s health, why Karen feels strongly about reclaiming the word “hysteria” when it comes to health for women, and what it means to study women’s pain as opposed to...pain (?).