Dr. Matthew Parker
Family Medicine
Birmingham, AL
20 years experience male
Locations
Office
Birmingham
Phone
About
Bio
I am a family physician by training, now the founder, owner, medical director, and sole practitioner at a unique clinic specializing in prevention, anti-aging, wellness, and traditional medicine. We have been grateful to find a way to gently guide many back to a state of greater health and wellness through trusting in the body's immense power to heal itself.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Family Medicine
Addiction Medicine
Anti-Aging Medicine
Integrative Medicine
Preventive Medicine
Licenses
United States: Alabama
Doctor Q&A
56 Answers
14 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 17-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Interesting...: That is a very interesting problem! But I'm very sorry you are having to worry about it. I am inclined to suspect a problem with hormones...primarily ... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Get it checked: I would recommend getting checked out, sir, especially because of the history of surgery on that side. A simple imaging test like ultrasound of both t... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 43-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Colon spasm: I suspect that you are experiencing "referred pain" from your colon, which will go into a bit of a spasm to expel its contents when it is time for you... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Check assumptions?: I agree w/ Dr Kumar, but I admit I've prescribed trazodone & mirtazapine for their sleep-inducing qualities at times. They are very different, but... Read More
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1.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Timing is everything: The cause of the bleeding and pain depends very much on their timing during your menstrual cycle. If the bleeding & spotting occurred around the t... Read More
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1.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
I seriously doubt it: I am not, of course, advocating rampant alcohol abuse during pregnancy. I've taken care of many pregnant women during their pregnancies and delivered ... Read More
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1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Extremely unlikely: I suspect that the swelling is not a clot at all, but just some of the filler that "clumped up" and didn't smooth out. It will eventually subside if t... Read More
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1.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Infection?: Green patches with sore throat makes me think infection of sinuses. Brown patches? Kinda makes me wonder if you smoke, first of all. No judgment...it ... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Couple of questions: I think it might be helpful to know a bit more about the pain:
1. Is it in your entire left arm or only a part of it?
2. Is it present all the time? O... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 17-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Possibilities...:: Vaginal discharge can be so aggravating and even embarrassing! Not going to ask if sexually active, but discharge can result from several STDs and if ... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Sounds like a Cold: I typically find that the actual "flu" - the disease caused by the Influenza Virus - starts as a rapid onset of fever and chills, often with a dry, no... Read More
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1.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Interesting: When someone describes a symptom that is "all over", I usually find clues on lab work, if this is a new thing for you. I would order CBC with diff and... Read More
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1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Hmmm...: Short answer is yes: there are low-estrogen oral contraceptives. Not sure you'd want to do that, though. First, the ovarian cysts can only be controll... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
I think so: I think that if you've never had this problem before, and you had been drinking that same day before the test, then it's certainly possible the alcoho... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Consistency is key!: I recommend starting birth control pills on the first day of the week following the beginning of your next menstrual period. For example, if your mens... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Sacroiliitis?: I see a lot of sacroiliitis - an inflammation of a joint in the pelvis - that often feels like a pain in the upper buttock, and can even sometimes be ... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 26-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
EMERGENCY!!!: STRONGLY urge you to be seen IMMEDIATELY at your nearest emergency department. You need an electrocardiogram (EKG) at the very least, and possibly an ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Yes: I have found melatonin to be safe and (somewhat) effective as an OTC sleep aid for my patients, but many of them report the following issues: (1) due ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Possibilities: Might be the white ulcers that go along with Strep Throat. If throat is still very sore this must be ruled out. See your doc for an exam and antibioti... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
You & baby are fine: I know it is so frustrating trying to know what is safe during pregnancy. I think the best general advice I can give you is this: (1) be aware of the ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Confusing: Eosinophils are a group of white blood cells (WBCs) that fight infection from parasites and fungi. It is normal for them to make up a really small pro... Read More
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1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Don't Panic: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a chemical in the blood which rises when inflammation is present. It is important because persistent inflammation can be a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Fatigue & weight: There are lots of clues that lead me to suspect deficiency of testo or hGH in men, but the most common symptoms seem to be fatigue and weight gain, as... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Vertigo?: It sounds like you are suffering from vertigo...a specific kind of dizziness caused by a problem in the semicircular canals - special tube-like struct... Read More
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1.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
What number of reasons can you justify for the rbc count in males being higher than that of females?
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Just a couple...: Women often menstruate every month, causing a loss of blood, and therefore, a lower RBC count. Furthermore, women often become iron-deficient (partial... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Maybe nothing?: I agree with your doctor that the vitamin D needs to be addressed. I would typically recommend an OTC vitamin D3 supplement...probably 2000 a 5000 IU ... Read More
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1.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
No. But...: I don't typically worry that phenazopyridine will mess up birth control. But just to be sure, I checked known interactions and could not find any repo... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 46-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Options:: Typically, if you have a "full-thickness" or "full-width" tear of pretty much anything, I recommend having a surgeon take a look. Soft tissues can oft... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Why on doxy?: I'm curious: why have you been on doxy for 3wks? I'm assuming that it is either for acne or for prostate infection. If for acne, recommend switching t... Read More
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1.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Location is everythg: "Wheezing" is a very specific thing, from a doc's perspective. It is a sound created when small airways in the lungs become tight & produce a char... Read More
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1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Maybe...: If you are having leakage of urine when you cough, laugh, or sneeze...a condition known as stress urinary incontinence...it may be due to declining se... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Actually...yes: Assuming your menstrual cycles are about 28-30 days apart, you ovulate on day 14 or 15. This means that after day 14, there is a health egg available,... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 18-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Liver: In the old days before all our fancy tests, a patient's breath was often viewed as a clue about their health. Breath that smells like you describe can... Read More
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1.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 62-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Possibilities: Any time the skin is penetrated, there is a chance that infection can develop. We are trained to use care to minimize this risk, but it can still occu... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Doubtful: If I understand correctly, you are saying that your period was 3 days late, but that you did eventually have it, and that it was of an unusual charact... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Not normal, but...: Not normal, but not all that uncommon, in my experience. Bleeding around the time of ovulation often means that the ovary that produces that month's e... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Probably fine. : Different BP in left & right arms is normal. Left is usually a bit higher that right (left arm arteries sorta closer to heart than right). A BIG p... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 32-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
More info?: Heavy, sore breasts can certainly go along with early pregnancy. But more often, I see this with estrogen overload, and in a woman your age, it is oft... Read More
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1.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Possible: Often, when we are challenged beyond what we are used to (as happens in college), we find that our focus isn't as good as we once thought. And though ... Read More
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1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 49-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Shouldn't be a prob: I believe you got a very accurate test result. I also don't think u did any damage to yourself. I may be wrong, but it sounds like you were expecting ... Read More
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1.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 26-year-old male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Need an xray: I would strongly recommend an x-ray of the affected region of the back. It is necessary to rule out a fracture of the vertebra that you report is sore... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 51-year-old member asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Probably ok...?: Profile doesn't indicate if you are male or female, so I'm at a bit of a disadvantage. If you are female, some blood in the urine, especially in the a... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A male asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Concerning: I can't tell if this is you or someone else, so I'm not sure about the age of the patient, etc., but the following things concern me: I'd be wanting t... Read More
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1.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
It'll be okay: I don't think this should be a problem. I would recommend NOT taking tomorrow's dose (the one you accidentally took this afternoon). Then just get bac... Read More
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1.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
No worries: This skin rash could, I suppose, be caused by yeast, and could, therefore, be contagious, but I doubt this. Most penicillin rashes are just a mild all... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Probably: It is always best to take your birth control pills at the same time every day. But taking it late for only one day shouldn't make you fertile or anyth... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Knee injury?: Because of your dancing, your knees are subject to lots of stress. The "shadows" may indicate deep bruising in the knee joint, and I'm wondering about... Read More
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1.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
No injury?: Assuming you haven't injured that finger somehow (sometimes it is hard to remember...might have seemed like nothing at the time)... I'm thinking thing... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Bugs vs infection: Not too familiar with bug bites in DR, but in Southern US, bites like that, which seem to continue afterwards, can be due to evil little bugs called "... Read More
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1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Matthew Parkeranswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
24 hours at most: Vitamin c is a water-soluble vitamin. It is absorbed into the bloodstream from the intestine, distributes evenly throughout the circulation, and is th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
39
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! I tend to agree Dr - have self examed but nothing -+ a scan booked -
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! No injuries, and it doesn't look different. It is also the knee cap.
HealthTap member
Your answer was very helpful! Thanks :) I appreciate you taking the time for my question. Happy holidays.
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio, TX
Graduated 2003MD
Residency
CONROE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Awards
Thought Leader, First Place, Birmingham Region - Winter
2015
Top Family Physician, Third Place, Alabama - Winter
2015
Top Doctor, Second Place, Alabama - Spring
2016
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