Parkinson’s disease affects the nervous system, causing difficulty with movement and other issues. Tremors are a hallmark symptom; however, each of the symptoms varies largely and may worsen with the progress of the disease.
Significant symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease are:
Tremors or uncontrollable shaking
Slow physical movements or bradykinesia
Difficulties in physical balance and eventually stand up problems
Hands and limbs stiffness
The diagnose of Parkinson’s rely on the rating given by the Hoehn and Yahr scale for the classification of the severity associated with symptoms. This scale consists of five different stages intended mainly to highlight the progression of the respective disease and, at the same time, helped doctors to evaluate the extent of advancement of the disease.
Stage 1 – Mildest Form of Disease
During stage 1, the patients may experience mild symptoms and do not interrupt daily tasks or lifestyles. In fact, symptoms during the first stage are so mild that both doctors and patients often miss them.
However, family members and friends may observe changes in the way you walk, your body posture, or your facial expressions.
Symptoms: Tremors, movement symptoms on one side of the body only, changes in posture, walking, and facial expressions
Stage 2 – Moderate Form of the Disease
Stage 2 implies tremors followed by stiffness and trembling problems become noticeable, and changes in various facial expressions take place.
While stiffness of muscles prolongs the completion of any task, stage 2 never causes balance impairment. Instead, the patients may deal with increased walking difficulties and witness changes in their postures.
Symptoms: Tremor, rigidity, and other movement symptoms on both sides of the body, speech and walking difficulties, and poor posture may be apparent.
Stage 3 – Middle Stage of the Problem
It indicates a significant turning point associated with the progress of the disease. Despite, the symptoms are more or less the same, but in the third stage, you may likely experience reduced reflexes and loss of your physical balance.
Overall, the body movements become slow but still allows them to complete their daily tasks.
Symptoms: Loss of balance and slowness of movements
Stage 4 – Require Assistive Devices
The independence of people separates when they enter the stage. Although a person may stand without help, he may require assistive devices.
Most people will not be able to live their lives alone during stage 4, as they deal with a significant decrease in physical movements and reaction time.
According to doctors, the patients of stage 4 may not perform their day-to-day tasks.
Stage 5 – Advanced Stage
Stage 5 is the last and the advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease.
Progressive muscular stiffness in the legs may result in freezing problems while a person stands, and because of this, the patients neither be able to stand nor walk.
Thus, the patients in stage 5 require wheelchairs, as they will be unable to stand on their own. Moreover, such patients need a nurse to provide round-the-clock assistance to prevent any falls.
The person may experience hallucinations and delusions, and there are many critical non-motor symptoms and motor symptoms (Constipation, depression, loss of smell, low blood pressure when you stand up and sleep issues).
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