Stages of Parkinson's disease

Slideshare, Hoehn and Yahr staging

Because Parkinson's disease is progressive it is important to know the different stages of Parkinson's and how they change over time. There are two different scales that are used to rate a patient's symptoms and determine what scale they are at. The first scale, the Hoehn and Yahr scale is a simple test that checks symptoms at five different stages. The second scale, the Unified Parkinson Disease Rated Scale is a much more comprehensive test that checks severity each symptom on the scale.(Parkinson Foundation, n.d.) Each stage in these scales has its own set of symptoms and as they progress, the stage at which the patient is at in the disease progresses as well. There is no specific time frame as to how fast each stage progresses. Every patient is different and some could remain healthy and mobile for years while others progress very quickly.

Stage one of Parkinson's

Symptoms are mild and often only present on one side of the body. At this stage, the patient is likely not affected in their day-to-day life but it is recognized by others through facial expressions and locomotion.

Stage two of Parkinson's

In this stage, symptoms become bilateral and begin to affect both sides of the body. The patient is still able to move and complete daily activities but it is slowly becoming more difficult to be mobile.

Stage three of Parkinson's

In this stage, symptoms become much more pronounced. It becomes difficult for the patient to remain consistently mobile because of difficulty balancing and walking. In this stage everyday activities become more difficult as well, simple tasks not only take longer but sometimes the patient needs assistance to get them done.

Stage four of Parkinson's

This stage marks the loss of independence for many Parkinson patients, as living alone becomes impossible. It is common for patients at this stage to need help getting up and may require a walker to move around. Rigidity begins to set in and movements become significantly slower. A caregiver may be required for many daily tasks, however, in some cases at this stage Parkinson's patients experience less of a tremor than in past stages.

Stage five of Parkinson's

This is the most advanced stage of Parkinson's and patients at this stage need constant care. At this point in the disease, patients often can't stand or walk alone and are either in wheelchairs or completely immobile. It is also common for patients to experience non-motor issues as well, like hallucinations and not be totally coherent.(Owen, n.d.)



References:
Believe in Better. (n.d.). Retrieved April 04, 2017, from http://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/what-is-parkinsons/The-Stages-of-Parkinsons-Disease

Owen, C. (n.d.). Parkinson's Disease Staging - Neurosurgical Service - Massachusetts General Hospital. Retrieved April 04, 2017, from https://neurosurgery.mgh.harvard.edu/functional/pdstages.htm

Progression. (2017). Retrieved April 04, 2017, from http://www.pdf.org/en/progression_parkinsons

Swati Bhattacharya, Student at Delhi University Follow. (2016, January 04). Functional assessment scale for parkinson disease. Retrieved April 04, 2017, from https://www.slideshare.net/SwatiBhattacharya3/functional-assessment-scale-for-parkinson-disease