Life Expectancy
This disease doesn’t have a particular test for diagnosis, it is only detected based on the symptoms and health history, and the doctor can only use the Hoehn and Yahr scale [6] to check the stage of the illness when discovered. There are 1-5 stages and stage 5 is the most serious stage. Below are some situations that are expected in the life of a person with any of Parkinson’s stages:
- Stage 1: in this stage, the symptoms are not serious, they may not affect the day-to-day activities. A few tremors in the hands and stiff facial expressions may occur but are very minor.
- Stage 2: in this stage, the symptoms become more noticeable and more serious than in stage 1. The day-to-day activities begin to get affected. In this stage; the stiffness of the hand and difficulty in speech and movements become harder.
- Stage 3: there is greater difficulty in movement and balance. Falls become common, and daily activities are challenging. The continuous fall may cause injuries and complications. The person is still a little bit independent.
- Stage 4: symptoms become severe and limiting, they are not able to move or stand independently. Help is constantly needed to move and perform other activities. The quality of life is affected in this stage due to injuries from falls.
- Stage 5: standing or walking becomes impossible and movement can only happen with a wheelchair. There are more hallucinations and anxiety in this stage. The persons are prone to complications and infections thereby, making the illness fatal.
People with this condition can live a normal life based on how early the disease is diagnosed, for some people that noticed it early, proper treatments help to restrict the increase of the symptoms. For some other people that noticed late, life may become more challenging, but with the right treatment, good supervision, and support groups, normal life is possible.