Parkinson’s stages and symptoms
What is your stage?
(For symptoms, click here.)
Stages of Parkinson’s disease is a tricky topic. This is largely because each person’s set of symptoms is unique.
Still, experts have tried their best to describe a typical progression.
The method I’m going with is Hoehn & Yahr’s five stages of Parkinson’s disease, devised in 1967 and based on clinical disability. Below are the basics; see where you might be:
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
What are your symptoms?
Symptoms of Parkison’s comprise a long and scary list. It’s a good thing they don’t all happen at once.
I like to savor each one as it comes to me. (Always trying to find the positives. OK, that’s a stretch.)
This post looks at specific symptoms that may affect hiking.
It’s important to know that each person living with Parkinson’s has a unique set of symptoms. There’s no one else exactly like you.
Here is a list of symptoms that can be attributed to Parkinson’s disease. It includes both motor and non-motor symptoms.
- tremor (limbs, head, jaw)
- depression
- anxiety
- apathy
- gait or walking issues
- slowness (bradykinesia)
- muscle stiffness (rigidity)
- balance difficulties
- dizziness, fainting
- dyskinesia
- sleep troubles
- fatigue
- constipation
- diarrhea
- loss of smell
- other gut issues
- nausea
- nerve pains
- facial masking (bored look)
- speech issues
- sexual dysfunction
- urinary incontinence
- excessive saliva
- swallowing difficulties
- hallucinations
- delusions
- memory problems
- acting out dreams
- small handwriting (micrographia)