Yoga for Parkinson's Patients and the 5 Stages of Parkinson's

https://www.healthline.com/health/parkinsons/yoga-for-parkinsons Many doctors use the Hoehn and Yahr scale to classify its stages. This scale divides symptoms into five main stages — with two additional substages — and helps healthcare professionals learn how advanced the disease is. https://www.healthline.com/health/parkinsons/stages?utm_source=ReadNext Stage 1 Stage 1 Parkinson’s disease is the mildest form. It’s so mild, in fact, you may not experience noticeable symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may be isolated to one side of your body. Stage 1.5 In this substage, unilateral (only affecting one side of the body) symptoms are present and there is “axial involvement,” meaning there are symptoms related to the body’s central axis — the head, neck, and trunk. These symptoms can include posture difficulties, balance issues, and speech changes. Stage 2 The progression from stage 1 to stage 2 can take months or even years. Each person’s experience will be different. At this stage, you may experience symptoms such as: muscle stiffness tremors changes in facial expressions trembling Muscle stiffness can complicate daily tasks, prolonging how long it takes you to complete them. However, at this stage, your ability to balance won’t be affected. Symptoms may appear bilaterally (on both sides of the body). Changes in posture, gait, and facial expressions may be more noticeable. Stage 2.5 In this substage, bilateral symptoms are mild, and doctors will assess your ability to keep yourself from falling by performing a “pull test.” During this test, a doctor will stand behind you and pull back on your shoulders, then evaluate how you step back to prevent a fall. Unlike in stage 2, the pull test will show postural instability (reduced balance) in stage 2.5. Stage 3 At this middle stage, symptoms reach a turning point. While you’re unlikely to experience new symptoms, existing symptoms may become more noticeable. They may also interfere with some of your daily tasks. Movements are often noticeably slower, which slows down activities. Balance issues become more significant, too, so falls are more common. But people with stage 3 Parkinson’s disease may be able to maintain their independence and complete activities without much assistance. Stage 4 The progression from stage 3 to stage 4 brings about significant changes. At this point, many people experience great difficulty standing without a walker or assistive device. Reactions and muscle movements also slow significantly. Living alone can be unsafe and possibly dangerous, and people with stage 4 Parkinson’s disease can no longer perform their daily activities independently. Stage 5 In this most advanced stage, severe symptoms make around-the-clock assistance a necessity. People with stage 5 Parkinson’s disease are unable to stand without assistance, and will either use a wheelchair or will be confined to a bed. Also, at this stage, people with Parkinson’s disease may experience confusion, delusions, and hallucinations. These complications of the disease can begin in the later stages.