Parkinson's disease affects each individual differently. Some people are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease early in life and remain in the early stages for many years. Others will skip stages or rapidly progress to end-stage Parkinson's disease.
It is important to know that Parkinson's disease, unlike some other conditions, is a highly individual one, and the way people experience its symptoms can vary wildly. For example, some people may never reach stage 5 of Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson does follow a broad pattern. While it moves at different paces for different people, changes tend to come on slowly. Symptoms usually get worse over time, and new ones probably will pop up along the way. Parkinson's doesn't always affect how long you live.
Parkinson's is a progressive condition, meaning that over time the symptoms are going to get worse. Therefore, the first and most critical step in any cure for Parkinson's is finding a treatment that will slow or stop the progression of the condition.
Can Parkinson's symptoms stay mild? Not all people with Parkinson's disease will experience severe symptoms. Certain individuals respond to treatment and develop only mild symptoms. Although there is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease, it is possible to live a full and active life with this condition.
Most people with Parkinson's disease have a normal or near-normal life expectancy. Modern medications and treatments mean that people can manage their symptoms and reduce the occurrence or severity of complications, which might otherwise be fatal.
The primary Parkinson's disease symptoms — tremors, rigid muscles, slow movement (bradykinesia), and difficulty balancing — may be mild at first but will gradually become more intense and debilitating. Parkinson's symptoms can become more severe over a period of 20 years or even longer.
“Movement, especially exercises that encourage balance and reciprocal patterns [movements that require coordination of both sides of your body], can actually slow progression of the disease,” she says.
The timeline for the stages varies but most people go up one stage every two years, except for stage 2 which is five years.
Sudden deterioration in Parkinson's disease is frequently encountered in clinical practice. It usually occurs over several days or weeks, and the cause is most likely related to a symptom rather than progression of the condition.
Causes and risk factors
One large study found that about three-quarters of people who live with Parkinson's for more than 10 years will develop dementia. Before they develop dementia, they experience milder cognitive changes called mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Parkinson's Disease Is a Progressive Disorder
According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, patients usually begin developing Parkinson's symptoms around age 60 and many live between 10 and 20 years after being diagnosed.
According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, patients usually live between 10 and 20 years after diagnosis.
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disease, yet most people with PD are capable of living well for many years with a good care management plan.
How quickly they get worse varies substantially, perhaps because there may be multiple underlying causes of the disease. In most cases, symptoms change slowly, with substantive progression taking place over the space of many months or years.
Because the cause of Parkinson's is unknown, there are no proven ways to prevent the disease. Some research has shown that regular aerobic exercise might reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease.
Average Life Expectancy for Seniors with Parkinson's
On average, a person with Parkinson's disease dies at the age of 81, which is equal to national life expectancy rates. Depending on age and location, overall life expectancy is somewhere between the ages of 78 and 81.
While there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, there are documented cases of improvement and recovery. Recovery in these cases is defined mainly by an elimination of motor symptoms.
Parkinson's disease can't be cured, but medicines can help control the symptoms, often dramatically. In some more advanced cases, surgery may be advised. Your health care team also may recommend lifestyle changes, especially ongoing aerobic exercise.
"It's been 30+ years; not many of us that have had this disease for 30 years," he said. "It sucks having Parkinson's." Since going public about his illness in 1998, Fox has worked hard to raise money for Parkinson's, a disease he learned was underfunded for research and treatment development.
While virtually anyone could be at risk for developing Parkinson's, some research studies suggest this disease affects more men than women. It's unclear why, but studies are underway to understand factors that may increase a person's risk.
Medical experts believe that environmental causes may help trigger Parkinson's disease. Exposure to farming chemicals, like pesticides and herbicides; Vietnam-era exposure to Agent Orange; and working with heavy metals, detergents and solvents have all been implicated and studied for a clearer link.
Andrew is 72 and was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1992. Here, he shares his experience of living with the condition for 3 decades. Andrew's Parkinson's diagnosis began with an examination by a junior doctor.