Parkinson’s Disease: Stages, Symptoms and the Relevance of Exercise
With age, some diseases invade our body spontaneously. Without any valid reason, except for the decline of physical and mental abilities with age, diseases enter the human body. Often, we think it normal and don’t try proper methods of dealing with it. Every disease has three stages: initial, moderate and advanced. If the disease is diagnosed in its initial stage, there are chances for them to be treated and possibly even cured.
Parkinson’s disease belongs to this category of diseases that are often noticed in the elderly people. Proper memory care in Oklahoma City along with exercise and medication can treat this disease and allow the patients to live their lives independently.
About Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects motor functions due to the loss of dopamine-producing cells. If you research the cause of Parkinson’s disease, you won’t find a satisfactory answer. Research is still being done. The most information we have is that genetics and environment both play a crucial role in it.
Symptoms of the Disease
The symptoms of Parkinson’s can be categorized as primary symptoms and secondary symptoms. The first includes stiffness, balancing issues, tremors and slowness, whereas the second includes dementia, anxiety and memory loss.
Age Group and Stages
People with Parkinson’s disease are typically older than 60. But there are exceptions, too, where the disease affects people of a much younger age. Rather than the typical three stages of a disease, Parkinson’s is divided into five stages:
1. The symptoms are barely noticeable and do not interfere with daily activities.
2. Symptoms become worse and affect both sides of the body.
3. Increasing symptoms include loss of balance and memory, as well as slow movements.
4. All the symptoms become unavoidably noticeable.
5. The individual becomes totally dependent on assistance from others.
Exercise or Medication?
Often people ask this question about treating patients with Parkinson’s disease. This is a neurological disorder for which one needs proper medication, care and support. However, these are not all. Along with medical attention, one needs adequate physical activity. Exercise is needed to flex the muscles that have become sensitive, difficult to move and stiff. Exercising for 60 to 150 minutes on a daily basis is very helpful to combat Parkinson’s disease. Routine exercise also improves blood circulation and the brain’s ability to produce dopamine.
Senior Care Referral Services can help you find assisted living that takes care of patients with Parkinson’s with sound care. These facilities provide memory care in Oklahoma City for people who are no longer able to perform basic activities due to Parkinson’s or other such diseases. The staff consult a doctor to learn about each patient’s allergies and chronic diseases so that they can tailor their assistance and provide the patients with the maximum benefits.