How Long Do You Live With Parkinson’s

Managing Stress And Enhancing Spiritual And Emotional Wellbeing

Physical or emotional stress can make it hard for our body to cope with illness or disease, so it is not surprising that it can worsen Parkinsons symptoms, particularly tremor. Living with Parkinsons can cause additional worry and frustration, so learning to manage stress and being able to relax is important for maintaining a good quality of life.

There is increasing recognition that good spiritual health enhances general wellbeing. Following a spiritual path can help give a sense of hope for the future it may also help in adapting to life with Parkinsons. The most important thing is to try to stay positive and there are lots of things you can do to help with this. There are also many techniques and treatments available to support emotional wellbeing. Each person will respond to these in different ways so talk with your doctor if you think you need help and he or she will be able to advise.

See also Stress and Emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

How Is Parkinsons Disease Treated

There is no cure for Parkinsons disease. However, medications and other treatments can help relieve some of your symptoms. Exercise can help your Parkinsons symptoms significantly. In addition, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy can help with walking and balance problems, eating and swallowing challenges and speech problems. Surgery is an option for some patients.

Get Involved Or Stay Involved

Whether you have PD or not, good health is better maintained when you are involved. Work, hobbies, and exercise all contribute to staying engaged and sharp.1 Some suggestions to consider:

• Keep working
• Join a support group
• Join an exercise class

If you have been dependent on driving to get to work or get to fun activities, you may want to seek out other forms of transportation. Do activities with a friend and ask them to drive. You might even hire someone to drive you instead of having to pay for parking.2 There are also shared car services in addition to public transportation and services like access-a-ride. Local Parkinsons groups or organizations can help you to identify transportation options in your area.

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How Can I Support Someone With Parkinson’s At The Advanced Or Palliative Stage

In the advanced stages of Parkinsons, your patients care needs may be more complex and require careful planning along with the patient, their family and other health and social care professionals involved.

Palliative care should be holistic, considering the whole person to support the personal, social, psychological and spiritual needs of your patient and their family. It should give your patient some control and choice over areas such as treatment options and where they will be cared for, as well as providing advice and support to all the people involved in their care.

Palliative care in Parkinsons may be supported by a number of professionals, including a Parkinsons nurse specialist, local hospice or specialist palliative care team, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist or dietitian. Many people with Parkinson’s also find complementary therapies beneficial.

It is important that you find out whether the person has a care plan in place regarding their preferences for how the issues surrounding advanced Parkinsons should be managed. This could include legal documentation such as a Lasting Power of Attorney and an advance care plan. Advance care plans include information on what the persons wishes and preferences are for their care in the future. They may include decisions on any treatments the person doesnt want to have in the future this is called an Advance Directive, Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment or Living Will.

What You Can Expect

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.

Parkinsonâs doesnât always affect how long you live. But it can change your quality of life in a major way. After about 10 years, most people will have at least one major issue, like dementia or a physical disability.

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Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms: Life Expectancy

Even though Parkinson’s disease is a serious, progressive condition, it is not considered a fatal illness. People who have Parkinson’s disease usually have the same average life expectancy as people without the disease.

But when the disease is in its advanced stages, Parkinson’s symptoms can lead to life-threatening complications, including:

• Falls that lead to fractured bones
• Pneumonia
• Choking

Thinking about the progression of Parkinson’s disease can be frightening. But proper treatments can help you live a full, productive life for years to come. And researchers hope to one day find ways to halt the progression of Parkinson’s and restore lost functioning.

How Can Parkinsons Affect My Driving

Driving is a complex task. It requires physical strength, mobility, good reflexes and reaction time, depth perception, good eyesight and hearing and the ability to multi-task and keep track of many visual and spatial inputs at once.

Some of the symptoms of Parkinsons can make executing all of those tasks a challenge. A few symptoms that are the most troublesome when it comes to driving include:

• Tremor in legs, arms and hands
• Compromised balance
• Freezing that can make it difficult to get moving again once youve been still
• Slower reaction time and diminished reflexes
• Side effects from taking medications such as sleepiness, blurred vision and confusion
• Mild to severe cognitive impairment
• Dementia

Many of the medications you may be taking can dramatically mitigate your symptoms however, its important to remain vigilant when considering how safe youre able to be on the road.

If youre still driving, here are a few actions you can take to optimize your safety and the safety of others:

• Reduce distractions such as talking, eating, listening to the radio or anything else that requires concentration
• Avoid night driving if your vision is worse in the dark
• Avoid driving during off times when your medication isnt as effective
• Use a GPS system and plan ahead of time if youll be driving in unfamiliar areas
• Avoid driving when youre tired

If you get to a point when youre starting to wonder if you should still be driving, there are several things you can do.

Read Also: What Are Early Warning Signs Of Parkinson’s Disease

Caring For Your Health With Parkinsons Disease

In addition to caring for your Parkinsons health, it is also important to care for your overall health. This means visiting your primary care physician periodically for preventive care like the annual flu shot and cancer screeningsfor example, a mammogram for breast cancer screening and a colonoscopy for colon cancer screening.

A primary care physician can also evaluate for risk factors related to heart attacks and strokes, and provide counseling on exercise, smoking, alcohol use, depression, or other mental health concerns. Regular visits to your primary care physician or neurologist will also allow them to catch bacterial infections like urinary tract infections before they get serious.

Read Also: Speech Therapy For Parkinsons Disease

How Is Age Related To Pdd

Both PD and PDD are more common with increasing age. Most people with PD start having movement symptoms between ages 50 and 85, although some people have shown signs earlier. Up to 80% of people with PD eventually develop dementia. The average time from onset of movement problems to the development of dementia is about 10 years.

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How Long Does It Take For Parkinsons Disease To Progress

It is quite common for any individual suffering from Parkinsons disease to wonder about the unfolding of the condition. If you belong to the group that in search for the answers related to the progression of Parkinsons disease, then you will try to learn about the symptoms that you can acquire with the condition, when they start, and the changes the disease brings in the body.

The questions are basic, but Parkinsons disease is not. Like other illnesses, Parkinsons disease does not have a specific path of progression. Due to this, it is difficult to state or pin down the exact time or the path of the progression.

What Are Pd Dementia Safety Concerns

Safety issues should be considered and monitored from the time of diagnosis. As PDD progresses, ensure that your loved one is not left alone.

• Evaluate driving privileges before safety is a concern. Your doctor can make a driving evaluation referral.
• Work out legal and financial issues and safeguard finances. People with dementia are at greater risk of falling victim to scams and fraud.
• Minimize prescription risks. Confirm with the doctor the medication names and doses of the person with PD. If the person is in dementias early stages and capable, fill up their weekly pill box together and monitor use.
• Medical alert systems can be critical in case your loved one falls or wanders outside of the home. Many types of systems are available, from bracelets and pendants to smart watches with fall detection and one-button connections to 911.
• Evaluate gun safety. If your loved one owns a firearm or has one in the home, consider speaking with their doctor about the subject and taking appropriate safety precautions.

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How Do I Prevent Falls From Common Hazards

• Floors: Remove all loose wires, cords, and throw rugs. Minimize clutter. Make sure rugs are anchored and smooth. Keep furniture in its usual place.
• Bathroom: Install grab bars and non-skid tape in the tub or shower. Use non-skid bath mats on the floor or install wall-to-wall carpeting.
• Lighting: Make sure halls, stairways, and entrances are well-lit. Install a night light in your bathroom or hallway and staircase. Turn lights on if you get up in the middle of the night. Make sure lamps or light switches are within reach of the bed if you have to get up during the night.
• Kitchen: Install non-skid rubber mats near the sink and stove. Clean spills immediately.
• Stairs: Make sure treads, rails, and rugs are secure. Install a rail on both sides of the stairs. If stairs are a threat, it might be helpful to arrange most of your activities on the lower level to reduce the number of times you must climb the stairs.
• Entrances and doorways: Install metal handles on the walls adjacent to the doorknobs of all doors to make it more secure as you travel through the doorway.

Can You Die From Parkinson’s

Advanced symptoms of a long-term condition like Parkinsons can make people more vulnerable to poor health and increased disability. These complications can sometimes result in someone dying. When this happens, Parkinsons can be recorded as a cause of death.

Complications can include:

• aspiration pneumonia
• falls
• chest infections and pneumonia

This is one of the reasons why its important to manage your condition as well as you can, with the support of specialist healthcare professionals.

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What Medications Are Used To Treat Parkinsons Disease

Medications are the main treatment method for patients with Parkinsons disease. Your doctor will work closely with you to develop a treatment plan best suited for you based on the severity of your disease at the time of diagnosis, side effects of the drug class and success or failure of symptom control of the medications you try.

Medications combat Parkinsons disease by:

• Helping nerve cells in the brain make dopamine.
• Mimicking the effects of dopamine in the brain.
• Blocking an enzyme that breaks down dopamine in the brain.
• Reducing some specific symptoms of Parkinsons disease.

Levodopa: Levodopa is a main treatment for the slowness of movement, tremor, and stiffness symptoms of Parkinsons disease. Nerve cells use levodopa to make dopamine, which replenishes the low amount found in the brain of persons with Parkinsons disease. Levodopa is usually taken with carbidopa to allow more levodopa to reach the brain and to prevent or reduce the nausea and vomiting, low blood pressure and other side effects of levodopa. Sinemet® is available in an immediate release formula and a long-acting, controlled release formula. Rytary® is a newer version of levodopa/carbidopa that is a longer-acting capsule. The newest addition is Inbrija®, which is inhaled levodopa. It is used by people already taking regular carbidopa/levodopa for when they have off episodes .

Is There A Test To Diagnose Pd Dementia

There is no single test for PDD. The diagnosis is made clinically. If you or someone you spend time with notices cognitive changes, it is important to discuss them with your care team. If you dont have a care team in place, its important to find a specialist or physician familiar with dementia or geriatric medicine. Call the Parkinson’s Foundation Helpline 1-800-4PD-INFO for a referral.

Recommended Reading: Parkinson Disease Sleep Scale

Life Expectancy Of Parkinsonism Patients In The General Population

Absolute life expectancy estimates of parkinsonism are easy to translate to patients.

Patients with parkinsonism have a reduced life expectancy compared to matched controls.

The most prominent decrease in life expectancy is observed if parkinsonism is diagnosed before the age of 70.

The number of years lived with parkinsonism in the general population is relatively low.

How Is Parkinson Disease Treated

Parkinson disease can’t be cured. But there are different therapies that can help control symptoms. Many of the medicines used to treat Parkinson disease help to offset the loss of the chemical dopamine in the brain. Most of these medicines help manage symptoms quite successfully.

A procedure called deep brain stimulation may also be used to treat Parkinson disease. It sends electrical impulses into the brain to help control tremors and twitching movements. Some people may need surgery to manage Parkinson disease symptoms. Surgery may involve destroying small areas of brain tissue responsible for the symptoms. However, these surgeries are rarely done since deep brain stimulation is now available.

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Healthy Eating And Looking After Your Teeth

Following a balanced diet will enhance vitality and help ensure that your medications are as effective as possible.

Keeping teeth and gums healthy can be more difficult if you have Parkinson’s due to the nature of its symptoms and because some of the medications used to treat it can affect dental health. There are many things you can do to improve your oral health, as well as many professionals who can offer advice.

See also Eating well and Teeth and oral health.

Is Parkinsons Disease Fatal

It is important to understand that PD is not considered a fatal condition. As is the case with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia, complications and a patients comorbid conditions are more life-threatening than PD itself. For example, because Parkinsons affects movement, balance and coordination, a patients risk of falling increases as the disease progresses. Falls are notoriously dangerous and a leading cause of injury and death among older adults. Difficulty swallowing, known as dysphagia, is another complication that can develop at any point throughout ones journey with PD, and this can cause aspiration pneumoniaanother leading cause of death in patients.

Read:Dysphagia: How to Help a Loved One Eat and Drink Safely

Because a persons overall health is an important factor in how Parkinsons progresses, lifestyle choices are vitally important for prolonging both functionality and longevity. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, careful management of preexisting conditions and prevention of new medical issues is crucial.

It is important to work with a well-rounded medical team to understand PD symptoms, explore treatment options and devise a personalized care plan for improving ones overall health, maintaining a high quality of life, and preventing complications.

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What Lifestyle Changes Can I Make To Ease Parkinsons Symptoms

Exercise: Exercise helps improve muscle strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, and tremor. It is also strongly believed to improve memory, thinking and reduce the risk of falls and decrease anxiety and depression. One study in persons with Parkinsons disease showed that 2.5 hours of exercise per week resulted in improved ability to move and a slower decline in quality of life compared to those who didnt exercise or didnt start until later in the course of their disease. Some exercises to consider include strengthening or resistance training, stretching exercises or aerobics . All types of exercise are helpful.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet: This is not only good for your general health but can ease some of the non-movement related symptoms of Parkinsons, such as constipation. Eating foods high in fiber in particular can relieve constipation. The Mediterranean diet is one example of a healthy diet.

Preventing falls and maintaining balance: Falls are a frequent complication of Parkinson’s. While you can do many things to reduce your risk of falling, the two most important are: 1) to work with your doctor to ensure that your treatments whether medicines or deep brain stimulation are optimal and 2) to consult with a physical therapist who can assess your walking and balance. The physical therapist is the expert when it comes to recommending assistive devices or exercise to improve safety and preventing falls.

Theory Of Pd Progression: Braaks Hypothesis

The current theory is that the earliest signs of Parkinson’s are found in the enteric nervous system, the medulla and the olfactory bulb, which controls sense of smell. Under this theory, Parkinson’s only progresses to the substantia nigra and cortex over time.

This theory is increasingly borne out by evidence that non-motor symptoms, such as a loss of sense of smell , sleep disorders and constipation may precede the motor features of the disease by several years. For this reason, researchers are increasingly focused on these non-motor symptoms to detect PD as early as possible and to look for ways to stop its progression.

Page reviewed by Dr. Ryan Barmore, Movement Disorders Fellow at the University of Florida, a Parkinsons Foundation Center of Excellence.

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