14 Dec Does Parkinson’s Disease Reduce Life Expectancy?
Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive brain disorder that affects mental control and mobility. It may begin with minor symptoms, but quickly switch to harsher signs, if not treated. The later stage of the Parkinson’s Disease may bring symptoms that may affect the simplest of everyday activities like walking, eating, and holding. Imagine the kind of frustration and helplessness that the patient may feel when he is unable to even eat, drink, walk, or dress up on his own! Even worse, if the symptoms gain momentum, it may even lead the patient to be unable to move at all, heading him to be completely bedridden!
Does Parkinson’s Disease affect life expectancy?
With all of the above accompanied with Parkinson’s Disease, you’d wonder about the life of the patient. How long will the patient be able to live like that? Will the life of the patient be shortened because of Parkinson’s Disease? These worries can be even more terrifying when you or a loved one is suffering from the disease. We understand the pain you may feel, but we’ll help you feel better by letting you know that on an average, people with Parkinson’s Disease can expect to live almost as long as those who don’t have the disorder. Does that bring enough relief? So, it’s for certain that the disease itself isn’t fatal, but yes, depending upon the health and body condition of the patient, the related complications may reduce their life by 1-2 years. That’s because in people with Parkinson’s Disease, the cells that produce dopamine in the brain start to slowly die; the chemical that helps one move normally.
What causes Parkinson’s Disease?
There is no known direct cause of Parkinson’s Disease yet, but the general notion is that it could be hereditary. Also, it has been researched that men are 50% more likely than women to develop the disease; again, without no particular reason found yet. But, even though women have a reduced risk for getting the disease, those who do suffer from it have a comparatively faster progression and reduced longevity.
What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease?
The early symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, such as tremors, uncontrollable movements, rigidity, slowing of movement, or loss of balance may be unnoticeable at first. Gradually, as the symptoms become more prevalent, they begin to increase at a fast pace, which makes them difficult to contain, thus also increasing the risk of health complications that may reduce lifespan. It is thus important to keep a check on the most minor symptoms and have yourself diagnosed by a specialist to identify if any of your tremors, or movement differences are related to Parkinson’s Disease.
With Parkinson’s Disease being classified into five stages, the first and second stages are considered as initial stages with minor symptoms that may go unnoticed or neglected. Stage 3 brings noticeable symptoms like loss of balance and falls, making it difficult to stand or walk on one’s own. Stage 4 and 5 can bring severe falls, which may make the patient prone to broken bones and concussions, thus reducing life expectancy due to the complications.
What’s the future?
Life expectancy, when compared to earlier times, has dramatically increased due to advances in treatment solutions today. Medications, physical therapies, and occupational therapies can help in the earlier stages of the disease. But, for severe symptoms, one may require a Deep Brain Stimulation. Looking at the scenario, we believe that the future should behold even better news for Parkinson’s Disease patients. But for now, we must realize that identifying and treating Parkinson’s Disease at the earliest can help reduce complications that can shorten life expectancy. So, if you suspect any such symptoms in your own body or that of a loved one, make sure to consult a specialist right away. You may not be able to eliminate the disorder, but you’ll certainly be able to improve the quality of life.
Who to approach?
When we speak of a specialist, we mean a professional movement disorder specialist, one like Dr. Shivam Mittal, who has enough experience and expertise in offering Advanced Parkinson’s Disease treatment in UAE, after having completing his education and training with some of the most reputed institutes and clinics in the USA.
