What stage am I in?

Because not all people have the same symptoms at the same time, measuring their progression can be difficult. A number of rating scales are presently available. The simplest and most widely used is the Hoehn and Yahr staging scale (Table 1). It divides PD into five categories, from early, one-sided effects to full disability. In the early research for which this scale was designed, the goal was to measure the years between the development of each stage. The findings showed that the progression was not uniform; some people progressed rapidly and some slowly. The second measurement tool (the most commonly used) is the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale. It uses a four-point scoring system and measures a standardized core of 42 assessments in four broad categories: mental states such as mood and behavior, activities of daily living, motor responses, and the complications of treatment.