Sjogren's Syndrome

Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

Sjogren's syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease that is not completely understood, thus making it difficult to diagnose and treat. In Sjogren's syndrome (SS) the immune system attacks the mucous membranes and moisture-secreting glands in your mouth and eyes resulting in a decreased production of tears and saliva - this is what is known as dry eye and dry mouth.

Other glands that can also be affected are the ones located in the stomach, pancreas and intestines. Additionally, SS can cause dryness in the nose, throat and skin and damage the tissues of the lungs, liver and kidneys.

Even though the two most common symptoms are dry mouth and dry eyes, this disease is very complex given that it is considered both a rheumatic disease and a connective tissue disorder. The connective tissue includes your articulations, skin and muscles.

Types of Sjogren's Syndrome

SS comes in two types, primary and secondary.

The main difference between the two is that Primary SS occurs by itself while Secondary SS occurs when it's accompanied by a rheumatic condition such as Lupus, Scleroderma and Arthritis.

The rheumatic diseases cause inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles and skin.

If you have Primary SS you most likely have types of antibodies in your blood called SSA and SSB. Additionally, you may have another group of antibodies called ANA (Anti-Nuclear Antibody) that are a group of antibodies that react against normal components of a cell nucleus, meaning they attack normal and healthy cells. If you have ANA's it doesn't necessarily mean you have Sjogren’s as these antibodies are also present in other autoimmune diseases.

Another indication that you have Sjogren's syndrome is the presence of a high Immunoglobulin (IG) count in your blood; IG's are blood proteins usually elevated in both types of SS.

Although a person can develop Sjogren's syndrome at any age, it is very rare in children and most often occurs in people older than 40. It is estimated that 1 to 4 million Americans have SS and 90% are women. It is estimated that 50% suffer from Primary SS and 50% with Secondary SS.

What is the Root Cause of Sjogren's Syndrome?

Unfortunately, as with any other autoimmune disease, it is still unknown why the body attacks its own healthy tissues.

Researchers have different theories, which implicate viral infections, inheritance and/or hormonal imbalances. The result is an overproduction of white blood cells called lymphocytes that mistakenly attack and damage the moisture producing glands.

Diagnoses

Sometimes it is very difficult to diagnose Sjogren's syndrome and doctors may take several years to determine that you have this condition. The problem is that symptoms of this condition may mimic symptoms of other conditions such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

Signs and Symptoms

Dry Eyes - this is a very typical symptom of Sjogren's syndrome, however, not everyone with SS has dry eyes. What do dry eyes feel like? You may feel like you have "sand" in your eyes that causes them to be red and itchy with blurred vision. Fluorescent light could also be an irritant.

Dry Mouth - you feel like you need to drink water all day long and may experience difficulty swallowing or chewing.

Achy Joints - your hips and knees hurt and are often swollen and stiff. For some people, it gets very painful to kneel down.

Sensory Changes – SS can affect your sense of smell and taste.

Dry Skin - this is another common symptom that can vary in severity with the extreme being scaly skin.

Glands – there can be pain in the parotid glands and with some enlargement.

Fatigue – this is a common symptom that is sometimes overlooked by doctors.

Low-grade fever, numbness in arms and legs, vaginal dryness, bruising and dry cough.

Symptoms vary and can remain the same, worsen or go into remission. Some people experience mild symptoms while others suffer debilitating ones that can affect their quality of life.

Although Sjogren's syndrome does not represent a life threatening condition there can be serious complications especially for those who suffer from a rheumatic disease as well.

Complications

Peripheral neuropathies in the legs.

Symptoms of numbness, tingling and burning.

Dental cavities.

Dry eyes that can lead to corneal ulcers.

Malabsorption of nutrients due to damage to the mucus of the stomach lining.

Other complications that are less common include: pneumonia, bronchitis, and problems with kidney function, hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver. Additionally, a small percentage of people with Sjogren's syndrome develop cancer of the lymph nodes (lymphoma).

Treatment of Sjogren's Syndrome

Sjogren's syndrome is a chronic disease with no cure, however, there are moisture replacement therapies that can help relieve dryness. These include preservative-free artificial tears, artificial saliva's, unscented skin lotions, saline nasal sprays and vaginal lubricants. You may have to try different options until you find the one that suits you best.

There are other things you can do that also may help to alleviate symptoms including:

Avoid dry environments and those that are air-conditioned. Instead use a humidifier and include plants with large leaves in your home; this has helped many relieve the symptom of dry eyes.

Sip water throughout the day or suck on ice cubes to prevent your mouth from getting dry. Before going to sleep break a vitamin E capsule into the mouth, or alternatively, use a teaspoon of salad oil.

Avoid substances such as caffeinated drinks and alcohol that can dehydrate your body.

Nutritional Supplementation for Sjogren’s Syndrome

As previously noted there is no cure for this condition, however, there is an effective supplement you may want to consider to help your body fight inflammation, pain, and stiffness and reduce the autoimmune response.

The active ingredient in this supplement that may help to improve all these symptoms is called Cerasomal-cis-9-cetylmyristoleate (CMO).

CMO is a natural compound that studies have shown has anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to decrease the autoimmune action of the immune system. People suffering with rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, Reiter's syndrome and Sjogren's syndrome have reported an improvement in symptoms as a result of taking CMO.

A natural supplement containing CMO and other powerful and pain relieving ingredients is called Arthrit-Eze. We highlight this product because many people struggling with various rheumatic diseases and pain and stiffness have benefited from it realizing a major improvement in their pain level and mobility.

Arthrit-Eze contains only high quality ingredients, tested for purity, safety and potency and blended in such a way that all work synergistically to deliver fast results.

more than Sjogren's Syndrome on our health conditions page

Legal Disclaimer: The nutritional and health information contained in this web site is for educational purposes only and its not meant to replace medical advice, diagnose or treat any disease. Nutritional benefits may differ from one person to another, because each person is different. Medical doctors and healthcare professionals can provide disagreeing opinions on health issues consequently, each person in the end is responsible for directing their own health care.