The Sjögren disease (pronounced show grin) is an autoimmune disease that affects the moisture-related glands in the body. The disease can cause the vagina influences, the mouth, the nose passage-sogs and with other life-changing symptoms of extreme dryness and chronic pain.
Unfortunately, it may take years for Sjögren to get a diagnosis because symptoms such as dryness can be rejected by health service providers as eye allergies or menopause or just no big matter. But Sjögren is a serious, systemic disease.
Recently, the International Sjögren community has officially changed the name from “Sjögren -Syndrome” to “Sjögren -disease” in order to reflect more precisely how complex and serious the condition is. And the term “secondary Sjögren” is no longer used because it implied that Sjögrens was less important when diagnosing together with other autoimmune diseases.
Read: Autoimmune diseases 101 >>
The shift in language is a step in the right direction to raise awareness of the disease. Today around 4 million people live in the USA with Sjögrens and most of them are women or people who were assigned to women at birth (AFB).
Here you will find more about what you need to know about the symptoms, risk factors and treatments of Sjögren.
What is Sjögren’s disease?
Sjögren’s is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s immune system incorrectly attacks glands that make moisture in the mouth, eyes and other parts of the body. The limited production of liquid leads, among other things, to dryness and irritation.
Sjögren can also damage the lungs, kidneys and nervous system. And people with Sjögren can be diagnosed with additional autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
Read: FAQs about Lupus >>
What are the symptoms of a Sjögren disease?
The most common symptoms of Sjögren are dry eyes and dry mouth. Your eyes may feel granular – as if sand is in itself – and you can experience blurred view and sensitivity to light and itchy eyelids.
Dry mouth can cause problems with swallowing, tasting and speaking, and the lack of saliva can lead to dental problems such as cavities and oral infections.
In addition to dry eyes and dry mouth, the disease can also influence other tissues and organs and show itself in different ways.
Other symptoms can include:
- Dry skin
- Dry nose passages
- Swelling in the glands on the face and neck
- fatigue
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain and weakness
- Storage problems
- Daubiness and tingling in the arms and legs
- shortness of breath
- Rash
What are the risk factors for the Sjögren disease?
The exact cause of the disease of Sjögren is unknown, but the researchers believe that a combination of environmental factors, genes and diseases play a role.
You may have an increased risk of Sjögren if you:
- Are a woman or a person still
- Are over 40 years old
- Are in perimenopause or menopause
- Have/had certain viral or bacterial infections that Sjögren’s can trigger
- Have an immediate family history of autoimmune diseases
How is the Sjögren disease diagnosed?
There is no test that can diagnose the Sjögren disease. And a diagnosis can be complicated by the fact that several health service providers are usually involved in the diagnosis, including rheumatologists, dentists and ophthalmologists.
As a rule, a physical examination begins the process, followed by blood tests and tests to check the crack and saliva values. These tests can include:
- Blood tests for antibodies SS-A and SS-B
- Schirmer test for tear production
- Rose Bengal and Lissamingrüne dye tests on signs of dry eye
- Saliva test
- Salivary biopsy
Women and Sjögren disease
Nine out of ten people with Sjögren disease are still women and humans. Research has not been completed why more women are affected than men, but some examinations suggest that estrogen – or the lack of estrogen – can contribute to the illness, since most women are diagnosed at the time of perimenopause and menopause when estrogen levels drop.
Due to the lack of moisture in the body, women who live with Sjögren can also occur extreme vaginal drought and the genitarian syndrome of menopause (GSM) and other gynecological problems than women without Sjögren.
What are the treatment options for the Sjögren disease?
The treatment plans for Sjögren vary from person to person and no two treatment plans are the same. For this reason, it is important to deal with your treatment options for decisions.
Read: How common decision -making can lead to better health care >>
Most people with Sjögren use a combination of over -the -counter products and prescription medication.
The treatment options can include:
- Corticosteroid
- Illness-modifying anti-rheumatic medication (DMARDS)
- Biologics and small molecules therapies
- Prescription dry eye drops and inserts
- Prescription oral drugs for dry mouth
Lifestyle factors such as good tooth hygiene and all moisture during the day can help with symptoms in some people.
There is no cure for Sjögren’s, but an individual treatment plan can help treat the symptoms and reduce the risk of complications. As always, speak to your health service provider if you have symptoms or think that you may live with Sjögren. The average diagnosis takes three years – there is no time to waste.
This educational resource was created with the support of Amgen, a healthy member of the Corporate Advisory Council.
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