Patients diagnosed with pSS can present in outpatient clinical settings with various neurological symptoms including loss of sensation or lower extremity pain or paresthesia as well as dizziness and syncope. Most of these patients are misdiagnosed or misinterpreted.
Steven Carsons, MD: Common symptoms of neurologic involvement secondary to Sjogren syndrome include numbness and tingling of the extremities or problems with balance, representing peripheral neuropathy, facial pain secondary to trigeminal neuralgia, and patchy painful stinging and burning of the skin caused by small ...
The observed neurological symptoms include paresis of limbs, aphasia, ataxia, and internuclear ophthalmoplegia; their course is chronic, relapsing-remitting, similar to multiple sclerosis (MS).
Dry eyes, corneal ulcerations and infections. Dry nose, recurrent sinusitis, nosebleeds. Dry mouth, mouth sores, dental decay, difficulty with chewing, speech, taste and dentures. Swollen, painful parotid/salivary glands.
Sjögren's syndrome can also cause swollen or painful joints, muscle pain or weakness, dry skin, rashes, brain fog (poor concentration or memory), numbness and tingling sensations in the arms and legs due to nerve involvement, heartburn, kidney problems and swollen lymph nodes.
These and previous studies suggest a model for pSS that separates the disease into several stages: 1) initial injury to the submandibular and lacrimal glands via an environmental insult and LTα; 2) amplification of local injury via the production of type 1 IFN; injury to the parotid glands, lungs, and kidneys is seen; ...
The CNS manifestations of pSS include diffuse abnormalities (psychiatric changes, encephalopathy, aseptic meningitis, and cognitive difficulties/dementia) and focal or multifocal involvement of the brain and spinal cord leading to motor and sensory deficits, seizures, aphasia, and optic neuropathy [12, 31].
The disorder can affect the nervous system, muscles, joints, kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, liver, and pancreas. Sjögren's syndrome is a long-lasting disorder that affects females more often than men.
While some people experience mild discomfort, others suffer debilitating symptoms that greatly impair their ability to function. Early diagnosis and proper treatment can prevent serious complications and greatly improve quality of life.
MRI of patients with primary Sjögren syndrome has shown multiple areas of increased signal intensity in the periventricular and subcortical white matter (WM) on FLAIR and T2-weighted images [7–10]. These findings have been observed in both patients with and those without CNS impairment [7–10].
Abstract. The patient was a 64-year-old woman with a nearly 20-year history of sicca symptoms, having been given a diagnosis of primary Sjögren's syndrome. Three years previously, she experienced difficulty in walking up a slope and had leg malaise, which insidiously progressed to an inability to go up and down stairs.
Primary Sjögren syndrome occurs in the absence of another underlying rheumatic disorder, whereas secondary Sjögren syndrome is associated with another underlying rheumatic disease, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or scleroderma.
A person who develops Sjögren's syndrome most likely inherits the risk from one or both of their parents, but in addition, there's been some sort of environmental impact—such as a viral or bacterial infection—that causes it to become active.
Disease severities vary considerably from mild glandular dryness to severe glandular involvement with numerous extraglandular and systemic features. Sensorineural hearing loss is sometimes observed in both primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome.
Results: SS-related dry eye is a progressive condition with major negative impact on the quality-of-life of afflicted patients, not only due to symptoms of ocular discomfort but also visual dysfunction. In addition, SS can lead to corneal melt/perforation, uveitis, scleritis, retinal vasculitis, and optic neuritis.
It may include forgetfulness, spaciness, confusion, decreased ability to pay attention, an inability to focus, and difficulty in processing information.
A wide variety of nervous system complications are characteristic features of Sjögren's syndrome. Small fiber neuropathy — damage to the peripheral nerves — is a major one. Peripheral neuropathy can cause weakness, tingling, burning, and pain, usually in the hands and feet.
The patients with Sjogren's had an overall lower quality of sleep [8]. All of the studies in the systematic review noted that there is an increased number of nighttime awakenings in Sjogren's patients.
In most people with Sjögren syndrome, dry eyes and dry mouth are the primary features of the disorder, and general health and life expectancy are largely unaffected.
Sjogren's (SHOW-grins) syndrome is a disorder of your immune system identified by its two most common symptoms — dry eyes and a dry mouth. The condition often accompanies other immune system disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
Avoid medicines that are known to cause dry eyes. These include antihistamines, diuretics, and some antidepressants. Talk with your doctor if you take any of these medicines. Sometimes the benefits of a medicine outweigh the risks.
Falk: What kinds of factors can make Sjogren's worse? What is the effect, for example, of stress? Jonas: Well, like all autoimmune diseases, patients who feel stressed or are under unusual stress will often have exacerbation of their symptoms. Learning to manage that stress in your life is very important.