Although the hallmark symptoms are dry eyes, dry mouth, fatigue and joint pain, Sjögren's is a systemic disease and affects the entire body. Fatigue is often described as one of the most debilitating symptoms of Sjögren's.
Life expectancy in primary Sjogren's syndrome is comparable to that of the general population, but it can take up to seven years to correctly diagnose Sjogren's. Although life expectancy is not typically affected, patients' quality of life is, and considerably.
The main symptoms are dry eyes and mouth, but other parts of the body may be affected as well, with many people reporting fatigue and joint and muscle pain. In addition, the disease can damage the lungs, kidneys, and nervous system.
Avoid sugar and sugary beverages, because they can promote tooth decay, as well as coffee, alcohol, and nicotine, which can irritate the mouth. Use lip balm or ointments to soothe dry or cracked lips. A humidifier can relieve dryness in the winter or at night.
Over time, the immune system for people with Sjogren's syndrome can damage other parts of your body, including joints, nerves, skin, and organs such as kidneys, liver, and lungs. These long-term consequences can be quite debilitating.
Avoiding foods that tend to exacerbate symptoms including alcohol, caffeine, acidic foods, and spicy foods.
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.
Avoid alcohol (including alcohol-based oral elixirs) because this can aggravate symptoms and mouth dryness. Tobacco. You should not smoke, and you should avoid areas where people are smoking, as this can aggravate dryness symptoms.
We divided SS patients into three stages: stage I is glandular SS, stage II is extraglandular SS, and stage III is extraglandular SS with lymphoid malignancy.
Sjögren's syndrome can cause nerve damage which regulates the coordination of heartbeat, respiration, and gastric motility. This is called an “autonomic neuropathy.” Examples of symptoms include lightheadedness when standing, decreased or increased sweating, and feeling full despite eating small meals.
If Sjögren's syndrome isn't treated appropriately, significant, long-term complications could result that affect your eyes, mouth, lungs, kidneys, liver or lymph nodes — complications including blindness, significant dental destruction and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Venus Williams Has Sjögren's Syndrome
After winning her first round in the U.S. Open tennis tournament at age 31 in the summer of 2011, this tennis legend withdrew from play and announced she had Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes extensive dryness, fatigue, and chronic pain.
Sjögren's syndrome doesn't cause weight gain. However, medications (like steroids) used to treat symptoms may cause weight gain. Also, there are conditions like hypothyroidism that may be linked to Sjögren's syndrome that can result in unintended weight gain.
Caffeinated drinks and alcohol can dry your mouth, and you should avoid them. You should also avoid spices and acidic foods such as citrus, as these can irritate a dry, sore mouth.
What Is The Connection Between Lupus and Sjogren's Syndrome? Sjogren's syndrome is a rare autoimmune condition that often accompanies other autoimmune conditions. Some of these include lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. It is estimated that up to 15 to 18 percent of people living with lupus also have Sjogren's syndrome.
Patients with pSS have an increased risk of newly diagnosed depressive and/or anxiety disorders and sleep disorders that may impair their quality of life [4,13,14]. Moreover, unpredictable course of the disease and increased risk of developing lymphoma may additionally affect psychological status of pSS patients [15].
"Patients with Sjögren's syndrome experience chronic dryness of the eyes and mouth as well as other parts of the body, and thus have a hampered ability to cry. This may affect their ability to express their emotions and they often have to rely on words and facial expressions instead of tears as a result" said Ms.
Trigger: High and low temperatures
About half the time, it occurs alongside other autoimmune conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or scleroderma. Barsky points to a recent study showing that both extreme heat and cold often affect Sjögren's.
Age: Most people who are diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome are 40 or older, but it can affect younger individuals, including children. Gender: Women are as much as 10 times more likely to develop Sjögren's syndrome than men. This imbalance may be related to the effect of sex hormones on a woman's immune system.
Allergens : Allergenic foods such as dairy, peanuts, and eggs should be avoided by those with Sjogren's syndrome, even if they do not have allergies to these foods.