The Mystery of Sjogren's Syndrome
Posted By admin on May 8, 2011
If you cannot dare eat a cracker without a glass of water handy, chances are, you may have Sjogren's syndrome. This is an autoimmune illness which was first called "keratoconjunctivitis sicca" by Swedish opthamologist Henrik Sjogren in the early 1900s. The word used to describe dryness of the eyes and the mouth is “sicca”.
The Sjogren's syndrome causes are few, as this disorder affects the exocrine glands; or the glands that are moisture- producing. Other people believe that the disease not only affects the eyes and mouth coupled with the feeling of dryness, but it can affect the whole body in several ways. The symptoms may range from being mild causing annoyance to most people. But at other times, the symptoms may develop into a major problem and may decrease the quality of life. Oftentimes, this may lead to awful complications especially when it was not immediately noticed, attended to and treated.
It is the women who seem to get the disease more often than men. The fact is; 90% of Sjogren's patients are female although there also a few number of men who suffer from it, also. The diagnosis for this disease can take years, and some people get to visit more than one doctor and ask for a second opinion before a proper diagnosis is made.
Diagnosis will include several tests performed to an individual including eye tests, lip biopsies, and blood tests. Sometimes, the antibodies can be readily seen in patients positive for Sjogren's after a blood test. But in some cases, the antibodies won't show up in blood tests even when a person has Sjogren’s, not until the disease has progressed further. But for few people, the antibodies will not show up in blood tests at all. The inner lip is numbed when the lip biopsy is done and a sampling is taken from the salivary glands. The tear production in the eyes is measured by the Shirmer test.
Until now, there is no known cure for Sjogren's, but you can seek proper treatment in order for patients to be relieved of the symptoms. To alleviate the feeling of dryness in the mouth, lozenges, mouthwashes, and special toothpastes, can help. For dry eyes, many people use different eye drops. Some patients even have their tear ducts plugged just to keep remaining moisture in the eyes.
With this disease, doctors recommend regular dental check-ups and to maintain overall dental health. Dental hygiene must be practiced since the lack of moisture makes the mouth prone to disease. Doctor may refer you to a rheumatologist as soon as the disease is suspected. The Sjogren's can also affect the central nervous system, and this makes the treatment much more of a challenge. But most patients continue to lead normal lives, although making a few adjustments for the symptoms can prove to be a test.
Comments
Leave a Reply