Sjögren’s is the 2nd most common autoimmune disease affecting as many as 4 million Americans.

Some numbers to consider

• Sjögren’s syndrome affects 1 – 4 million people in the United States.

• 9 out of 10 people who develop Sjögren’s are women.

• 5 years = the average time it takes to receive a proper diagnosis, from the time that first symptoms appear.

• Between 400,000 and 3.1 million adults have Sjögren’s syndrome.

• Symptoms usually appear between the ages of 45 and 55, but can affect people of any age.

• Approximately half of patients also have rheumatoid arthritis or other connective tissue diseases.

So What IS Sjögren’s Disease?

Pronounced: SHOW-grins

Sjogren’s is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease which affects the entire body. The immune system recognizes a threat, and accidentally attacks it’s own tissue or parts of your own body. With Sjogren’s syndrome, the primary attack is on the exocrine glands which are the glands that produce moisture in the mouth, skin, eyes, vaginal area, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract. Sjogren’s can also affect other parts of the body, including the joints, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, digestive organs, and nerves.

What causes Sjögren’s Disease?

The cause of Sjögren’s is unknown, however research suggests that genetic factors and possibly viral infections may predispose people to developing this condition, as well as environmental factors.

Sjögren’s Symptoms

The most common symptoms associated with Sjögren’s are Dry/burning eyes, mouth, and/or throat, but many experience other symptoms such as:

• Dry lips

• Dry skin

• Vaginal Dryness

• Difficulty swallowing

• Persistent dry cough

• Digestive Issues

• Joint & muscle pain

• Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

• Fatigue

• Cracked tongue

• Increased dental decay

• Swollen parotid/salivary glands

How is Sjögren’s Diagnosed?

Sjogren’s can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be similar to those of other diseases. It is often overlooked or misdiagnosed. On average, it takes about 2-3 years to receive a Sjogren’s diagnosis. Since there isn’t just one test to diagnose Sjogren’s, doctors might look at several items to put the puzzle together. To help rule out other conditions, your doctor might run the following tests:

BLOOD TESTS

• ANA (Anti-Nuclear Antibody)
ANAs are a group of antibodies that react against normal components of a cell nucleus. About 70% of Sjögren’s patients have a positive ANA test result.

• RF (Rheumatoid Factor)
This antibody test is indicative of a rheumatic disease, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus and Sjögren’s. It doesn’t, however, specify which rheumatic disease a person has. In Sjögren’s patients, 60-70% have a positive RF.

• SS-A (or Ro) and SS-B (or La)
These are the marker antibodies for Sjögren’s. Seventy percent of Sjögren’s patients are positive for SS-A and 40% are positive for SS-B (these may also be found in lupus patients).

• ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)
This test measures inflammation. An elevated ESR indicates the presence of an inflammatory disorder, including Sjögren’s.

• IGs (Immunoglobulins)
These are normal blood proteins that participate in immune reactions and are usually elevated in Sjögren’s patients.

EYE TESTS

• Schirmer Test
Measures tear production.

• Rose Bengal and Lissamine Green
Eyedrops containing dyes that an eye care specialist uses to examine the surface of the eye for dry spots.

DENTAL TESTS

• Salivary Flow
Measures the amount of saliva produced over a certain period of time.

• Salivary scintigraphy
A nuclear medicine test that measures salivary gland function.

A salivary gland biopsy (usually in the lower lip) might be done by a specialist to confirm inflammatory cell (lymphocytic) infiltration of the minor salivary glands.

Note: to prevent cavities and tooth loss which may occur as a complication of Sjögren’s, all patients should receive regular dental care.

How is Sjögren’s treated?

Within standard medicine, treatment is primarily focused on relieving complications and symptoms in the areas of the body being affected. It’s very common within the standard system, to pay little attention to nutrition, stress and lifestyle, and much attention to prescribing medications for symptoms. Some drugs commonly prescribed are prescription eyedrops, meds to increase salivary production, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) for arthritis symptoms, Immune suppressants, Plaquenil, etc.

My Personal thoughts on standard/common treatment….

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a doctor, and this is simply my experience and opinion as someone living with Sjogren’s since 2014 and a practicing Holistic Nutritionist.

Sjogren’s is still a very misunderstood disease and there is SO much room left for professional awareness to increase, in order to help expedite diagnosis and treatment options.

With any autoimmune disease, the immune system has been compromised and therefore is not functioning properly. There are numerous studies regarding the link between a leaky gut and autoimmune disease. So while it currently may seem like there are few options available, aside from prescription drugs, I believe correcting your nutrition to restore your gut health is a foundation piece to managing Sjogren’s.

When symptoms are persistent and the body is in complete flare, it’s because the body is under chronic inflammation. Inflammation is good when it’s trying to fight something off like an infection. But when the body is in inflammation mode constantly, this sets us up for major system malfunction.

We don’t all have access to certain blood tests, or top rated doctors, but we do have some sort of control over what we put into our bodies each day.

Other key components aside from nutrition, are discovering your body’s nutrient deficiencies, improving sleep habits, movement/exercise, management of stress.

WAYS TO ADDRESS/MANAGE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE

• Research/Find a Functional/Integrative Health Practitioner that will investigate the root cause of your symptoms versus immediately resort to prescription drugs to suppress the symptom.

• Begin Restoring your Gut health by building up the balance of your good & bad gut bacteria through nutrition

• Reduce your exposure to toxins in your day to day routine

  • cosmetics

  • hygiene products

  • cleaning products

  • Read: Hidden Toxins + How to Avoid them

  • Read: Supporting your body’s natural detoxification processes

Nutrition + Sjögren’s Syndrome

Establishing the proper nutritional diet for your personal circumstance. It is NEVER a one size fits all, when it comes to nutrition. A good place to start is a food sensitivity or allergy test and exploring an elimination diet. Below are some general foods to include/avoid as a starting point.

• • INCLUDE: fermented foods, probiotics, nutrient dense foods, organic pasture raised animal protein, lots of green leafy vegetables, good fats, real/whole foods, low sugar content, resistant starches

  • EXCLUDE: Highly inflammatory foods such as:

    • Processed foods, sugar (refined/added), Nightshades, lectins, gluten & grains, conventional dairy, artificial sweeteners, alcoholic beverages

Related Resources + Informative Links

Sjogren’s Syndrome Fact Sheet

Sjogren’s Foundation

Mayo Clinic-conditions, diagnosis, treatment

The Epidemiology of Sjogren’s Syndrome

American College of Rheumatology

Sjogren’s Syndrome Clinic

3 Famous People w/Sjogren’s Syndrome

Helpful Tips

Tips for Dry Mouth

Saliva helps clean your teeth and reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth that causes dental decay. This means that good oral hygiene is important if you have dry mouth.

• Visit a dentist at least twice a year to have your teeth examined and cleaned.
• Keep a glass of water nearby – day and night – and drink small sips regularly to keep your mouth moist.
• Use lip balm if your lips are dry and cracked.
• Floss your teeth regularly.
• Avoid sugary foods and sugary drinks.

Tips for Dry Eyes

• Use eye drops that don’t irritate your eyes. Talk with your doctor to find the best drops for you.
• Use humidifiers in the rooms where you spend the most time or install a humidifier in your heating and air conditioning unit.