Embarrassing Illnesses

Sjogren's syndrome is a condition where the body's immune system malfunctions and begins to attack healthy tissue (an autoimmune condition).

In Sjogren's syndrome the immune system usually targets the tear and saliva glands, leading to a reduction in the production of saliva and tears. This can lead to symptoms of dry mouth and dry eyes.

In women, the glands responsible for keeping the vagina moist can also be affected, leading to vaginal dryness.

Other parts of the body can also be affected, causing a range of symptoms from fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and numbness and pain in the arms or legs (neuropathy).

Types of Sjogren's syndrome

Health professionals classify Sjogren's syndrome into one of two types:

• Primary Sjogren's syndrome: where the condition develops by itself.
• Secondary Sjogren's syndrome: where the condition develops in combination with another autoimmune condition, such as lupus (a condition that causes fatigue, joint pain and skin rashes) or rheumatoid arthritis.

Secondary Sjogren's syndrome is the most common type and accounts for 60% of all cases.

How common is Sjogren's syndrome?

Sjogren's syndrome is a relatively common condition. Three to four per cent of the population of England are thought to have Sjogren's syndrome, making it the second most common autoimmune condition after rheumatoid arthritis.

90% of cases involve women.

The condition can develop at any age, but most cases will begin in people age between 40-60 years.

The cause of Sjogren's syndrome remains unknown, but research suggests that the condition is triggered by a combination of genetic, environmental and possibly hormonal factors.

Prognosis

There is no cure for Sjogren's syndrome but there are a number of treatments and self-care techniques that can help control symptoms, such as eye drops and medicines to stimulate saliva production.

Unfortunately, having excessively dry eyes and a dry mouth can cause other symptoms, such as eye irritation, dental decay, oral thrush (fungal infection of the mouth) and difficulties swallowing (dysphagia).

If you have Sjogren's syndrome, it may have implications for driving. See the Useful links section for how to inform the DVLA about medical conditons.