Embarrassing Illnesses

The most commonly reported symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome are dry mouth and dry eyes, both of which can lead to other associated symptoms.

Many women will also experience dryness of the vagina, which can make sexual intercourse painful.

Associated symptoms of dry mouth

Associated symptoms of dry mouth includes:

• dental decay, leading to an increase risk of tooth loss,
• dry cough,
• difficulties swallowing and chewing,
• hoarse voice,
• difficulties speaking,
• swollen salivary glands; your salivary glands are located between your jaw and your ears, and
• repeated fungal infections of your mouth (oral thrush); the symptoms of oral thrush include the appearance of white, cream-coloured, or yellow spots on the inside of your mouth and tongue.

Associated symptoms of dry eyes

Associated symptoms of dry eyes include:

• a burning or stinging sensation in your eyes,
• your eyes feel itchy,
• it feels like there is a foreign body, such as a piece of sand or gravel, in your eyes,
• your eyelids become irritated, and may swell,
• you become sensitive to light (photophobia),
• your eyes feel tired, and
• you may notice a discharge of mucus from your eyes.

Symptoms can become worse when you are in a windy or smoky environment. Many people have also reported that being in buildings that are air-conditioned or travelling on aeroplanes makes their symptoms worse.

Other symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome

In more serious cases of Sjogren's syndrome, the immune system can attack other parts of the body other than the tear, saliva or vaginal glands, causing a wide range of symptoms.

Some of the most commonly reported of these symptoms are:

• dry skin,
• fatigue,
• muscle pain,
• joint pain, stiffness and swelling,
• pain and numbness in certain parts of the body, usually the arms or legs (periphery neuropathy),
• restricted blood flow to the hands, which can cause the hands to feel cold, numb and painful (Raynaud's phenomenon).