Medicare magazine

Sjorgren’s Syndrome is an auto- immune disorder where the white blood cells (the infection fighters) attack the moisture producing cells of the body.  Sjorgren’s Syndrome is often misdiagnosed and patients may suffer for many years before a correct diagnosis is made.  Sjorgren’s seems to attack the lacrimal glands (which make tears) and the salivary glands (which make saliva).  The method by which the white blood cells cause these changes is still unknown and research is ongoing to better understand its cause and huge cost behind it to diagnose. An Insurance quote for your health can liable this cost.

Symptoms of Sjorgren’s Syndrome may differ widely from person to person.  Most often the primary symptom of dryness affects the mouth and eyes, but can also affect many other areas of the body and result in a wide variety of symptoms.  Some symptoms include:

q  Dry skin

q  Dry mouth

q  Chronic bronchitis

q  Memory problems

q  Numbness in the feet or legs

q  Digestive problems

q  Nose bleeds

q  Arthritis or muscle pain

White blood cells circulate throughout the body and may attack in a variety of places.  Symptoms may be mild and isolated to only one area or two, or could produce symptoms throughout the body.  Diagnosis is difficult and often patients suffer for many years before an accurate diagnosis is made.  A Rheumatologist is most often the kind of doctor who diagnoses Sjorgren’s Syndrome.  Rheumatologists are doctors who specialize in disorders of muscle, bones and joints.

There is currently no cure for Sjorgren’s.  While symptoms are bothersome, they most usually are not fatal with proper sjogren’s syndrome treatment or treatments for sjogren’s syndrome.  Patients may benefit from a variety of medications to treat symptoms and cure sjogren’s syndrome.  Prescription eye drops may help with tear production and synthetic liquids for the mouth can help replace moisture that saliva normally would.  If the internal organs are involved your doctor may prescribe immunosuppressive medications—meaning that they suppress the immune system to keep the white blood cells from attacking which may help reduce symptoms.

Nine out of ten Sjorgren’s patients are women and most are in their 40’s.  However Sjorgren’s can affect men and women as well as children of any age.