"Patients with Sjögren's syndrome experience chronic dryness of the eyes and mouth as well as other parts of the body, and thus have a hampered ability to cry. This may affect their ability to express their emotions and they often have to rely on words and facial expressions instead of tears as a result" said Ms.
Ocular symptoms include:
Dry eyes. Blurred vision. Discomfort ranging from mild to debilitating. Inability to cry tears.
The condition often accompanies other immune system disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. In Sjogren's syndrome, the mucous membranes and moisture-secreting glands of your eyes and mouth are usually affected first — resulting in decreased tears and saliva.
Patients with pSS have an increased risk of newly diagnosed depressive and/or anxiety disorders and sleep disorders that may impair their quality of life [4,13,14]. Moreover, unpredictable course of the disease and increased risk of developing lymphoma may additionally affect psychological status of pSS patients [15].
Neurological involvement has been reported in up to 80% of adults with Primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) with psychiatric abnormalities including anxiety, depression, and cognitive dysfunction being common.
Sjögren's syndrome can cause nerve damage which regulates the coordination of heartbeat, respiration, and gastric motility. This is called an “autonomic neuropathy.” Examples of symptoms include lightheadedness when standing, decreased or increased sweating, and feeling full despite eating small meals.
Neuropsychiatric manifestations in Sjögren's syndrome are common and can occur not only during its course, but also at the onset of the disease. Depression and anxiety were the most frequently described symptoms.
Over time, the immune system for people with Sjogren's syndrome can damage other parts of your body, including joints, nerves, skin, and organs such as kidneys, liver, and lungs. These long-term consequences can be quite debilitating.
Falk: What kinds of factors can make Sjogren's worse? What is the effect, for example, of stress? Jonas: Well, like all autoimmune diseases, patients who feel stressed or are under unusual stress will often have exacerbation of their symptoms. Learning to manage that stress in your life is very important.
In more serious cases of Sjögren's syndrome, the immune system can attack other parts of the body, causing symptoms and conditions such as: dry skin. tiredness and fatigue – which are common and can lead to total exhaustion.
The main symptoms are dry eyes and mouth, but other parts of the body may be affected as well, with many people reporting fatigue and joint and muscle pain. In addition, the disease can damage the lungs, kidneys, and nervous system.
Avoiding foods that tend to exacerbate symptoms including alcohol, caffeine, acidic foods, and spicy foods.
Due to decreased tear production, your eyes may feel extremely dry. They may also itch or burn, leading to excessive blinking. It may feel like grains of sand are lodged in your eyes. Or they may be red or watery, and you may have blurred vision or be sensitive to bright or fluorescent lights.
So, we suggest to define "absence of tears" as "dry cry." We believe that this term is much easier for the health care workers to recognize and will alert them to detect moderately dehydrated children who are crying without tears, ie, crying dry.
This condition is frequently associated with other autoimmune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Sjogren syndrome is managed by replacing moisture at affected glandular sites and diminishing the autoimmune response locally as well as systemically.
Although the hallmark symptoms are dry eyes, dry mouth, fatigue and joint pain, Sjögren's is a systemic disease and affects the entire body. Fatigue is often described as one of the most debilitating symptoms of Sjögren's.
Sjögren's syndrome can also cause swollen or painful joints, muscle pain or weakness, dry skin, rashes, brain fog (poor concentration or memory), numbness and tingling sensations in the arms and legs due to nerve involvement, heartburn, kidney problems and swollen lymph nodes.
Age: Most people who are diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome are 40 or older, but it can affect younger individuals, including children. Gender: Women are as much as 10 times more likely to develop Sjögren's syndrome than men. This imbalance may be related to the effect of sex hormones on a woman's immune system.
Fatigue is a complex and multi-faceted phenomenon, defined as a feeling of physical tiredness and lack of energy (5). The prevalence of fatigue in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is approximately 65-70%, and often reported as the most debilitating symptom (6).
The condition may progress slowly, so the typical symptoms of dry eyes and mouth may take years to show. However, rapid onset can also occur. Symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, and the progression is often unpredictable.
Thyroid problems and anemia are common in Sjogren's syndrome patients and can cause fatigue. Usually, fatigue due to thyroid dysfunction and anemia can be resolved when the underlying problem is taken care of.
Global cognitive impairment in Sjögren's
Most patients experience “brain fog” symptoms, which manifest as memory lapses, forgetfulness, mental confusion, and difficulties in concentrating, organizing, or anticipating future events.
Affected patients may also experience complex neurological symptoms characterized by extremity paresthesia and pain as well as dizziness and presyncope.