If you suffer from Sjogren's syndrome you should know that you aren’t alone. Out of more than a million individuals who have had to face this disease in the United States of America, the syndrome mostly affected women. The term Sjogren's syndrome applies to a condition wherein one finds that one’s own immune system targets one’s glands which are involved in the production of moisture. The tissues are attacked in a manner that would be appropriate if they were foreign substances. Examples of these glands would be our saliva as well as our tear glands. Such glands perform important functions, and although they might seem insignificant, they are necessary for proper body functioning. As a result of such an attack, scarring and injury to these glands is common. Since these glands are essential for the production of moisture, the usual result is excessive dryness that afflicts the patient’s mouth in addition to the person’s eyes. This is referred to as sicca syndrome and can cause discomfort. A decline in the amount of tearing is one of the commonly associated symptoms as is lack of moisture in other mucus membranes. Some symptoms associated with Sjogren's syndrome include joint pain and tiredness. It could be that you find you lose your sense of taste, have swollen glands and hoarseness. There are a few cases where the functioning of a person’s vital organs could be affected as a result of the syndrome. The affected organs could be the kidneys, the lungs, and other such vital organs although such instances are not so common. There is often a link connecting this disorder to autoimmune rheumatic disorders. The doctor would be your best guide in treating Sjogren's syndrome.
The focus of treating Sjogren's syndrome is providing relief for the associated symptoms. Home treatment would mean a lot of water intake via sips over the course of your day. This is needed to keep the dry mouth feeling at bay since the intake is regulated. Another option is chewing gum so as to keep your mouth hydrated, but remember that sugar-free gum for this condition would be best. A proper regime to take care of your teeth such as flossing and frequent cleaning becomes important so as to cut the chance of associated severe cavities. It would be wise to let your doctor deal with Sjogren's syndrome treatment following the appropriate diagnosis. This is because lymphoma could be a possible complication as well as pulmonary infection.