{"id":152290,"date":"2024-03-05T14:33:41","date_gmt":"2024-03-05T19:33:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/archives\/152290"},"modified":"2024-03-05T14:33:41","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T19:33:41","slug":"10-signs-of-sjogrens-syndrome-a-very-complex-autoimmune-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/archives\/152290","title":{"rendered":"10 Signs of Sjogren’s Syndrome – a very complex autoimmune disease"},"content":{"rendered":"
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=y7zgsJecDO0<\/div>10 signs of Sjogren’s Syndrome Sjogren’s Syndrome is one of the most common\u00a0 diseases in my practice, Rheumatologist Oncall.\u00a0\u00a0 So, today I decided to give you\u00a0 all the information you need\u00a0\u00a0 to understand this disease better. In this video, we will discuss the most common 10\u00a0\u00a0 manifestations of Sjogren’s Syndrome. Let’s begin! Hi, I’m Dr. Diana Girnita, a board-certified\u00a0 rheumatologist and the Founder of Rheumatologist\u00a0\u00a0 OnCall. If you are new here, welcome to\u00a0 my Youtube channel, where I educate people\u00a0\u00a0 about rheumatoid arthritis, and autoimmune\u00a0 diseases, like Sjogren’s Syndrome. So,\u00a0\u00a0 don’t forget to subscribe and never miss\u00a0 one of my videos. If you’ve been following\u00a0\u00a0 this channel for a while, I am excited to have\u00a0 you back and share more information with you! Sjogren syndrome is a rare disorder affecting\u00a0 about 1.0% of the population. Between\u00a0\u00a0 400,000 and 3.1 million adults have Sj\u00f6gren’s\u00a0 Syndrome. Females are more affected than males,\u00a0\u00a0 and many patients with rheumatoid arthritis\u00a0 can also have symptoms of Sjogren. \u00a0 Dryness. The most common\u00a0\u00a0 symptom of patients suffering from SS is\u00a0 dryness of the eyes and mouth. Patients\u00a0\u00a0 mostly describe dryness of the eyes as itching,\u00a0 irritation, grittiness, a foreign body sensation,\u00a0\u00a0 and blurry\/change in vision. The lacrimal\u00a0 glands’ secretion from your eyes will decrease\u00a0\u00a0 over the years, and you will start feeling\u00a0 these changes that can become very upsetting.\u00a0 Suppose you go to see an eye doctor. In\u00a0 that case, they can quantify your lacrimal\u00a0\u00a0 gland secretion using a test called Schiermer\u00a0 test, where they put a special type of paper\u00a0\u00a0 in your eyes that will tell your doctor\u00a0 how much lacrimal secretion you have.00:02:21<\/a> Dryness of the mouth is also common in patients\u00a0 with Sjogren. Your saliva keeps your mouth healthy\u00a0\u00a0 and prevents the onset of cavities.\u00a0 When your saliva secretion decreases,\u00a0\u00a0 you may experience frequent tooth\u00a0 decay, and multiple cavities.\u00a0 You may also experience difficulty\u00a0 eating and swallowing dry food,\u00a0\u00a0 such as crackers, without drinking liquids. You may need to drink frequent sips of water\u00a0\u00a0 to be able to talk. You may have changes\u00a0 in your taste due to a lack of saliva.\u00a0 Some patients can have frequent\u00a0 episodes of parotiditis.\u00a0 Dryness can affect your skin\u00a0 and can cause itchiness. Rarely,\u00a0\u00a0 the skin can develop a more complicated\u00a0 disease called small vessel vasculitis. Some females will describe\u00a0 vaginal dryness, irritations,\u00a0\u00a0 pain with sexual intercourse, and itchiness,\u00a0 which can dramatically affect their sex life. \u00a0 Joint and muscle pain.\u00a0 Patients with Sjogren frequently complain of joint\u00a0 and muscle pain. The joints can hurt without being\u00a0\u00a0 swollen. Usually, the pain is symmetric, and it\u00a0 may come and go. Unlike Rheumatoid arthritis,\u00a0\u00a0 Sjogren’s arthritis is not deforming the joints. The hands, wrists, and knees are usually affected.\u00a0 About 40% of patients can have a\u00a0 rheumatoid factor test positive,\u00a0\u00a0 especially in patients with joint pain. More rarely, patients could have positive anti-CCP\u00a0\u00a0 antibodies, these are antibodies frequently\u00a0 seen in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis,\u00a0\u00a0 and these patients could have more aggressive\u00a0 disease and even develop erosions in their joints.00:04:35<\/a> As I mentioned, muscle pain is also frequently\u00a0 seen and could cause weakness in the arms or legs.\u00a0\u00a0 It is essential to fully evaluate the weakness as\u00a0 this could also indicate inflammatory myositis, an\u00a0\u00a0 autoimmune disease of the muscles. Lung Disease\u00a0 About 20% of patients with Sjogren disease can\u00a0 have their lungs affected. Patients can develop\u00a0\u00a0 upper respiratory infections, like sinusitis\u00a0 or present with a dry, irritating cough.\u00a0\u00a0 The cough could be due to severe dryness of the\u00a0 airways, mucus plugs or reflux from the stomach.\u00a0\u00a0 Sometimes, the patients can see\u00a0 changes in their voices and hoarseness.\u00a0 In some cases, along with dry cough,\u00a0 patients will present to the doctor\u00a0\u00a0 due to severe shortness of breath that we call\u00a0 dyspnea. The shortness of breath can initially\u00a0\u00a0 affect you after walking a short distance,\u00a0 going up a flair of stairs, or even resting.\u00a0 Pulmonary function tests and a high-resolution\u00a0 CT scan are indicated in these cases.\u00a0 The CT can identify if you have lung fibrosis\u00a0 or interstitial lung disease. Some patients\u00a0\u00a0 will present with shortness of breath and cough,\u00a0 before developing dryness of the eyes and mouth.\u00a0 In these cases, the pulmonologist that\u00a0 found the lung fibrosis might decide to\u00a0\u00a0 test you for autoimmune diseases like Sjogren or\u00a0 Rheumatoid arthritis, to name a few possibilities. Neurologic manifestations Many neurologic manifestations may\u00a0\u00a0 occur in Sjogren patients, including peripheral\u00a0 and central nervous system abnormalities.\u00a0 From frequent headaches, paresthesias or tingling\u00a0 in the hands and feet, even tingling in the\u00a0\u00a0 face or other parts of the body, to complicated\u00a0 neurological diseases like transverse myelitis\u00a0\u00a0 and optic neuritis, or\u00a0 inflammation of the optic nerve.\u00a0 Some patients can even present with\u00a0 symptoms that look like multiple sclerosis.\u00a0 Rarely patients with Sjogren can present with\u00a0 brain inflammation that we call encephalitis. Heart disease Yes, Sjogren can affect your heart.\u00a0\u00a0 Chronic ongoing inflammation can\u00a0 increase your cardiovascular risk.\u00a0\u00a0 What does it mean? Heart attacks, fluid around\u00a0 your heart, arrhythmias like heart blocks,\u00a0\u00a0 strokes, hypertension, and thrombosis\u00a0 can be seen in patients with Sjogren. Gastrointestinal tract Patients with Sjogren can\u00a0\u00a0 have difficulties swallowing due to\u00a0 decreased saliva and develop nausea,\u00a0\u00a0 abdominal pain, and gastritis. Liver\u00a0 function changes, and sometimes PBC\u00a0\u00a0 or autoimmune hepatitis can sometimes happen. Celiac disease is seen in patients with Sjogren.\u00a0 KIDNEY Bladder dysfunction,\u00a0\u00a0 interstitial nephritis and kidney dysfunction,\u00a0 leading to acidosis, are seen in patients\u00a0\u00a0 suffering from Sjogren. Patients develop\u00a0 an increased frequency of urinating, or\u00a0\u00a0 they will have to urinate at\u00a0 night, affecting their sleep.\u00a0 These symptoms can be confusing as patients\u00a0 often think they have a urinary infection.\u00a0\u00a0 Still, their urinary tests do not show that. I had a patient that initially developed\u00a0\u00a0 kidney problems about five years before\u00a0 developing dryness of the eyes and mouth. Depression, fatigue and Fibromyalgia\u00a0 Fatigue is a debilitating symptom and\u00a0 can lead to depression as patients can’t\u00a0\u00a0 understand why they can’t complete their daily\u00a0 activities and can’t participate in the normal\u00a0\u00a0 activities of their families. Depression is most\u00a0 likely a response to the stress of the disease,\u00a0\u00a0 and some researchers believe this is a consequence\u00a0 of the inflammation affecting the brain.\u00a0 Hematologic manifestations Patients with Sjogren can develop anemia,\u00a0\u00a0 low white blood cells, elevated Gammaglobulins,\u00a0 cryoglobulinemia, and increased lymphoma risk. Anemia is most likely induced by chronic\u00a0 inflammation. Still, it may have other causes,\u00a0\u00a0 so it is crucial to have a complete\u00a0 evaluation done by your rheumatologist.\u00a0 The white blood cell counts can be low,\u00a0\u00a0 but most times does not increase\u00a0 your risk of developing infections.\u00a0 Elevated levels of IGG immunoglobulins are seen\u00a0 in up to 60% of patients. In these patients, we\u00a0\u00a0 also see positive rheumatoid factors and positive\u00a0 SSA and SSB antibodies. We will talk in another\u00a0\u00a0 lecture about the lab test we follow in Sjogren\u00a0 patients. In patients with monoclonal gammopathy,\u00a0\u00a0 meaning that certain abnormal proteins are in the\u00a0 blood, we need to carefully evaluate them as they\u00a0\u00a0 can be at increased risk of multiple myeloma and\u00a0 lymphoma. These are two types of blood cancers.00:11:15<\/a> Lymphoma -Patients with Sjogren Syndrome have an\u00a0 increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma compared\u00a0\u00a0 with the general population; the prevalence\u00a0 of lymphoma increases with time: For example,\u00a0\u00a0 following diagnosis was 4 percent during the\u00a0 first five years, 10 percent at 15 years,\u00a0\u00a0 and 18 percent at 20 years. So, if you notice changes\u00a0\u00a0 in your skin, enlarged lymph nodes, or salivary\u00a0 gland enlargement, call your doctor immediately.\u00a0 As a rheumatologist, I educate\u00a0 my patients extensively about\u00a0\u00a0 these changes and follow their labs regularly. If you want to learn more about Sjogren and other\u00a0\u00a0 autoimmune diseases, please watch my channel, as\u00a0 I will continue to share my knowledge with you.\u00a0 Remember, these videos are just for educational\u00a0 purposes and are not supposed to offer you a\u00a0\u00a0 diagnosis or medical evaluation. If you like\u00a0 the educational content of these videos,\u00a0\u00a0 don’t forget to like, share, subscribe\u00a0 and press the notification button.\u00a0 Please leave your comments and questions\u00a0 below, as I would be happy to help you!\u00a0 Thank you and I will see you soon with\u00a0 another educational lecture!
Source : Youtube<\/a><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=y7zgsJecDO010 signs of Sjogren’s Syndrome Sjogren’s Syndrome is one of the most common\u00a0 diseases in my practice, Rheumatologist Oncall.\u00a0\u00a0 So, today I decided to give you\u00a0 all the information you need\u00a0\u00a0 to understand this disease better. In this video, we will discuss the most common 10\u00a0\u00a0 manifestations of Sjogren’s Syndrome. Let’s begin! Hi, I’m Dr. … Continue reading 10 Signs of Sjogren’s Syndrome – a very complex autoimmune disease<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":152291,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[139],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-152290","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/1709667221-maxresdefault.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152290","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152290"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152290\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/152291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152290"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152290"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/effectsofanxiety.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152290"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}