Complications of Sjögren’s syndrome

This syndrome carries some possible complications and most of them occur because of decreased tears and saliva. It is proven that patients with dry eyes are at the increased risk for infections around the eye and may have damage to the cornea. Dry mouth may cause an increase in dental decay, gingivitis, and oral yeast infections that may cause pain and burning.

There are not so many complications in other parts of the body in patients with Sjögren's syndrome. Pain and stiffness in the joints with mild swelling may occur in some patients, even in those without rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. Some patients also reported rashes on the arms and legs related to inflammation in small blood. Some neurological complications such as numbness, tingling, and weakness have also been described in some patients.

Treatment of Sjögren’s syndrome

Unfortunately there’s still no cure for Sjögren’s Syndrome. The first step is to moisturize and protect each problem area often through self-care and over-the-counter medications. The goal is to keep the auto-immune reactions, inflammation and extra-glandular symptoms in control.

Mouth treatment
Mouth treatment is rather easy and it consists of regular visits to the dentist for cleaning and good oral hygiene. Using sugar-free hard candy, gum, fluoride gels, floss and rinses minimize the risk of cavities. Over-the-counter and prescription artificial saliva are available. Smoking is prohibited. 

Eyes treatment
In order to avoid possible complications in the eyes, wind, breezes and smoke should be avoided. Goggles can be worn and over-the-counter or prescription artificial tears are also helpful. A surgery called punctal occlusion can help the tears accumulation.

Skin treatment
The skin may require 15-minute baths, moisturizing soaps and oil-based ointments to help restore water to it.

Medications
Medications that tend to spend body fluids should be avoided. Some mild pain-relieving medications including acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or Motrin® or Aleve® can reduce muscle or joint pain. There are even two prescription medications, Salagen® and Evoxac®, which are made to stimulate saliva production and may relieve the dry mouth symptoms. In some patients, the anti-rheumatic drug Plaquenil® has been beneficial in decreasing pain and salivary gland swelling.
In advanced cases of the disease, anti-inflammatory medications of increasing strength including non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, steroids, and various immunosuppressant medications may be prescribed. For patients with generalized symptoms, particularly when the disease affects internal organs, high doses of immunosuppressive medications may be necessary. Some of the medications used in these cases are Prednisone and, rarely, chemotherapy-type medications.

What is the prognosis?

Sjögren’s syndrome can damage vital organs of the body with symptoms that may remain stable, but also can worsen, or go into remission. Fortunately, a big majority of patients experiences only the mild symptoms of dry eyes and mouth, but some go through cycles of good health followed by severe disease. Many patients are able to treat problems symptomatically, while others are forced to cope with blurred vision, constant eye discomfort, recurrent mouth infections, swollen parotid glands, hoarseness, and difficulty in swallowing and eating. Most patients with Sjögren's syndrome remain healthy, but a a number of rare complications have been described, including an increased risk for some types of cancer.