Sjogren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disease and it works by influencing the exocrine glands of the body. As with any other autoimmune disease the organism creates antibodies and starts to attack and destroy its own cells – in the given case the exocrine gland cells. Exocrine glands have got a purpose to produce non-hormonal secretions into an external environment via ducts. They include salivary glands, tear glands and etc. When the illness attacks they cannot function normally any more and, consequently, tears, saliva and other such secretions are produced in a much less amount.

Sjogren’s syndrome has got a number of definite symptoms. Let’s enumerate them.

• First of all it is a dry mouth. This is one of the primary symptoms and the one the hardest to handle. Antibodies kill exocrine gland cells therefore reducing saliva production and resulting in difficulty swallowing, chewing and speaking.
• Another primary symptom of the illness is dry eyes. It happens because antibodies destroy lacrimal gland cells and therefore the amount of tears produced gradually decreases. All this results in irritation of eyes, their dryness and scratchiness, accompanied with corneal ulceration and some other conditions.
• One more symptom is dental caries. Reduced production of saliva also leads to tooth decay as no more antibacterial compounds  like thiocyanate, hydrogen peroxide and immunoglobulin work for the teeth sake. Hence, having no opposition dental caries and other periodontal and gum diseases develop.
• One more symptom of the condition is swollen salivary glands. In this case the glands double in size, become tender and inflamed. It is accompanied by the swelling near the corner of the mouth as well.
• Sjogren’s syndrome is frequently accompanied with dryness of nose and throat, also – lungs. A person then coughs, has a hoarse voice and nasal bleeding. Respiratory and lung diseases are the ones that a person becomes much more susceptible.
• A person can also experience dry skin because the function of the sebaceous and sweat glands becomes reduced. Vaginal dryness is also not a rare condition.
• In most cases the condition is accompanied with depression and fatigue. Irritability is also another symptom frequently reported. That is why it is important for a patient to be informed about the illness as much as possible in order to avoid aggravation if the condition by depressive states.
• Visceral organs can also undergo a change like abnormal liver function tests and autoimmune hepatitis. Decreased secretion function also leads to other glands function impairment.

Sjogren’s syndrome refers to the illnesses that do not have treatment so far; only symptoms can be relieved. As it has already been said it is an autoimmune disease and why it happens is not known for sure. Therefore all what could be done is symptoms treatment: like of mouth dryness – that can be attended with the help of various mouth medications, lubricants, and simple rinsing and gargling. Some alternations in a person’s daily allowance can be also of great help.

What concerns eye dryness some remedies can help in lessening the irritation, also corneal ulceration and other conditions: eye drops, for instance. There are also artificial tear preparations for certain cases; they are available in different brands and you can find the best suiting for you. Lubricating ointments are also provided for those who do not like eye drops.

Sjogren’s syndrome is a hard condition for a patient to bear but it is relieved if some effort for cooperation from both sides – a patient and a doctor – is made. There is no real need for panic as though the condition is not pleasant it is not life-threatening and the symptoms are able to be relieved to an extent that a person can lead a normal life. Again, it is important to inform a patient fully about the condition. This will help the treatment process a lot.