What happens when the immune system attacks itself.

For a long time, what I have known about the immune system is that it is either weak or strong and that's because I have read about weak immune systems over and over again. Lately, however, I learned there is more to the immune system than just having it weak or strong and a very good example of that description is the SJOGREN's (SHOW-grins) syndrome.

Sjogren's syndrome happens when the immune system accidentally attacks the body's cells and tissues. There is no certain explanation by scientists to explain why people could develop Sjogren's syndrome, but there are explanations about certain genes putting people at a higher risk of the disorder, there are also triggering mechanisms like infection with a certain strain of bacteria or viruses.

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The syndrome is characterized by two major symptoms; Dry eyes and a Dry mouth. The symptoms of the syndrome could come up at any age, particularly in people who are older than 40 at the time of diagnosis. It is also more common among women.

When the eye is dry, it may burn, itch, or create a gritty feeling, the type that feels like sand is in them, the other symptom which is a dry mouth, could create a feeling of a mouth filled with cotton, making it difficult for one to speak or swallow.

Asides from these two major symptoms, other symptoms could also suffice; There could be skin rashes, dry skin, joint pain, swelling and stiffness, swollen salivary glands, vaginal dryness, persistent fatigue, and dry cough.
With this syndrome, your immune system will first target the glands responsible for saliva and tears, but other damages could be done to other body parts like the; nerves, kidneys, thyroid, joints, liver, nerves, skin, and even the lungs.

Complications could arise from Sjogren's syndrome typically involves the mouth and the eyes; Yeast infection of the mouth, dental cavities, and vision problems. Not so common, but complications could also affect the; lymph nodes, lungs, kidney or liver issues, numbness, and tingling of the nerves.

We can also have Sjogren's syndrome divided into types; we have primary and secondary types.
The primary type means it is present without any other autoimmune rheumatic disease.
The secondary type, on the other hand, describes the presence of Sjogren's syndrome, accompanied by other autoimmune or rheumatic diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or scleroderma.

There is a high tendency of having to take medications all through your life in order to help you manage your symptoms.
There are drops called ''artificial tears''. their aim is to prevent the eye from drying out, gels and ointments are also other options for the eye. In a case where artificial tears do not work, the doctor could prescribe drugs for the dry eye.

For dry mouth, drugs will be prescribed to help boost the amount of saliva in the mouth. With the presence of yeast infection in the mouth, anti-fungal medication will be prescribed.

There are also home remedies that can help with the managing of the symptoms felt;

• Chewing gum or taking candy in order to stimulate the flow of saliva, and keep the mouth moist.

• Sipping water frequently.

• Stay away from carbonated drinks, and spicy dry food which could irritate your mouth the more.

• If you find it difficult to swallow, then stick to moist food and sip water while at it.

• Ignore the use of mouthwashes that have harsh ingredients like alcohol.

• Smoking makes mouth dryness even more difficult.

Once there is a diagnosis of Sjogren's symptoms, it means medications will be taken all through the patient's lifetime, in order to help relieve symptoms as there is no treatment for it. Getting an appropriate treatment will help reduce how much the symptoms affect your daily life.

References.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sjogrens-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353216

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sjogrens-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353216

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/sjogrens-syndrome

https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/sjogrens-syndrome

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Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. Want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my YouTube channel where you can listen and watch any episode for free, please do not forget to subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here, Kindly do well to keep them coming.