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Sjögren’s syndrome

Pronounced show-grins

Key points about Sjögren’s syndrome

Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that destroys the glands that produce tears and saliva, causing excessive dry eyes and dry mouth.
Autoimmune means that the body attacks itself, without any real known cause or reason.
There's no cure for Sjögren's syndrome but there are self-care measures and medications that can help to relieve your symptoms.

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Sjögren's syndrome (pronounced show grins) is a long-term condition that mainly affects the glands that make tears and spit (saliva), although it can affect the joints, muscles, nerves and other organs.

Image: Canva

Sjögren’s is an autoimmune condition which means it is caused by cells that usually fight infection attacking your own cells, creating inflammation and damage to tissues.

It is much more common in women and usually occurs after the age of 40. Sjögren’s can occur with another autoimmune condition, eg, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma or systemic lupus erythematosus(external link).

The main symptoms are dry eyes(external link) and a dry mouth(external link) but it can cause a wide range of symptoms when other parts of the body are affected.

Your doctor will diagnose Sjögren's based on ongoing symptoms. It can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms change over time. You may need to have blood tests(external link) and special eye and saliva tests.

There's no cure for Sjögren's syndrome but there are self-care measures and medications(external link) that can help to relieve your symptoms.