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Under the motto "The water you drink for us does not extinguish our thirst", this Monday, July 23, marks the World Day of Sjögren's Syndrome, an event instituted and promoted by patient badociations who make up the International Sjögren Syndrome Network, the Spanish Sjögren Syndrome Association (SESS), a member of Somos Pacientes.
The goal of informing and raising awareness about this disorder fundamentally characterized by the badignment of exocrine glands
This is an autoimmune and systemic disease that primarily affects the exocrine glands , affecting which leads to the appearance of drought symptoms. .
On February 25, 2002, the famous tennis player Venus Williams is also known as Serena's older sister, who followed the path initiated by Venus to become a legend in the sport of snowshoeing.
Many people do not know that Venus has had to face formidable foes all her career and an uncomfortable traveling companion is Sjögren's syndrome, which was diagnosed in 2011.
This disease can manifesting a wide variety of symptoms, has a negative impact on the quality of life of the patient because of the number of functions that can be altered, mainly due to the drought, fatigue and pain caused.
A situation aggravated by the difficulty of obtaining an instant diagnosis because of the variety of symptoms that the disease manifests and which causes significant dysfunctions to the patients on the physical, work, psychological, economic and social levels.
The most serious problem of Sjögren's syndrome, according to the AESS, is the increased risk of developing hematologic cancer (lymphoma) in those who undergo it, estimated 10 to 30 times higher than in the rest of the general population.
"A great opportunity to be heard and to become aware of an illness that has a great impact on the lives of those who suffer from it, greatly diminishing their quality of life," according to AESS.
The date chosen is also commemorating the birth in 1899 of Swedish ophthalmologist Henrik Sjögren, responsible for the first description of the syndrome in 1933.
Sjögren's syndrome corresponds to one of the auto diseases -Systemic chronic immune systems with the highest incidence in the general population.
Indeed, it is estimated that the syndrome affects 1 in 70 people, in 90% of female cases.
More specifically, and among other symptoms, the syndrome is characterized by extreme dryness of the eyes, mouth and bad, as well as fatigue, joint pain and fever.
The difficulties of his diagnosis and the lack of treatments that alter the course of the disease mean that the syndrome is clbadified by major European organisms as an orphan disease.
The two main symptoms:
Dry eyes. It is possible that your eyes burn, sting or feel as if you have sand in it.
Dry mouth. You can feel that your mouth is full of cotton, which makes swallowing or difficulty speaking.
Causes
Scientists are not sure why some people have Sjögren's syndrome.
There is an increased risk of disease of some genes, but a trigger mechanism, such as infection with a particular virus or bacterial strain, is also needed.
In Sjögren's syndrome, the immune system first, it attacks the glands that produce tears and saliva. However, it can also damage other parts of the body, such as:
Joints
Thyroid
Kidneys
Liver
Lungs
Skin
Nerves
Complications:
The most common complications of Sjogren's syndrome have to do with eyes and mouth.
- Caries. Since saliva helps protect teeth against bacteria that cause cavities, you are more prone to cavities if you have a dry mouth.
- Candidiasis. People with Sjögren's syndrome are much more likely to have oral candidiasis, which is a fungal infection in the mouth.
- Vision problems. Dry eyes can cause sensitivity to light, blurred vision and corneal damage.
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