Living with Sjogren’s – When your grin shows, but your illness hides…

An autoimmune disorder is any illness in which the body turns on itself – white blood cells which are designed to protect your body’s intricate systems malfunction and attack. Types of autoimmune disorder are many and varied, but the majority are able to pass under the radar because they chiefly affect the interior working of glands, joints and the nervous system. One example which is prevalent in women aged over 40 is Sjogren’s syndrome. As an invisible illness, this one is quite the heavy-hitter. It may be unfamiliar to you, and you might well be wondering how to even say it! Aptly, Sjogren’s is pronounced ‘Show-Grins’ – and as is the case with many invisible illnesses, sufferers are inclined to put on a brave face. Despite chronic pain, fatigue and discomfort, they still show a grin to the outside world. So what is Sjogren’s syndrome? With this particular disorder, the immune system attacks the body’s moisture producing glands. Sjogren’s is typified by dryness and associated discomforts – swollen tongue, difficulty swallowing, painful sex and sore, burning eyes. As if this wasn’t bad enough, Sjogren’s also carries with it a wide range of other symptoms, including fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, swollen glands and loss of sensation, and no two sufferers’ symptoms are exactly alike. It evades diagnosis, often masquerading as Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus or Fibromyalgia. One of the most relied-upon tests for Sjogren’s syndrome is a biopsy of tissue f...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - Category: OBGYN Authors: Tags: Women's Health invisible illness Sjogren’s venus williams Source Type: news