How to Manage the Pain of Sjogren's

Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disorder in which a person's white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands, can be quite painful. Sjogren's causes not only dry eyes and mouth, but can also cause joint pain and fatigue, and affect the internal organs. Early diagnosis and treatment of this disorder can greatly improve the quality of an individual's life and the management of his discomfort.

Instructions

Painful Dryness

• 1

  Use over-the-counter medications such as artificial tears, artificial saliva or vaginal lubricant to reduce or eliminate pain. Sip cold water frequently to help reduce the discomfort of mouth dryness.

• 2

  Ask your doctor for prescription artificial tears or a medication that increases saliva production, if over-the-counter treatments are not successful. However, prescription medications that increase saliva production can have undesirable side effects, such as increased sweating and urination.

• 3

  Inquire about a surgical procedure to seal the tear drains in the eye, if medications do not improve your symptoms. This minor surgical procedure can increase eye lubrication and has little or no side effects.

Joint Pain and Internal Organ Dysfunction

• 4

  Reduce or eliminate joint pain by using over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) regularly. Check with your doctor for proper dosing instructions. Joint pain can also be treated with heat from a hot-water bottle or heating pad, or cold from ice packs, applied to the painful areas several times a day.

• 5

  Seek treatment for kidney, stomach or other internal organ pain and dysfunction. Prescription medications, such as immunosuppressants are available to treat systemic manifestations. Talk to your doctor about protecting your organs from long-term damage.

• 6

  Reduce yeast infections in the mouth, eyes or vagina by taking a prescription anti-fungal medication. Some research suggests that painful yeast infections may also be reduced by eating yogurt that contains lactobacillus acidophilus.