Health Topic

Sjogren's Syndrome

Sjogren's Syndrome is an autoimmune disease that causes dryness of the mouth, eyes and other parts of the body. Learn how to relieve the symptoms.

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Also called: Sjogren's Disease

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Sjogren's Syndrome

Sjogren's syndrome, also called Sjogren's disease, is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disease. When you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks healthy tissues and organs by mistake. In Sjogren's syndrome, your immune system attacks the glands that make moisture in the eyes, mouth, and other parts of the body. This causes a dry mouth and dry eyes. You may have dryness in other places that need moisture, such as your nose, throat, and skin. Sjogren's can also affect other parts of the body, including your joints, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, digestive organs, and nerves.

Normally, your immune system protects the body from infection and disease. But with Sjogren's syndrome and other autoimmune diseases, your immune system attacks healthy tissues and organs. Researchers don't know for sure what causes the immune system to do this. But they think that it is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Studies have linked Sjogren's syndrome to gene changes in several genes. Some researchers also think that the disease may be triggered by something in the environment. For example, they think that one possible trigger could be a previous infection with a virus or bacteria.

Most people with Sjogren's syndrome are women. You can get it at any age, but it is most common in people in their 40s and 50s.

Sjogren's syndrome is more common in people who have other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. This is known as a secondary form of Sjogren's syndrome. People who don't have another autoimmune disease have a primary form of Sjogren's syndrome.

Sjogren's syndrome may have different effects on the body. Not everyone will have the same symptoms. Some people have cycles of mild and then severe symptoms.

The two main symptoms are:

  • Dry eyes. Your eyes may burn or itch or feel like they have sand in them. Sometimes your vision may be blurry, or you could be bothered by bright lights.
  • Dry mouth. Your tongue and your throat may feel dry. You might have trouble swallowing, speaking, and tasting.

Sjogren's syndrome can also affect other parts of the body, causing symptoms such as:

  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Dry skin
  • Rashes on the skin of hands or feet
  • Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Dry cough that doesn't go away
  • Fatigue that doesn't go away

There is no single test for Sjogren's syndrome. To find out if you have it, your provider:

  • Will ask about your medical history and symptoms.
  • Will do a physical exam, which includes checking for signs of dry mouth and signs of related autoimmune diseases.
  • May order tests, including: Eye tests to see if you produce a normal amount of tears and to find out if your eyes have been damaged by dryness.
  • Salivary gland tests to measure how much saliva your mouth produces. They could include imaging tests and a biopsy.
  • Blood tests.

There is no cure for Sjogren's syndrome. Treatment focuses on relieving your symptoms. The treatments can be different for each person, depending on which parts of the body are affected. They may include:

  • Eye drops (artificial tears) or ointments to relieve dryness in the eyes.
  • Saliva substitutes.
  • Prescription medicines that cause your salivary glands to make more saliva.
  • A minor procedure that places small plugs in the tear duct in the corners of the eyes. The plugs block your tears from draining so they stay in your eyes longer.
  • Medicines to help with other symptoms caused by Sjogren's syndrome, such as medicines for pain and inflammation.
  • Medicines that suppress (weaken) your immune system (for severe cases).

You can also try to relieve some of your symptoms by sucking on sugar-free candy, drinking water often, increasing the humidity in your room, and not smoking. Because having a dry mouth can raise your risk of cavities, it's important to take good care of your teeth and see your dentist regularly.

It sits within Bones, Joints and Muscles and Immune System.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Sjogren's Syndrome

339 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

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Diagnosis and Tests

Treatments and Therapies

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Genetics

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Sjogren's Syndrome. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Sjogren's Syndrome, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.