Testing

You feel and think that you have all of the symptoms of Sjogren’s syndrome. But how do you know for sure so you can start helping to treat it? The first step is visiting your doctor.

The doctor will conduct a complete physical check-up as well as inquire about your family history. There are common tests for detecting Sjogren’s syndrome in different places of the body.

The doctor may dye your eyes by dropping a liquid onto the bottom eye lid and allowing your natural blinking to spread the liquid around. The areas of the eye that are injured will be detected by the colored liquid. Rose bengal or lissamine green are the usual colors used. Slit lamp procedure may take place as well.

Then there’s the Schirmer test, which measures tears to see how the lacrimal gland is working.This procedure can be performed in two ways: one way, the doctor places thin paper strips under the eye lids and allows the papers to collect tears for 5 minutes. The moisture and amount of tears is then deduced (the average Sjogren’s patient produces less than 8mm of tears). The second way uses a cotton swab to induce and stimulate tear production/reflect through the nasal passage.

A sample of saliva may be taken by your doctor. Then a simple examination will be conducted in which the doctor looks for swollen salivary glands, dryness, stickiness, cracked lips, mouth sores, thickness of saliva, or cavities.

Your doctor may want to further examine the efficiency of your salivary glands by taking a biopsy of your lower lip. By looking at the sample under the microscope, lymphocytic patterns can detect if Sjogren’s syndrome is present.

Generally, you are considered to have Sjogren's if you have dry eyes, dry mouth, and a positive lip biopsy. But the doctor may decide to do additional tests to see whether other parts of the body are affected.

Routine blood tests can detect sugar level and kidney reproduction. Immunological tests check for antibodies commonly found in a Sjogren’s syndrome patient’s blood. (For example, Antithyroid antibodies, Immunoglobulins and gamma globulins, Rheumatoid factors (RFs), antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), or Sjogren’s Antibodies (SS-A, or SS-Ro or SS-La). X-Rays can show inflammation in the lungs, which is common in Sjogen’s syndrome patients as well. Urinalysis tests how well your kidneys function.

If any of these tests, but not all, are conducted and come back positive, get a second opinion. Sjogren’s syndrome is known as a “hiding” illness because it is hard to detect and can be masked by something else or impersonating something else. Sometimes, Sjogren’s syndrome is very commonly misdiagnosed. If you do in fact have the disease, do not panic. Although it is not curable, it is treatable and not fatal. There are plenty of support groups you can join and places where you can share your experiences and help others diagnose their illness.