Medical Questions » Syndrome Questions » Question No. 970
| Question: | I have been told that Sjogren' s syndrome is the cause of my arthritis. I have never heard of this disease before, and I am naturally very worried about it. Is it serious? What does this strange name mean? |
| Answer: | There are certainly a very large number of diseases and syndromes known to medical science. Many receive names that are derived from the Greek or Latin words to describe the disease (eg. polymyalgia rheumatica means ' many muscles aching and inflamed' ) while others are named after the first doctor to describe or write about the disease.
SJ0gren' s syndrome fits into this latter category, as it is a disease consisting of arthritis, dry eyes, dry mouth, dry skin and dry throar first described by a Swedish ophthalmologist.
It is closely telated to rheumatoid arthritis, and is treated in much the same way with the addition of artificial teats and skin moisturisers for the dryness problems. There is no permanent cure, but reasonable long-term control is normally possible.
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