Doctors who may be involved in management of Sjogren's Syndrome include:
- Allergist
- Dentist
- Dermatologist (skin specialist)
- Gastroenterologist (digestive disease specialist)
- Gynecologist (women's reproductive health specialist)
- Neurologist (nerve and brain specialist)
- Ophthalmologist (eye specialist)
- Otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist)
- Pulmonologist (lung specialist)
- Rheumatologist (specializes in diseases of the joints, muscles, and bones)
- Urologist
Treatment is different for each person, depending on what parts of the body are affected. See more on treatment of Sjogren's Syndrome. But in all cases, the doctor will help relieve your symptoms, especially dryness. For example, you can use artificial tears to help with dry eyes and saliva stimulants and mouth lubricants for dry mouth. Treatment for dryness is described in more detail here.
If you have extraglandular involvement, your doctor--or the appropriate specialist--will also treat those problems. Treatment may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for joint or muscle pain, saliva- and mucus-stimulating drugs for nose and throat dryness, and corticosteroids or drugs that suppress the immune system for lung, kidney, blood vessel, or nervous system problems. Hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, and cyclophosphamide are examples of such immunosuppressants (drugs that suppress the immune system).