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What Causes Dry Mouth And Fatigue

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How Will Sjgren’s Syndrome Affect Me

Sjögrenâs Syndrome : Signs and Symptoms

Though the symptoms can be uncomfortable and last quite a long time, you should be able to lead the life you want if the condition is treated properly. For most people, the condition only affects the tear and saliva glands, but some people may experience other symptoms, such as fatigue and joint inflammation.

If dryness of the eyes isnt treated, the front of your eye could become damaged and cause permanent sight problems. Seeing an optician regularly and using treatments for dry eyes can help stop this.

People with Sjögrens syndrome might be more likely to develop:

  • hypothyroidism, when the thyroid gland is underactive
  • Raynauds phenomenon, which causes the fingers to feel cold and turn blue
  • inflamed blood vessels, known as vasculitis, which can cause reduced blood flow
  • loss of feeling in the hands and feet, known as peripheral neuropathy
  • IBS, causing tummy pain, diarrhoea and constipation
  • kidney problems

Chills Dizziness Dry Mouth And Fatigue

Reviewed on 12/21/2020

Chills can accompany many types of infection that cause fever. Fatigue and dehydration, which can lead to dry mouth, can be seen with different kinds of infection as well. Pay attention to what brings on your symptoms and what relieves them, and contact your doctor any time you are concerned.

While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:

How Does Dry Mouth Causes Fatigue

Saliva plays an important role in our daily lives. Saliva helps us swallow, talk, taste and protect our mouth and teeth. When there is a decrease in the amount of saliva in our mouth it can lead to dry mouth fatigue or also known as xerostomia.

Dry mouth can cause or increase risk of:

  • tooth decay,
  • burning sensation of the tongue,
  • sore mouth or cracks at the corners of the mouth,
  • infections in the mouth
  • difficulty in speaking and swallowing
  • For people without teeth, denture retention, comfort and ability to chew and speak may become difficult when less saliva is present.

Sometimes you may complain of dry mouth but in fact, you have abundant of saliva. Having dry mouth at night, dry mouth in the morning or dry mouth while sleeping may occur as the saliva flow is naturally reduced at night or it can also be due to sleeping with your mouth open or breathing through your mouth. True or chronic dry mouth causes infection to the salivary glands, dry mouth and throat as well as tooth decay.

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Causes Of A Dry Mouth

The main causes of a dry mouth are:

  • dehydration for example, from not drinking enough, sweating a lot or being ill
  • medicines check the leaflet or search for your medicine online to see if dry mouth is a side effect
  • breathing through your mouth at night this can happen if you have a blocked nose or you sleep with your mouth open
  • anxiety
  • cancer treatment
  • oral thrush

Sometimes a dry mouth that does not go away may be caused by a condition like diabetes or Sjögren’s syndrome.

What Are Home Remedies And Treatment Options For Dry Mouth

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Those seeking treatment for dry mouth will most likely want something to provide comfort and relief. Most are over-the-counter remedies. Treatment for dry mouth can be divided into the following four categories: saliva preservation, saliva substitution, saliva stimulation, and prevention of caries, and yeast infection.

Saliva preservation: If salivary content is low, one must do as much as possible to keep the oral tissues as moist as possible and limit the things that can dry the mouth out. Those experiencing dry mouth should try to breathe through their nose as much as possible, and limit mouth breathing. Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco is very important. Using a humidifier to introduce more moisture to a room or at bedside can be helpful, especially while sleeping. Don’t use OTC antihistamines or decongestants, as they can dry the mouth out as well.

Saliva stimulation: Chewing gum can help stimulate salivary flow, but it is important to remember not to use gum or candies that have sugar in them or the person will be placed at greater risk for developing cavities. Sugar-free lemon drops, lozenges, or other hard candies can also help stimulate the salivary glands. Other remedies include medications that help increase salivary flow such as pilocarpine and cevimeline . These prescription medications are to be avoided by people with asthma or glaucoma.

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What Is Sjgren’s Syndrome

Sjögren’s syndrome is a lifelong autoimmune disorder that reduces the amount of moisture produced by glands in the eyes and mouth. It is named for Henrik Sjögren, a Swedish eye doctor who first described the condition. While dry mouth and dry eyes are the primary symptoms, most people who have these problems don’t have Sjögren’s syndrome. Dry mouth is also called xerostomia.

There are two forms of Sjögren’s syndrome:

  • Primary Sjögren’s syndrome develops on its own, not because of any other health condition.
  • Secondary Sjögren’s syndrome develops in addition to other autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and psoriatic arthritis.
  • If You Think You May Have Sjgrens Syndrome

    If these symptoms sound like ones youre experiencing, you could have Sjögrens syndrome. Its important to share this information with your general practitioner, eye doctor or dentist. If Sjögrens syndrome isnt treated appropriately, significant, long-term complications could result that affect your eyes, mouth, lungs, kidneys, liver or lymph nodes complications including blindness, significant dental destruction and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

    Your doctor will discuss your symptoms in greater detail and determine if you should see a specialist, such as a rheumatologist, for a diagnosis.

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    What Problems Can A Dry Mouth Cause

    Saliva plays an important role in keeping your mouth healthy. If you have a dry mouth, you may experience a number of other problems too, such as:

    • a burning sensation or soreness in your mouth
    • dry lips
    • tooth decay and gum disease
    • difficulty speaking, eating or swallowing

    Its important to maintain good oral hygiene if you have a dry mouth to reduce the risk of dental problems. You should also see a dentist regularly, so they can identify and treat any problems early on.

    How To Stop The Sensation Of A Dry Mouth

    Can Hormonal Changes (Menopause) Cause Dry Mouth?

    The difficulty in dealing with dry mouth depends primarily on the cause. Dry mouth caused by medication may reqiure a different dose, a different medication, or a different type of medication that can be provided by your doctor or dentist. There are both prescription and non-prescription treatments and washes that increase salivary production.

    If you are not currently taking any medication and doctors have ruled out any other causes of dry mouth, its possible that anxiety is solely to blame. In that case, first simply try drinking water and chewing gum – two small behaviors that moisten the mouth. Although this may not treat all anxiety related dry mouth, some people find that the increase in saliva and cool feeling of water against the tongue can be mentally refreshing.

    If the cause of your dry mouth appears to be anxiety, and is not related to the medications you are taking to cure it, then the next step is to work on anxiety reduction strategies. For example:

    Although medications can also be effective, those that struggle with anxiety related dry mouth will want to talk about their distress with their doctor, to ensure that anything you take for your anxiety wont affect your symptoms.

    Summary:

    Dry mouth may be the result of mouth breathing, acid reflux, medications, and several other anxiety-related issues. Identifying the cause is important. Eliminating dry mouth from anxiety typically requires commitment to long term anxiety reduction.

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    What Does A Dry Mouth At Night Mean

    Saliva plays a significant role in oral health. It functions as a way to help you digest food, avoid infection by keeping your mouth clean, and even stave off cavities by preventing bacterial growth in your mouth. When your mouth is perpetually dry at night, it means that it isn’t producing enough saliva, leading to bacterial growth , along with an increased chance of cavities, difficulty swallowing, and even infection.

    Does Sjgrens Syndrome Cause Hair Loss

    If you have Sjögrens syndrome, you might see some hair loss, and it might be as a result of the condition. There is a condition known as frontal fibrosing alopecia that is being found in higher numbers in people with autoimmune diseases. This condition causes slow hair loss at the front hairline and sometimes the eyebrows.

    However, hair loss can be triggered by many things, including stressful life events and medications. You should ask your dermatologist about problems with hair loss.

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    What Are The Most Common Causes Of Dry Mouth And Dizziness

    The most common causes of dry mouth and dizziness are dehydration, anxiety, treatments for certain types of cancer, side effects brought on by various medications, and low blood pressure. Signs of dry mouth include a sore tongue, trouble swallowing, trouble tasting, decreased saliva, and possibly pain when consuming salt and acid based foods. Dizziness can have a range of signs that are different for most individuals, but generally involve feeling disoriented, lightheaded, and weak. Persistent dry mouth and dizziness should immediately be reported to a medical professional for diagnosis.

    Dehydration usually occurs when the body’s water intake is drastically lower than the amount of water the body releases. There are many causes for dehydration, including diabetes, sweat from heat or physical exertion, vomiting, diarrhea, and no readily available water. The lack of water in the body produces a number of symptoms. Water is a vital element, making up over 70% of the body’s weight, that allows the human body to function properly. The loss of water can directly cause disorientation, bodily weakness, and a lack of saliva.

    Vaginal Dryness And Infections

    Sjögrens Syndrome Symptoms You Might Be Ignoring ...

    When you have Sjogrens, it gets dry down there, too. And when vaginal secretions dry up, problems begin to surface. You might come down with yeast infections or have vaginal pain, burning, or itching.

    The normal flora is disturbed and abnormal germs take over, Dr. Akpek explains.

    Vaginal dryness, of course, in common during menopause. Unfortunately, Sjogrens can makes things even worse for you, causing pain during sex, for example.

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    What Are The Benefits Of Saliva

    Saliva is an essential part of a healthy mouth and is often taken for granted. The lubricating properties of saliva provide comfort and help protect the oral tissues against ulcers, sores, and other frictional movements that accompany normal eating and speaking. Saliva neutralizes acids and helps defend against tooth decay, and bacterial, viral, or fungal threats. Saliva helps digest food and helps teeth in remineralization. Saliva is also a very essential contributor to a person’s ability to taste, as it acts as a solvent for the taste stimuli. When saliva volume is insufficient, all of these functions are impaired.

    How Is Sjgrens Syndrome Diagnosed

    If you have dry mouth, dry eyes or other signs of Sjögrens syndrome, your doctor may use these methods to confirm a diagnosis:

    • Blood tests:These tests detect specific antibodies in the blood. They look for anti-nuclear antibodies , anti-Sjögrens syndrome antibodies and anti-Sjögrens syndrome type B . A blood test can also detect rheumatoid factor, an antibody found in many people who have rheumatoid arthritis.
    • Biopsy: Your doctor may remove tissue or cells from a salivary gland or the inside of your lip. This biopsy sample goes to a lab to check for signs of inflammation.
    • Eye exam: An eye specialist, such as an ophthalmologist, can measure tear production. During an eye exam, your doctor will examine the cornea, the clear part of the eye, for dryness.
    • Imaging tests: These include sialometry, which measures how much saliva you produce by using X-rays that can see dye injected into salivary glands. There is also salivary scintigraphy, a way to track how long it takes for a radioactive isotope to travel from an injection point in your vein to your salivary glands.
    • Health history: If you have a pre-existing autoimmune disease, plus dry eyes and dry mouth, your doctor may conclude that you have developed secondary Sjögrens syndrome.

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    What Specialists Treat Dry Mouth

    The type of doctor who should treat dry mouth depends on the cause. A person noticing symptoms of dry mouth should first consult with their dentist for a consult and exam. A general dentist will do a review of medications, health history, lifestyle, diet, and other things that could contribute to dry mouth. They will then perform an intraoral examination to confirm diminished salivary flow and to determine the effects it has had on the dentition and oral tissues. The management and maintenance of oral health will be the most important element of this relationship.

    If it is determined that there is salivary gland dysfunction, the dentist may partner with an ENT physician who specializes in salivary gland disorders to help improve the condition.

    What Is The Connection Between Dry Mouth And Fatigue

    Dry Mouth Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

    Dry mouth and fatigue may be connected when accompanied by other symptoms pertaining to certain illnesses, or when they come as side effects of a specific medication. Sjögren’s Syndrome is one example of a disease that is known to cause both dry mouth and fatigue, along with the drying of the eyes and airways. Many medications used to treat other conditions also result in both symptoms, although they do not show up in all patients.

    SS is an autoimmune disorder that primarily affects women and is characterized by extreme dry mouth, dry eyes, dry airways, and drying of other mucosal passages. Debilitating fatigue is also a frequent complaint. It is relatively common and affects more people than any other rheumatoid-related illness. Medications may be prescribed to help alleviate symptoms.

    Some prescription drugs may also cause these symptoms and can include a wide variety of medications. Symptoms are generally mild and may decrease as the body becomes adjusted to the new prescription. Dosages of the drug may also be altered if either of these symptoms, or any others, become too severe.

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    What Are The Most Common Causes Of Dry Mouth And Frequent Urination

    One of the most common causes of dry mouth and frequent urination is diabetes. Diuretics, such as caffeine and alcohol, which dehydrate the body and flush fluids out of the system, are another frequent cause. Frequent urination can also indirectly be a cause of dry mouth, as many medications prescribed for overactive bladders cause dry mouth.

    Type 1 and type 2 diabetes cause both of these symptoms. In fact, those symptoms are often the earliest and most noticeable signs of diabetes. The frequent urination is a result of low levels of insulin that are unable to properly break down glucose in the bloodstream. Normally, insulin levels break down glucose and convert it into energy. When levels are too low to sufficiently accomplish that task, the bloodstream is flooded with glucose, which causes more water and fluid to enter the bloodstream. As a result, more fluids are flushed through the kidneys, causing diabetics to urinate more frequently. Another side effect of this process is thirst and dry mouth. People who chronically experience these symptoms should consult a medical professional.

    My mother suffers from diabetes so I am always on the lookout for those kinds of symptoms myself.

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    Certain Types Of Cancer And Cancer Treatments

    While fatigue is a common side effect of cancer treatment, you may not know that certain cancer therapies, including radiation and chemotherapy, can also alter your senses of smell and taste, according to the American Cancer Society.

    What’s more, some kinds of cancer themselves, like tumors in the head and neck, can cause a silvery savor too.

    In addition to experiencing a metallic taste in your mouth, you might notice other changes, like a reduced sense of smell, an inability to taste food or food tasting too salty or sweet, per the American Cancer Society.

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