Dear Dr. Donohue: I have never seen any reference in your column
to Sjogren's syndrome, nor is there any mention of it in many
medical books. Is this a progressive disease? How can it be
treated? Please explain the parotid gland and its function. --
J.S. Dear J.S.: Sjogren's (SHOW-grins) syndrome is an illness
where the immune system targets salivary and tear glands.
Lymphocytes -- white blood cells that are part of the immune
system -- blitz their way into these glands and stop the
production of saliva and tears, leaving a person with a dry
mouth and dry eyes. Symptoms can get progressively worse with
time. The parotid gland is the largest salivary gland, and it's
located in the cheeks. For unknown reasons, Sjogren's picks on
more women than men. For every man who has it, nine women have
it. The usual age of onset is in the late 40s. A dry mouth makes
swallowing difficult. The mouth and tongue often burn. A lack of
saliva does more than wreak havoc with chewing and swallowing.
Saliva initiates food digestion