If you’ve gone to see your doctor about your Sjögren’s symptoms, you might have heard disheartening statements from your doctor, such as, “There’s not much we can do” or “You’ll just have to live with it.” It’s understandable to feel disheartened by these statements and to wonder - is there a cure for Sjogren's? And if there isn't, how much can my health actually improve? Is it a life sentence? In this blog we will address these and similar questions, based on research and our experience, so you can have a balanced and realistic view of what is possible for you.
The Reality of Sjogren’s: Curing vs. Healing vs. Remission
Before we dive into how you can live well with Sjögren’s, it’s important to understand the differences between a cure, healing, and remission:
Cure: A cure means completely eliminating a disease from the body, with no chance of it returning. Currently, there is no known cure for Sjögren’s syndrome (Vivino et al., 2016). However, that doesn't mean that healing or temporary remission are not possible.
Healing: Healing is an ongoing process of restoring and maintaining health and well-being. For those with Sjögren’s, healing can mean effectively managing symptoms, improving quality of life, and reaching a state of balance where the disease’s impact is minimized. This process can include lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments, and various therapies aimed at supporting the body’s natural healing mechanisms, including nutritional therapy.
Remission: Remission refers to a period during which the symptoms of a disease are reduced or disappear. This doesn't mean the disease is cured but rather that it’s under control. Some people with autoimmune conditions like Sjögren’s experience remission, where their symptoms become significantly less severe or may even temporarily vanish.
Although remission cases are not unheard of, they're also not very common. Healing is a much more common scenario - and in our view - a more realistic and less frustrating goal to pursue.
Getting a Balanced View: What’s Possible with Sjögren’s?
While no one can claim to cure Sjögren’s syndrome, we have seen remarkable signs of healing in our clients over the years, which certainly gives us hope as to what is possible with the help of natural and functional medicine. Here’s what we’ve observed:
More “Normal Days”: Many of our clients report experiencing more days where their symptoms are minimal or non-existent. They describe these as "days where they can almost forget they have Sjögren’s" because the symptoms become completely manageable.
Leading a More “Normal Life”: We've seen clients who previously had to take disability leave, be able to return to work. Others, who couldn't leave their homes due to debilitating symptoms, are now able to go out, use public transport, and enjoy social activities.
Reduced Flare-Up Frequency and Severity: Flare-ups occur less frequently and are less severe. When they do happen, our clients are better equipped to manage them. They know their triggers and how to avoid them, as well as how to support their bodies with the right foods and care during a flare-up.
Reduced Medication and Side-Effects: About 60% of our clients have been able to reduce their medications as their symptoms have improved. This has also meant fewer side effects from those medications, leading to an overall better quality of life.
Improved Immune Function: Our clients learn how to boost their immune systems through diet and lifestyle changes. They report fewer illnesses and a quicker recovery from common colds and viruses, which is significant given the immune challenges associated with Sjögren’s.
Increased Energy: Fatigue is a common complaint among people with Sjögren’s. However, many find that lifestyle and dietary changes lead to more energy and less fatigue, allowing them to participate more fully in daily activities.
Reduced Dryness: Whether through inner body healing or external remedies, our clients have managed to improve their dry eyes and mouth to the point where these symptoms are manageable and greatly reduced.
Less Joint Pain: Improvements in diet and lifestyle have helped many reduce the joint pain associated with Sjögren’s.
Enhanced Well-Being and Quality of Life: A significant number of our clients have expressed that they didn’t believe it was possible to regain a good quality of life after their Sjögren’s diagnosis. With time and proper care, they have found their well-being greatly improved.
If you’d like to hear more from our clients about their experiences, you can watch their testimonials here.
What We Haven’t Seen: A Complete Long-Term Cure
Despite many positive outcomes, we haven’t seen a complete, long-term cure for Sjogren’s. Even during periods of remission, factors like severe stress or other life changes can trigger a return of symptoms. On the flip side, clients learn what steps to take to prevent, manage and mitigate these triggers, as well as how to manage their symptoms when they reappear.
The lack of a cure doesn't mean it's impossible. We remain hopeful that with advancements in both conventional and natural medicine, significant improvements in the treatment of Sjogren’s will continue to emerge.
The Importance of Hope
Hope is a powerful part of the healing process (Rasmussen et al., 2018). It sends a signal to our brain that a different outcome is possible, which can in itself initiate a healing response as our nervous system relaxes and stress is reduced. So, if you're reading this and feeling uncertain about your future with Sjögren’s, we encourage you to hold onto hope. We believe in the power of natural medicine to help heal the body from the inside out, and we've seen its ability to help people with Sjögren's heal and achieve results they previously thought impossible.
Focus on Your Journey
Everyone’s experience with Sjogren’s is different. Some of our clients have seen improvements across all areas of their lives, including reduced dryness, increased energy, and less pain. Others have experienced improvements in just a few symptoms. Because each person has a unique genetic and biological makeup, we encourage you not to compare your journey to others'.
Instead, focus on what you can do to heal and let go of specific expectations. This approach can make the process more enjoyable and less stressful. By focusing on your personal journey, you allow yourself the freedom to heal at your own pace and in your own way.
How We Help People Heal with Sjögren's
While Sjogren’s syndrome may not have a cure at this time, it is absolutely possible to heal, improve your well-being, and regain a good quality of life. We have seen this in our practice, and it is our belief that with the right approach, you can achieve significant improvements too.
Our holistic personalised treatment programs take into consideration physical factors such as diet/nutrition, digestive function, infections, environmental factors, and hormone imbalances, as well as psychological factors, to give you the best chances of healing.
Our programs are tailored to comprehensively assess and target these diverse root causes, aiming to improve your symptoms as well as optimizing your path to healing and well-being.
If you're interested in exploring how our programs might be able to help you, schedule a free 20-minute consultation with Jeremy to discuss your situation and possible next steps.
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Article references:
Hackett, K. L., & Cartner, H. (2021). Nonpharmacological interventions for the management of fatigue and constitutional symptoms in Sjögren’s syndrome. Oxford Textbook of Sjögren's Syndrome, 189.
Rasmussen, H. N., O’Byrne, K. K., Vandament, M., & Cole, B. P. (2018). Hope and physical health. The Oxford handbook of hope, 159-168.
Vivino, F. B., Carsons, S. E., Foulks, G., Daniels, T. E., Parke, A., Brennan, M. T., Forstot, S. L., Scofield, R. H., & Hammitt, K. M. (2016). New treatment guidelines for Sjögren’s disease. Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America, 42(3), 531–551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rdc.2016.03.010