Although Sjögren’s disease is typically characterized by dry mouth and dry eyes, it can involve various symptoms. For example, people with the condition may also deal with brain fog, joint pain, muscle aches, headaches, and chronic fatigue. When it comes to headaches, in particular, you may be surprised how many people are living with them because of Sjögren’s disease. Fortunately, you can manage them if you know what to do.
The first thing you should know is that Sjögren’s disease can be primary or secondary. In primary Sjögren’s disease, the condition isn’t caused by any other health problems. That’s where the focus will be when it comes to dealing with your headaches. In primary Sjögren’s, a literature review found that people with the condition were most likely to report headaches as a neurological symptom.
When the researchers examined the types of headaches people were most likely to experience, the results showed that they most often reported migraines and tension headaches. They were also more likely than members of the general population to have severe headaches that disrupted their daily lives. Additionally, those with Sjögren’s have been found to have secondary headaches like aseptic meningitis and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. These are considered to be serious health emergencies.
In another study, researchers noted that between 50 and 75 percent of people living with Sjögren’s disease may experience headaches. Furthermore, these headaches may be more painful than those experienced by those without the condition.
With all that said, though, is there a reason this is happening? At the moment, researchers aren’t completely sure why people with Sjögren’s are more likely to have headaches. However, one study explored the connection between autoimmune conditions in general and headaches–especially migraines. Although the researchers noted that the available evidence was limited and dated, the existing information suggests a possible link between autoimmune conditions and inflammation in the nervous system.
While theoretical, researchers also noted that the same genetic factors that have been shown to increase your risk of developing certain autoimmune conditions are also linked to having migraines. Of course, this is far from a direct association, so it would need to be explored further.
RELATED: Living With Sjögren’s: 7 Daily Habits That Make a Real Difference
You may already know about the importance of staying hydrated with Sjögren’s disease. Interestingly, it may be just as important for avoiding primary headaches. Dehydration may not only lead to the development of a secondary headache, but it may also make primary headache conditions worse. That’s why you should drink water frequently and avoid alcohol-containing beverages that can dry you out.
It may also be beneficial for you to prevent headaches where you can. That’s where knowing your triggers may be helpful. You can potentially identify triggers for your headaches by keeping a record of what happened before your symptoms started. A few common triggers include stress, poor sleep, changes in the weather, bright lights, strong smells, smoke, or caffeine withdrawal. Consuming certain foods or drinks, such as alcohol, beans, nuts, avocados, bananas, cheese, chocolate, citrus, herring, dairy products, processed foods, and onions, may also contribute to headaches.
Prescribed medication may not be the only way to manage your headaches. There are a few alternative therapies that may help you to either prevent headaches or lessen your symptoms. Some options include doing mindful meditation, tai chi, and yoga regularly. Getting a massage, acupuncture, or a chiropractic manipulation may also help under the advice of your doctor. Given that people who have Sjögren’s disease may also deal with joint and muscle pain, it’s important to ask your doctor if any form of muscle or body manipulation is safe for you.
There is some evidence that suggests taking certain supplements can help to prevent headaches. However, you always have to be mindful of potential side effects. For example, although five of 11 clinical trials showed that riboflavin (Vitamin B2) may help to prevent migraines, it also turns urine bright yellow/orange and may cause diarrhea. Magnesium supplements may also have a similar side effect on your bowel movements.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant, and according to two randomized controlled trials, it may offer benefits for managing headaches. However, it has some mild side effects such as insomnia, fatigue, nausea, and diarrhea. Rarely, CoQ10 can affect your liver function. If you take any medications, check with your healthcare provider before using CoQ10. For example, CoQ10 interactions may make warfarin less effective or increase the risk of low blood sugar with certain diabetic meds.
You should always let your doctor know if your symptoms change when you’re dealing with Sjögren’s disease. The condition doesn’t always develop in the same way for everyone, so it’s important for your doctor to know what’s going on. Even if your headaches start out being infrequent or manageable, they still need to be reported. Your doctor may then suggest medications that could help with your headaches.
Depending on the type and severity of your headache, you may be offered pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or triptans. Preventive medicines like metoprolol, propranolol, amitriptyline, divalproex, topiramate, or erenumab-aooe may also be helpful.
When talking to your doctor about your symptoms, it’s essential to be as detailed as possible so they know which type of headache you’re dealing with. Migraines can pulsate while causing pain that’s moderate to severe. They can affect one or both sides of the head while causing nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light or sound. If you have a migraine, it can get worse with activity and can last anywhere from four to 72 hours if you don’t treat it.
Tension headaches, on the other hand, can feel like you have a tight band of pain around your head that’s accompanied by a dull ache or pressure. The pain may also be mild to moderate and last from 30 minutes to a week if left untreated.
Cluster headaches can cause severe pain on one side of the head and may be accompanied by other symptoms like nasal congestion, tearing, and nasal discharge on the same side as where you’re experiencing pain. If you have cluster headaches, they can occur on and off for weeks.
RELATED: Struggling With Sjögren’s Symptoms? What to Ask Your Doctor at Your Next Visit
Even if you have headaches regularly, a sudden and severe one may be an emergency situation–especially if it feels different from the ones you usually have. You should also seek emergency care if you develop a headache after a fall, have worsening pain even after taking medication, or if the headache is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, stiff neck, rash, confusion, seizure, double vision, weakness, numbness, or difficulty speaking.
As noted previously, people with Sjögren’s disease can also develop serious secondary headache-related conditions like aseptic meningitis and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). These aren’t issues you can deal with on your own.
In aseptic meningitis, there’s inflammation of the covering of your brain and spinal cord that’s not associated with a bacterial infection. It’s important to get an early diagnosis so the condition can be treated promptly. While treatment may vary, you may receive intravenous fluids and medications to reduce inflammation and combat any underlying infection. Some of the possible symptoms of aseptic meningitis include nausea and vomiting, light sensitivity, fever, body aches, fatigue, chills, loss of appetite, confusion, seizures, and neck stiffness.
A CVST is a specific and rare type of stroke where a blood clot forms in your brain’s venous sinuses. When this clot forms, it keeps blood from draining out of the brain. The result is that pressure builds up in the blood vessels, which may then cause swelling and bleeding in the brain. As you may imagine, this is an emergency that requires immediate treatment.
The treatment protocol can vary based on your symptoms. For example, if you’re having a seizure, doctors may need to treat it with antiseizure medication before moving on to other medications, such as anticoagulants, to prevent further clotting. Some persons may also need surgery.
The symptoms of CVST can vary depending on where the blood clot is located. However, they may include headache, blurred vision, fainting or loss of consciousness, loss of control over movement in part of the body, seizures, or a coma.
Although researchers haven’t definitively identified why so many people with Sjögren’s disease also deal with headaches, it’s clear that something is going on. The good news is that you can still take steps to manage your headaches, even if health professionals don’t yet know the cause. While it’s good to do what you can, you should always talk to your doctor before making any changes to your medical regimen. You should also let them know if your headaches have gotten worse or if you need emergency medical care.
By subscribing, you consent to receive emails from BlackDoctor.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.
Enter your name and email to receive the download link.
