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Carrie Ann Inaba, the longtime judge on Dancing with the Stars, revealed this week that a sudden mid‑flight medical emergency led to a hospital visit and renewed attention to a health battle she has silently managed for years. The 58‑year‑old says she was eventually diagnosed with Sjogren’s disease — an autoimmune condition that often begins with mild, easily overlooked symptoms but can become systemic if not recognized.
From dry eyes to an emergency on board
Inaba posted video footage showing paramedics taking her from an airplane to an ambulance after she felt acutely unwell during a trip to New York. She described a rapid onset of dizziness, a cold sweat and numbness in her arms alongside dramatically dry eyes — symptoms that prompted urgent care.
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The diagnosis itself was slow to arrive. According to Inaba, what began as recurring corneal injuries and relentless eye dryness led to consultations with an ophthalmologist, then a rheumatologist, and finally a specialist who ran targeted blood tests and a dry‑eye exam. She says the disease was formally identified in 2013 — more than a decade after her first warning signs.
What Sjogren’s disease does
Sjogren’s disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder most commonly known for destroying moisture‑producing glands, which causes severe dryness of the eyes and mouth. But doctors warn it is a systemic condition: untreated cases can affect the lungs, kidneys and other organs.
Estimates suggest around 4 million people in the United States live with Sjogren’s, and about 90% of those diagnosed are women. Patient surveys have documented a wide symptom range — one registry listing reported nearly 50 different symptoms over a year — which helps explain why many people wait years before receiving a diagnosis.
How the disease presented for Inaba
For a professional dancer and television personality, some early signs were easy to write off as routine wear and tear: persistent neck and shoulder pain, exhaustion and reduced stamina. But Inaba says the pattern of symptoms — worsening eye problems, episodes of profound fatigue and neural‑type sensations in her limbs — eventually made clear these were not simple overuse injuries.
“Don’t let people tell you it’s not real,” Inaba told followers, urging patience from friends and persistence from anyone seeking answers.
- Common symptoms: dry eye, dry mouth, severe fatigue, joint and muscle pain, brain fog, swollen lymph nodes, night sweats, numbness or tingling in hands or feet.
- Possible complications: inflammation of internal organs, chronic corneal damage, respiratory or renal involvement when the disease progresses.
Managing a lifelong condition
There is currently no FDA‑approved cure for Sjogren’s, so treatment focuses on symptom control and preserving function. Inaba described a multi‑pronged routine that includes keeping her eyes and environment humidified, carrying a health kit while traveling and scheduling rest around high‑demand engagements.
She also uses complementary approaches — meditation, reiki and bodywork — to minimize flares and manage chronic pain. Crucially, she emphasizes learning to pace activity and advocating with medical providers when symptoms escalate.
- Practical steps people report as helpful: preservative‑free artificial tears, saliva substitutes, humidifiers, anti‑inflammatory medication when prescribed, referral to specialists (rheumatology, ophthalmology).
- Self‑care strategies: symptom tracking, pacing, planning recovery time after public appearances, and building a support network.
Why this matters now
Inaba’s public disclosure comes at a moment when patient voices are shaping how invisible illnesses are understood. Her experience underscores two immediate takeaways: first, that subtle, chronic symptoms deserve careful evaluation rather than dismissal; and second, that early recognition may reduce the risk of long‑term organ involvement.
She is supporting the Sjout for Sjogren’s awareness campaign, which aims to destigmatize the disease and help people find community and care. Her message is simple but pointed: track your symptoms, press for appropriate testing, and insist on specialist referrals when necessary.
For readers noticing persistent dryness, unexplained fatigue or nerve‑like sensations, clinicians recommend documenting symptom patterns and seeking evaluation from a rheumatologist or ophthalmologist familiar with autoimmune dry‑eye disorders. Awareness and timely action can change the course of a condition that too often remains invisible until it becomes severe.
