Carrie Ann Inaba, best known as a long‑time Dancing with the Stars judge, has been open about living with Sjogren’s disease for years, and a recent mid‑flight medical scare brought that struggle into sharp focus. This article traces her diagnosis, the symptoms that were easy to miss for a performer, and how she manages an unpredictable autoimmune condition while pushing for awareness and community support.
Inaba has carried symptoms for more than a decade before receiving a formal diagnosis, and she recently experienced a frightening episode while traveling. She shared that she “suddenly felt quite ill.” That moment escalated quickly and required ambulance transport when the problem intensified mid‑flight.
In a post about the episode she wrote, “And while it seemed like food poisoning, I also suddenly broke out into a cold sweat, got dizzy and my arms went numb,” she wrote. That description underscores how autoimmune flares can mimic common illnesses but hide something more serious. For someone who travels frequently and performs in front of crowds, those sudden changes are especially disruptive.
Her journey to diagnosis began with persistent dry eyes and repeated corneal injuries that were hard to explain. After consulting different specialists she finally saw a Sjogren’s expert and, following tests, received the diagnosis in 2013. The delay between first symptoms and diagnosis is common with this disease because signs can be subtle and spread across the body.
Sjogren’s is a chronic autoimmune condition that often affects moisture‑producing glands and can involve other organs if it progresses. An estimated four million people in the United States live with Sjogren’s, and the vast majority are women. Symptoms reported by patients are numerous and varied, which makes recognition and treatment planning a challenge.
Symptoms can be deceptively ordinary: dry eyes, dry mouth and fatigue, but the list does not stop there. Inaba described living with “a lot of pain” in her neck and shoulders and periods of “extreme fatigue” that left her unable to keep up her usual pace. Numbness, tingling, brain fog, swollen glands and skin changes are all part of the spectrum some people report.
She also shared practical ways she protects herself on the road and at home. “Like many people who live with autoimmune disease, I travel with a health tool kit and am prepared for the worst, but this scared me.” Small routines—humidifiers, extra fluids and environmental sprays—help her manage the relentless dryness that defines much of the condition.
Beyond gadgets, Inaba leans on holistic practices to keep flares calmer and pain lower. “I always have a lot of drinks. I’m always spraying things in the air to get moisture in the air. I have a humidifier I sleep with,” she said. “I also do lots of meditation and reiki and body work to make sure I don’t get too flared up, because pain is always with me. I live with pain 24/7.”
She described learning to listen to her body and make choices that protect her health, especially around big events. “I know that more than likely, I might be sick and I might have a few down days afterwards, and it’s worth the risk,” she said. “If I don’t have to be in a crowd, I won’t, because I want to take care of my health and prioritize myself.”
Part of her mission now is to push for understanding and better care for people with Sjogren’s. “We want people to respect that it is a complicated systemic autoimmune disease that needs care,” she said. “There is no FDA-approved treatment at this time, so it’s about managing symptoms.”
Inaba emphasizes the importance of community and honest conversation about living with an invisible illness. “It’s real.” She added, “It’s an invisible illness,” she said. “I know when I’m out there doing whatever show I’m doing, you don’t think I’m sick, but I pay a price for doing that.”
She urges sufferers not to remain silent and asks friends and family to offer patience and support. “It’s sometimes a lonely and isolating disease – and so I want people to know they can reach out … I want people to feel confident enough to shout about what they’re going through.” Her parting advice is straightforward: “Don’t let people tell you it’s not real. And have patience for the friends who are trying to understand, but can’t quite. Because, most likely, you don’t believe it unless you’re actually experiencing it.”
