Carrie Ann Inaba shares her struggle to manage hidden, invisible illness: 'It's real'

Longtime "Dancing pinch nan Stars" judge Carrie Ann Inaba is spreading consciousness astir a information she’s been surviving pinch for decades.

The dancer and TV characteristic has precocious been transparent astir her travel pinch Sjogren’s illness – an autoimmune information that tin commencement pinch seemingly mini symptoms but has nan imaginable to go debilitating.

Inaba, 58, was rushed to nan infirmary past week aft her information triggered a medical emergency mid-flight while walking to New York City.

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In an Instagram station featuring a video of Inaba being transported successful an ambulance, she described really she "suddenly felt rather ill."

"And while it seemed for illustration nutrient poisoning, I besides abruptly collapsed retired into a acold sweat, sewage dizzy and my arms went numb," she wrote.

"Like galore group who unrecorded pinch autoimmune disease, I recreation pinch a health instrumentality kit and americium prepared for nan worst, but this frightened me."

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In an question and reply pinch Fox News Digital, Inaba revealed that she’s been silently struggling pinch nan illness for years, since first processing oculus problems erstwhile she was younger.

"My eyes were really, really barren and I kept having injuries to my corneas," she said.

After consulting her ophthalmologist, who brushed disconnected her symptoms, Inaba met pinch a rheumatologist who directed her to a Sjogren’s specialist.

Carrie Ann Inaba has been a "Dancing pinch nan Stars" judge since nan ballroom creation competition's first play successful 2005. (Courtesy of Carrie Ann Inaba)

Following extended bloodwork and a dry-eye test, Inaba was diagnosed pinch Sjogren’s illness successful 2013 – much than 10 years aft she first knowledgeable symptoms.

What is Sjogren’s disease?

Sjogren’s is simply a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease that tin impact different parts of nan body. If near untreated, nan information tin worsen complete time, successful immoderate cases causing harm to nan lungs, kidneys and different organs, according to aesculapian experts.

An estimated 4 cardinal group successful nan U.S. are surviving pinch Sjogren’s, 90% of whom are women.

In a study of much than 3,500 adults surviving pinch nan disease, 48 different symptoms were reported complete nan people of a year, per information from Sjout for Sjogren’s.

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Sjogren’s tin show up otherwise for everyone, making it difficult to diagnose.

In Inaba's case, aft nan first dry-eye symptoms, she began suffering from "a batch of pain" successful her cervix and shoulders. As a dancer, this was difficult to differentiate from nan normal aches and pains, she shared. Extreme fatigue was different denotation she experienced.

Carrie Ann Inaba, pictured astatine nan Deadline x Dancing pinch nan Stars 20th Anniversary Portrait Studio successful November 2025, Following extended bloodwork and a dry-eye test, was diagnosed pinch Sjogren’s illness successful 2013. (Anthony Avellano/Deadline via Getty Images)

"I had nary power to move guardant pinch things, which is dissimilar me," she said. "I've ever been a go-getter ... I was physically progressive my full life. And during this chapter, erstwhile I was starting to fig retired thing was wrong, location were each these symptoms, and I didn't understand really they were related."

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Other symptoms tin see barren mouth, brain fog, anxiety, swollen glands and lymph nodes, tegument rashes, fevers and nighttime sweats. People whitethorn besides announcement numbness, tingling aliases burning successful nan hands aliases feet. Internal organ complications tin besides occur.

Managing nan disease

Inaba said she relies connected a assortment of practices to negociate her symptoms, including keeping her eyes and situation moist.

"I ever person a batch of drinks. I'm ever spraying things successful nan aerial to get moisture successful nan air. I person a humidifier I slumber with," she told Fox News Digital.

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"I besides do tons of meditation and reiki and assemblage activity to make judge I don't get excessively flared up, because symptom is ever pinch me. I unrecorded pinch symptom 24/7."

Inaba said she’s learned really to perceive to her assemblage to pat into what it needs, particularly taking clip to remainder surrounding large events.

An infographic displaying symptoms knowledgeable by much than 3,500 U.S. Sjogren's patients successful 1 year. (Sjoiut for Sjogren's/sjoutforsjogrens.com)

"I cognize that much than likely, I mightiness beryllium sick and I mightiness person a fewer down days afterwards, and it's worthy nan risk," she said. "If I don't person to beryllium successful a crowd, I won't, because I want to return attraction of my wellness and prioritize myself."

"Don't fto group show you it's not real."

For others who are surviving pinch Sjogren’s aliases experiencing symptoms, Inaba’s proposal is to support "careful track" of nan informing signs, to admit erstwhile thing doesn’t consciousness correct and to advocator for proper care.

This is nan connection down nan Sjout for Sjogren’s campaign, an consciousness activity that Inaba hopes will thief dispersed much knowledge astir nan illness and trim stigma.

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"We want group to respect that it is simply a analyzable systemic autoimmune illness that needs care," she said. "There is nary FDA-approved treatment astatine this time, truthful it's astir managing symptoms."

"It’s important to besides person a organization – and portion of this run is astir building a community."

Carrie Ann Inaba appears connected "Dancing pinch nan Stars" during nan show's 20th day ceremony that aired Nov. 11. (Eric McCandless/Disney)

The astir important point Inaba wants group to cognize astir Sjogren’s is that "it’s real."

"It's an invisible illness," she said. "I cognize erstwhile I'm retired location doing immoderate show I'm doing, you don't deliberation I'm sick, but I salary a value for doing that."

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"It's sometimes a lonely and isolating illness – and truthful I want group to cognize they tin scope retired … I want group to consciousness assured capable to outcry astir what they're going through."

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She added, "Don't fto group show you it's not real. And person patience for nan friends who are trying to understand, but can't quite. Because, astir likely, you don't judge it unless you're really experiencing it."

Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.