Facial pain, back pain, locking of the jaw and an aching pain in and around your ears. These are just some of the most common symptoms of TMD or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. In essence, TMD is when the joint that connects your skull to the rest of your face and the muscles surrounding it become damaged. It has many causes which you may read here.

Do you think you suffer from this disorder? Here are five exercises you can do at home to help you confirm your suspicion.

1. The Pinky Test. Place your pinkies inside your ears with the rest of your hands positioned in front of your face, then slowly open your mouth to its full capacity. Afterwards, close your mouth slowly as if you’re biting something. Do you feel pressure pushing your fingers away from your ears? Do you feel any pain or discomfort while performing this test? Did you hear any cracking sound in your jaw area? If your answer to ANY of the questions above is yes, chances are the parts of your jaw that’s supposed to be connected to your temporal bones are positioned backwards, making you susceptible to TMD.

2. The Jaw Reflection. Stand in front of a mirror and start opening and closing your mouth. Open it as wide as you can. Close it as if you’re biting something. Do this several times and try to observe if your jaw tends to move to one side of your face, especially as you open your mouth. If this happens—especially if it’s accompanies by pain or muscular discomfort—chances are there has been some damage to your temporomandibular joint, which means you may already have TMD.

3. The Three Finger Rule. Try opening your mouth to its full capacity. Can you fit your index, middle and ring fingers comfortably inside? If the answer is no, this means that your jaw is not properly positioned, which if left untreated, may lead to TMD.

4. Ringing Sound. Have you been suffering from ear pain or have been hearing a ringing sound that just won’t go away? Have you been to other specialists who told you that there is nothing wrong with your ears? Well, the problem could be coming from your jaw. This is actually a common TMD symptom.

5. Pain Cycle. If you experience pain in your jaw, neck, shoulders or back in the morning, which lessens by the middle of the day and starts to intensify again at night, especially during bedtime, there is a very big possibility that there are misalignments in your temporomandibular joint. Unknown to most, any damage in this area of the face can and will affect all other parts of the body, especially the ones mentioned above.

It is important to go to a dentist who specializes in TMD management the moment you suspect that you’re suffering from the disorder. Delaying treatment can lead to more serious problems which may cost you more in the future.