Do you suffer from facial pain, especially in the jaw area? Do you find it difficult to open and close your mouth? Are you experiencing persistent ringing in the ears?

If you’re answer to all the questions above is yes, then you may have what is called Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or TMD, a common ailment that affects many people nowadays. Simply put, when you have TMD, your temporomandibular joint—a.k.a. the areas in front of your ears that connect your jaw to the rest of your face—are suffering from some sort of problem, which causes them to malfunction.

“There are many possible causes for TMD—from loss of molars and arthritis to accidents that cause significant trauma to that area of the face,” explains Dr. Edward Beduya, DMD. “It can also affect anyone regardless of age or gender.”

Adding that regardless of the cause, anyone who experiences the symptoms of TMD should seek professional help, Dr. Beduya shares how it affects the lives of his patients.

“I’ve had patients who go to me and say they’ve been suffering from constant neck and back aches for years, only to find out that the cause of the pain is actually a problem with their temporomandibular joint. There are also some whose movements have been greatly limited by the disorder and some whose faces even got deformed.”

“The thing about TMD is the more that you prolong the treatment, the worse it gets because it’s not just the bones that are affected, but the muscles as well. So my advice is always ‘have yourself checked by a professional once you start experiencing its symptoms.’”

Common symptoms of TMD include: facial pain, especially in the jaw area; aching pain in and around your ears; consistent ringing in the ears; locking of the jaws, especially when you try to open your mouth to its full capacity; numbness or fatigue in your neck and/or upper back and; misalignment of the jaw.

As a final advice, Dr. Beduya stresses the importance of going to the right doctor as well. “TMD is a very specialized disorder that needs the attention of someone with sufficient education and experience dealing with the matter. Not all dentists have the knowledge and skillset to deal with this matter effectively. So please, go to ones that have track record of effectively addressing the issue. Doing so will save you a great deal of time and money.”