2. Do you hear popping, clicking or cracking sounds when you chew?
3. Do you hear a grating sound (like crumpling of newspaper) when you chew?
4. Do you have stuffiness, pressure or blockage in your ears?
5. Do you hear a ringing or buzzing sound in either or both of your ears?
6. Do you experience dizziness frequently?
7. Do your jaws feel like they “catch?”
8. Do your jaws feel tight, difficult to open?
9. Does it appear that you can’t open your mouth as wide as you used to?
10. Does your tongue go between your teeth or do you bite on your tongue to separate your teeth?
11. Do your teeth ache?
12. Are your teeth sensitive, especially to cold temperatures?
13. Do you wake with sore facial muscles?
14. Do you clench or grind your teeth during moments of frustration or concentration?
15. Do you grind your teeth at night?
16. Do your neck, back of your head, or shoulder hurt?
17. Does it hurt to move your jaw sideways?
18. Have you been hit in the jaw?
19. Have you been put to sleep for surgery?
20. Have you had a whiplash automobile injury? If yes, how long ago? Year________.
21. Have you seen a neurologist, chiropractor, psychologist, or psychiatrist for unexplained head or neck injury?
22. Do your ears hurt?
23. Do your jaws ache after eating?
24. Are you under a lot of stress?
25. Have you been told that you might have TMJ?
26. Does your jaw seem to wiggle or move to one side or another when you open and close your mouth?
27. Are your jaw joints tender when you place your finger over them?
28. Is it difficult for you to chew?
29. Have you noticed a loss of hearing?
30. Are you able to open your mouth wide enough to place three fingers between your teeth?
31. Are your neck muscles frequently stiff?
32. Have you ever had arthritis?
33. Has any member of your family ever had arthritis or gout?
34. Does the pain or discomfort from your jaw joint pain interfere with your daily activities?
Remember, the more “yes” answers that you have increases the odds that you might be suffering with TMJ.
Before you make a doctor’s appointment, you should
perform the self-examination.