The four examinations, part 2 tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine. Examining your tongue can tell you everything about your organs and the state of your health. There is no movement quivering, trembling, sidetoside motion, curling or shifting to one side. The cracks, they might be congenital, otherwise they mean something has eaten up the fluids. Chinese tongue diagnosis poster 18 x 24 laminated or heavy weight paper chinese tongue examination is much, much easier to master than chinese pulse examination. How tongue diagnosis works by transformational acupuncture. Most causes of a cracked tongue have distinctive and telltale symptoms, so a visual inspection followed by a medical history can accurately determine most culprits.
Taking into account swelling of the tongue body your teeth marks it confirms the yin deficiency in the spleen and accumulation of dampness. That said, there are two specific conditions that can be assessed by looking at just the tongue cracks. Tongue diagnosis is an important method in tcm to detect constitution like qi deficiency, yin deficiency, blood stasis, dampness, etc. Diagnosis through tongue acupuncture and chinese medicine. Traditional chinese medicine tongue diagnosis carahealth. It is considered a pillar of diagnosis because it provides clearly visible clues to a patients pattern of disease. We call this purplish color dusky and it shows stagnation of some kind, either qi or blood stagnation. The pain level varies depending with the cause, you may experience some pain especially when taking spicy, acidic, salty or hot foods and beverages. It can present strong visual indicators of a persons overall harmony or disharmony. The tongue is a map of the body in chinese medicine. The tongue body proper is going to give you information more about the yin organs, the blood organs in particular.
If you find cracks that are horizontal, that almost always means yin insufficiency. A peeled or cracked tongue coat indicates insufficient lining or flora in the. Changes in the tongue color usually reflect chronic illness. The tongue is totally peeled without coating and with many cracks, both signs of chronic yin deficiency.
Tongue the tongue is one of the major pillars of diagnosis, the other main one being the pulse. If there is no tongue fur over the crack or fissure, the fissure belongs to pathologic changes. The diagnosis can also be made using the clinical symptoms of the tongue. A cracked tongue diagnosis usually requires looking at more than just the grooves and fissures and often involves inspecting your body andor mouth for other symptoms. Tongue apperance and mechanisms a quick guide tongue diagnosis is a powerful means by which a practitioner of chinese medicine can quickly locate the solution to many issues of internal medicine.
Tongue diagnosis is a primary method in chinese medicine for understanding whats happening inside the bodyits the other mri of traditional medical systems. This method involves examination of the shape, size, color, and texture of the tongue body and coat and helps reveal the state of. It has a look of aliveness and is supple not stiff. When a chinese practitioner carries our his diagnosis through tongue session, he would take notes of the following. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Tongue diagnosis tongue diagnosis is used all the time by acupuncturists and practitioners trained in chinese medicine. In this simplified guide, we have selected some major tongue characteristics for you to perform your own examination. Another sign of yin deficiency is a tongue with deep cracks. Tongue diagnosis what your tongue says about your health. Tongue diagnosis is an integral part of taking a medical history in chinese medicine. For a proper diagnosis, always consult an accredited tcm physician. Your tongue plays a unique role in understanding your bodys constitution. Debris can sometimes get trapped in the cracks of deep grooves.
This is a common tongue when people have been sitting for too long or for women. In traditional chinese medicine, its an ancient practice to read the tongue. It can be a strong indicator of a persons overall harmony or disharmony. Tongue diagnosis is a practice long used in traditional chinese medicine a system. A cracked tongue diagnosis usually involves looking at the tongue to see what else is occurring alongside the cracks. Tongue diagnosis is an important part of the chinese medical assessment. If the tongue body also has cracks and there is little or no tongue coat, this usually indicates deficient heat due to. To reset the colour, just pull your tongue back into your mouth for a few moments. Tongue diagnosis introduction tongue is generally known as the organ of taste. You can also get a pulse and tongue diagnosis checkup as part of a holistic health counseling appointment. These are the characteristics of a fissured tongue. The symptoms of a fissured tongue are cracks on top surface of the tongue. Taking into account swelling of the tongue body your teeth marks it confirms the yin deficiency in the spleen and accumulation of damp. Most people assume it does not require treatment and that it will.
Tongue diagnosis is a primary method in chinese medicine for. Tongue diagnosis tongue diagnosis is part of diagnosis by looking in traditional chinese medicine tcm. Knowledge of tongue diagnosis is one of the unique treasures of traditional chinese medicine tcm. Tongue assessment in traditional chinese medicine tcm.
We specialize in using acupuncture, chinese herbal medicine, diet, and lifestyle changes to create health and alleviate or eliminate uncomfortable symptoms and. Tongue diagnosis is used all the time by acupuncturists and practitioners trained in chinese medicine it is an important way to diagnose a patients health and sometimes can be crucial in deciding what to do first. Tongue diagnosis in tcm is comprehensive and much information can be gathered from it such as the degree of the pathogenic factor and the state of. Tongue diagnosis is a very traditional and effective method which has been used to diagnose diseases for over two thousand years. Pale red tongue with white glossy coating, red tongue with fissures. It is considered a pillar of diagnosis because it provides clearly visible clues to a. But if the tongue is pale and cracked, deficient qi or xue is present. Webmd does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is a very accurate view into the inner health of an individual. Tongue diagnosis is a practice long used in traditional chinese medicine a system of alternative medicine that originated in china. Tongue diagnosis in tcm acupuncture theory tcm acupuncture theory. The stomach crack on the tongue is rather wide and it is in the central section of the tongue corresponding to middle burner. The treatment of diseases with acupuncture and chinese herbs, 2e.
A misguided study to test the reliability of traditional. Cracked tongue pictures, causes, diagnosis, treatment. To contrast and compare the heart and stomach cracks, the former is rather narrow and runs all along the tongue from near the root to near the tip, while the latter is rather wide and is only in the middle of the tongue. The tongue reflects the health of the internal organs and blood circulation. Since the tongue always reflects the basic, underlying pattern, it is extremely reliable, especially whenever there are. Cracks in a red tongue indicate heat injuring the fluids or deficient yin. What your tongue says about your health eu yan sang. When a practitioner of tcm looks at a patients tongue heshe is looking at many things such as the tongue body, shape, movement, coating as well as the yin and yang organs reflected on the tongue. But once we know what the symptoms are then the tongue is useful in finding the right formula. Tongue diagnosis is an important method used in chinese medicine to understand the health of a patient. Tongue diagnosis in tcm acupuncture theory chinese medicine. The tongue occurs as painful and magenta in color, inflamed glossitis. The tongue, according to ayurveda, is a strong diagnostic tool for looking at ones systemic health.
Practical diagnosis in traditional chinese medicine, 1e. Observation of the tongue, also known as tongue diagnosis, is an important procedure in tcm examination. Thorny eruptions of the buds on the tongue alert the doctor to heat or stagnant xue. Now they have a bright red tongue with cracks and its peeled.
The basics of this art can be learned in a single day or less. Cracked tongues do not require any specific treatment. Tcm tongue diagnosis is considered a pillar of tcm diagnosis because it provides clearly visible clues to. Observation of the tongue, also known as tongue diagnosis, is an important. Pulse diagnosis and tongue diagnosis are widely used in traditional chinese medicine. Cracks in a red tongue indicate deficient yin or heat injuring the fluids. A misguided study to test the reliability of traditional chinese medicine pulse diagnosis. In downs syndrome, studies show that almost 8 out of 10 children with this chromosomal disorder have fissure tongue. Tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine by giovanni maciocia.
It is likely that the yin deficiency preceded the blood stasis. Fissurescracks in the tongue movement of the tongue. This simplified guide to tongue examination is for reference only. Deep cracks on the sides indicate longterm spleen qi deficiency. Diy ayurvedic tongue diagnosis john douillards lifespa. It is especially important in confirming the tcm diagnosis. It includes observing the tongue and any coating it may have. According to the principles of tcm, analyzing the appearance of an individuals tongue can provide a greater understanding of his or her overall health.
The secondary functions of the tongue are to help swallowing and chewing the food. There are several shapes such crack and fissure on the surface of tongue, which differ in depth and numbers. In ayurveda, one of the primary investigative tools of practitioners for determining the state of ones health is tongue diagnosis or evaluation of the tongue. During an examination, the overall tongue coating, shape, and color is taken into account. For our herbalists, the tongue helps us select the proper herbal formula. In this article i am going to share with you knowledge about tongue diagnosis. Cracks on the tongue can be accompanied with other symptoms like pain, inflammation, itchiness or a burning sensation. Tongue analysis can be used in complement with pulse, nail, and facial diagnosis in order to really see what is going on. Tongue diagnosis of traditional chinese medicine for. It will often be necessary to crossreference several or all of these aspects to establish a full picture. Given its simple and noninvasive nature, tongue diagnosis is becoming a. The upper surface contains the taste buds that act as. A cracked tongue can be observed as an incidental finding during a routine dental examination. It is therefore very useful and important during inspection for confirming tcm diagnosis.
Inspection and tongue study methods in tcm shen nong. They are based on imagination, not on anatomical and physiologic reality. Fissured tongue has been associated with geographic tongue and pustular psoriasis. Tierra, leslie tongue diagnosis american herbalists guild. Cracks, grooves, or clefts appear on the top and sides of the tongue.
A physician will observe multiple characteristics of the tongue such as the tongues colour, coating and movement. The longer your tongue is out of your mouth, the darker it appears. In tongue diagnosis, observation of the surface of the tongue is mainly focused on. Tongue diagnosis is a key process used in chinese medicine and there is growing. In fact, im surprised when acupuncturists dont use it. Tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine the tongue has many relationships and connections in the body, both to the meridians and the internal organs. The deficiency extends to the tongue manifesting as cracks on the tongue. A cracked tongue is a benign condition with multiple small but furrows, fissures or grooves visible on the dorsal of the tongue. Understanding diagnostic reasoning in tcm practice.
Pulse and tongue diagnosis is often a part of the first acupuncture appointment, and always part of our herbal consultations. A reddishpurple tongue body colour usually indicates blood stasis deriving from or. The tongue body refers to the muscular tissue of the tongue. Possible causes include food allergy, biting the tongue, malabsorbtion of vitamin b, colon imbalance and other factors. In some cases, the cracks may cause burning sensation while consuming specific food type or may leave you tasteless too. What follows on this page are the various tongue body and coating appearances, how they came to look that way mechanisms and what they indicate. Tcm doctors rely on tongue diagnosis to differentiate one syndrome from another, and use variations in the tongues colour, texture, shape and coating to evaluate a patients condition. A healthy tongue looks like a piece of freshly killed meat. Vitamin h deficiency mostly occurs in those taking antiseizure medications, taking longterm antibiotics and absorption difficulties such as in crohns disease.
The aims of this study were to 1 understand cognitive strategies and diagnostic reasoning processes of tcm practitioners engaged in tongue diagnosis and 2 investigate tcm practitioners. If you find cracks on a pale tongue, it usually means that the qi and the blood is deficient. The appearance and qualities of the tongue is a critical part of diagnosis in chinese medicine tcm. On rare occasions will you consult a doctor on seeing cracks on the tongue. The four examinations, part 2 tongue diagnosis in chinese. Vertical crack on the tongue usually indicates the exhaustion of your body fluids specifically yin deficiency. Tongue cracks are hereditary, and rarely cause and problem.
Chronic yin deficiency leads to emptyheat and we know in this case that the blood stasis derives from heat as the tongue is a. One of the principal diagnostic methods in traditional chinese medicine tcm is the inspection of the tongue. The tongue itself usually cant tell you what formula to take. According to tcm theory, the tongue provides a geographic map of organ systems. The normal tongue in traditional chinese medicine has a light red or pinkish body with a thin white coating. In chinese medicine, each type of tongue quality relates to a chinese diagnosis, as well as particular physical and mentalemotional symptoms. Tongue diagnosis and analysis natural health techniques. It is rare to need a biopsy to diagnose a fissured tongue. The demarcations that you look for are cracks or raised areas. The tongue is the beginning of the digestive tract, which lumbers on for another 30 feet or so. Tongue diagnosis is part of diagnosis by looking in traditional chinese medicine. Chinese tongue diagnosis is an essential tool used by tcm practitioners. A normal tongue is pink in color, medium thickness, no cracks, ulcers, no teeth marks and with a light white moist coat with root on it. Treatment for irritation include vitamin and zinc supplements, and treatment for pain include pain revilers and antiinflammatory drugs.