“Tongue diagnosis” is an important part of TCM “observation diagnosis”. Mastering some basic skills of “looking at the tongue” can help you detect bodily diseases early. Regarding how to observe your tongue, experts explain that TCM divides the tongue into the tip, middle, root, and sides. TCM believes that the tip corresponds to the heart and lungs, the middle corresponds to the spleen and stomach, the root corresponds to the kidneys, and the sides correspond to the liver and gallbladder. Observing the tongue should be done from several aspects including tongue quality, tongue coating, tongue papillae, and the blood vessels and meridians at the tongue’s base.
1
Common Symptoms Observed in Tongue Diagnosis
Common Condition One: “Qi Deficiency with Dampness”
A series of pathological changes caused by insufficient vital energy in the body is called Qi deficiency. It is related to the intense social competition, excessive stress, and unhealthy lifestyle that modern people endure.
Tongue Appearance:
The tongue is enlarged, weak, and has teeth marks on the edges. The overall tongue quality is pale and lacks redness, with a greasy white coating. When heat develops, the tongue coating may turn yellow, thick, and adherent to the entire tongue surface.
Regulation Methods:
1. Five-finger peach stew with chicken.
2. Job’s tears and barley lemon tea.
3. Chinese yam and job’s tears tea.
Common Condition Two: “Yin Deficiency”
Yin deficiency refers to the insufficiency of the body’s essence, blood, and body fluids. Since essence, blood, and body fluids are all considered Yin, it is termed “Yin deficiency”. This condition is often seen in patients who have suffered from prolonged illness or after febrile diseases that lead to the depletion of Yin fluids. Dr. Chen Rundong from the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine states that due to Yin deficiency failing to control fire, excessive fire can further injure Yin fluids, and both conditions often influence each other.
Tongue Appearance:
The tongue is red, tender, smooth, and lacks moisture, often with little or no coating, appearing quite dry. Regardless of the disease, any tongue appearance like this indicates signs of Yin fluid depletion in the body, with severe loss of body fluids. A glossy red tongue indicates excessive heat injuring Yin, while a glossy pale tongue indicates both Qi and Yin deficiency.
Regulation Methods:
1. Lily and Ophiopogon decoction. Lily moistens the lungs and descends Qi, while Ophiopogon nourishes Yin and supports the stomach; both herbs can moisten dryness and restrain fire.
2. Soft-shelled turtle and Dendrobium soup. Both Dendrobium and soft-shelled turtle are used to nourish Yin deficiency, and cooking them together can help eliminate Yin fire and replenish Yin deficiency.
Common Condition Three: “Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis with Liver Fire”
Individuals with blood stasis have slower blood flow in the body, and in some areas, blood flow may even come to a complete standstill, which is more common in older individuals. However, this constitution is also very common among young women, who often experience irregular menstruation, dark menstrual blood, and symptoms of blood stasis such as clots and dysmenorrhea. Additionally, emotional distress can also lead to blood stasis.
Tongue Appearance:
The tongue body is relatively thin, with red edges, a yellow coating, and coarse papillae, and the tongue appears dry. If it develops into excessive liver fire, the tongue body may appear dark, with purple-black spots or points, and the blood vessels at the base of the tongue may become thickened and distorted.
Regulation Methods:
1. Drink more floral teas, such as rose tea, peppermint tea, jasmine tea, etc. These can regulate menstruation, invigorate blood, and moisten Qi.
2. Increase physical activity to promote blood circulation, reduce stress, and relax the mind.
Common Condition Four: “Blood Deficiency”
Blood deficiency is characterized by a state of insufficient blood in the body. Blood circulates through the vessels, nourishing and moistening all organs and tissues, maintaining normal physiological activities. If blood is deficient, its nourishing and moistening functions will weaken, leading to insufficient spirit, fatigue, and a pale complexion. Due to menstrual blood loss, blood deficiency is more commonly seen in women.
Tongue Appearance:The most notable feature is a pale white tongue.
Regulation Methods:
1. Angelica and ginger lamb soup, which has the effect of dispelling cold and keeping warm, and relieving fatigue.
2. Eat more red dates, which can nourish blood and improve complexion.
2
Observe Family Members’ Tongues
Indigestion
If a baby has a thick white coating on the tongue, it is often a sign of irregular diet or indigestion. At this time, you can give the child some children’s digestive pills, children’s spleen-boosting pills, or Huo Xiang Zheng Qi pills to stimulate appetite.
Stroke
For middle-aged and elderly individuals, especially those who are overweight, if the root of the tongue feels numb and the index and middle fingers feel stiff, this is often a precursor to a stroke caused by cerebral ischemia. In such cases, it is important to take the elderly to the hospital for examination as soon as possible.
Hypertension and Hemorrhoids
Patients with hypertension or hemorrhoids often present with yellow and dry tongue coating, accompanied by constipation. In this case, some laxatives, such as Ma Ren Run Chang Wan, can be taken, or Senna leaves can be soaked in water as tea to keep bowel movements smooth.
Cold and Fever
In the later stages of a cold or fever, the tongue coating is thin, and the tongue color is deep red, which is caused by heat evil injuring Yin. At this time, some Yin-nourishing and heat-clearing Chinese herbs can be used for regulation.
Menopause
Women in menopause, if there are many stasis points on the sides of the tongue, accompanied by irritability, this indicates a disorder of the body’s endocrine metabolism and pigment deposition. At this time, some liver-soothing and Qi-regulating Chinese herbs, such as Shugan Wan and Xiaoyao Wan, can be taken for quick results.
Source: CCTV4 Chinese Medicine
END
Long press the QR code to follow CCTV4’s official WeChat and Weibo
If you find this useful, please like it