TCM Tongue Diagnosis Flashcards

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1
Q

Moist Coat

A

Damp-Phlegm
Cold-Damp
Deficiency Cold
Almost any Cold pattern
Tai Yin / Shao Yin

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2
Q

Moist & Slimy Coat

A

Dampness due to Spleen Deficiency

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3
Q

Dry Coats

A

Heat (generally)

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4
Q

Dry & Rough Coat

A

Damage to fluids by Exuberant Heat
-most often occurs in externally contracted febrile disease

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5
Q

Dry & Slimy Coat

A

Phlegm-Damp obstructing the center
-confirming sign: thurst w/o desire to drink
Dehydration

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6
Q

Thicker Coats

A

Indicate stronger Evil
-if coat thickens in course of disease – getting worse

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7
Q

Thinner Coats

A

Indicate weaker Evil
-if coat thins in coarse of disease – getting better

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8
Q

Slimy Coats

A

Dampness
Phlegm
Food Stagnation

Covering whole tongue = stronger Evil
Covering only center = more chronic condition

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9
Q

Grimy & Slimy Coat

A

Turbid Phlegm or Turbid Damp w/ Stomach Qi Deficiency
-often seen w/ Food Stagnation
-bad breath

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10
Q

Peeling Coat

A

Insufficient Yin Humor w/ ST Qi Deficiency

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11
Q

Peeling w/ Non-Transforming Slimy Coat

A

Phlegm Damp Failing to Transform
Damage to Yin Humor & ST Qi

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12
Q

Thick Slimy Coat that Suddenly & Completely Peels Away

A

Major damage to Right Qi

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13
Q

Chicken Heart Tongue

A

Stomach Yin Deficiency
(peels down middle from tip)

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14
Q

White, Moist, Thin Coat

A

Normal tongue
W/ Exterior signs: Evil has not yet entered interior

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15
Q

White & Moist Coat

A

Cold (generally)

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16
Q

White, Moist & Thick Coat

A

Cold Damp
Cold-Phlegm

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17
Q

White, Very Dry, & Thin Coat

A

Insufficiency of Fluids

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18
Q

White, Thick & Dry Coat

A

Transformation of Cold Evil into Heat

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19
Q

Mealy White Coat w/ Red Body

A

Dampness Trapping Hidden Heat

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20
Q

White, Thick, Slimy Coat

A

Phlegm Damp

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21
Q

Tofu Coat
(slimy/greasy w/ caked appearance)

A

Sweltering Damp Heat w/ ST Qi Deficiency & damage to Yin

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22
Q

Yellow, Thin, Dry Coat

A

Damage to liquid by Heat Evil

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23
Q

Slimy Yellow Coat

A

Damp Heat
Phlegm Damp

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24
Q

Yellow Coats

A

Excess Heat (generally)

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25
Q

Old Yellow / Burnt Yellow

A

Binding of Excess Heat

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26
Q

Mixed White & Yellow Coat

A

Cold transforming into Heat
Shao Yang disorder

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27
Q

Black Coats

A

Extreme Heat, Cold, or Excess

28
Q

Rough, Dry, Parched-Black Coat on Deep Red Tongue

A

Damp-Heat transforming into Dryness
Damage to Yin by intense Heat

29
Q

Thick, Slimy Black Coat

A

Phlegm-Damp

30
Q

Moist & Black Coat

A

ST Qi Deficiency
KD Yang Deficiency

31
Q

Slimy Yellow mixed w/ Grayish-Black Coat

A

Exuberant Damp Heat Evil

32
Q

Mixed Gray & White Coat
or Thin, Moist Gray Coat

A

Cold Damp

33
Q

Enlarged Tongue

A

Qi Deficiency
Yang Deficiency (if body is pale & coat is moist white)

34
Q

Enlarged w/ a Shiny Coat

A

Dampness
Damp Heat

35
Q

Red, Sore, Swollen Tongue

A

Intense Heat Evil
Up-flaming of Heart Fire

36
Q

Shrunken & Pale Tongue

A

Qi & Yin Deficiency
Qi & Blood Deficiency

37
Q

Shrunken & Red Tongue

A

Yin-liquid Deficiency leading to heat

38
Q

Shrunken, Crimson, & Dry

A

Damage to Yin Humor by Exuberant Heat

39
Q

Red Speckles & Prickles

A

Exuberant Heat
Common in febrile disease

40
Q

Fissures on a Red Tongue

A

Exuberant Heat Damaging Fluids or Yin

41
Q

Fissures on a Pale Tongue

A

Qi & Blood Deficiency
Damage to Qi and Yin

42
Q

Mirror Tongues

A

Yin Humor Depletion

43
Q

Mirror Red / Crimson Tongue

A

Damage to Yin by intense Heat

44
Q

Mirror Pale

A

Damage to both Qi & Yin

45
Q

Pale Tongue

A

Qi & Blood Deficiency

46
Q

Pale, Moist, Enlarged Tongue

A

Yang Qi Deficiency

47
Q

Red Tongue Body

A

Heat

48
Q

Red Body w/ Yellow Coat

A

Excess Heat

49
Q

Red w/ Thin White Coat

A

Damage to Yin

50
Q

Crimson Tongue Body

A

Heat in Ying or Blood Aspects
Effulgent Yin Deficiency Fire

51
Q

Red Tongue Tip

A

Up-Flaming of Heart Fire

52
Q

Red Tip + Yellow Fur

A

Hyperactive Heart Fire

53
Q

Red Tip + Mirror Red Body

A

Heart-Kidney non-interaction

54
Q

Red (or Crimson) Shrunken Tongue

A

Effulgent Yin Deficiency Fire

55
Q

Bluish or Purple Tongue

A

Impaired flow of Qi & Blood i.e. Qi Stagnation and/or Blood Stasis

56
Q

Purple Macules

A

Localized Blood Stasis

57
Q

Stiff Tongue

A

Heat entering Pericardium
Phlegm Confounding Orifices of Heart
Phlegm Obstructing Network (Luo) Vessels
Liver Wind Stirring Internally

58
Q

Limp Pale Tongue

A

Qi & Blood Deficiency

59
Q

Limp Red Tongue

A

Intense Heat
Yin Humor Depletion

60
Q

Contracted Red Tongue

A

Damage to Yin by Extreme Heat

61
Q

Contracted Pale Tongue

A

Yang Qi Desertion

62
Q

Deviating Tongue

A

Wind Strike
Liver Wind Stirring Internally

63
Q

Trembling Red or Deep Red Tongue

A

Ascending Hyperactive Liver Yang
Internal Wind Stirred by Exuberant Heat

64
Q

Trembling Pale Tongue

A

Qi Deficiency

65
Q

Protrusion & Agitation of Tongue

A

Internal Wind About to Stir
Developmental Disability due to Former Heaven Essence Insufficiency