Tongue Analysis, Mouth and Gums Flashcards
Tongue diagnosis
- Tongue diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) dates to the Shang Dynasty which began circa 1600 B.C. Since that time it has evolved into a very important assessment tool.
- Tongue diagnosis is also an important ayurvedic assessment tool.
- Examination takes into consideration:
-Condition —may indicate nutrient deficiencies.
-Shape.
-Colour.
-Patterns.
-Coating.
Root / back
Lower abdomen —kidneys, bladder, intestines and reproductive organs.
Centre
Central abdomen —stomach and spleen.
Sides
Liver and gall bladder.
Tip and front
Chest —heart and lungs.
Pale
Excess cold, Qi or Yang deficiency, blood deficiency (medically a pale tongue can indicate iron deficiency anaemia).
Red
Excess heat, inflammation, infection. Use the tongue map i.e. a red tip of the tongue (heart area) indicates disturbance of the ‘shen’ (spirit) and often indicates underlying anxiety. Medically, a red and painful tongue / glossitis can indicate deficiency of folate, B12, B2, B3, B6.
Purple
Blood stagnation, reduced Qi, poor circulation, (medically a purple tongue can indicate cyanosis (low oxygen).
Prominent redpapillae (spots)
Excess Heat
Excess papillae
‘Hairy tongue’ with a thick coating may follow antibiotic treatment. Probioticsand prebioticsrequired.
Dry and cracked
Yin deficiency (not enough fluids, not ‘holding’ fluids, or dried out due to excess heat).
Wet
Excess moistureand fluids.
Imapired taste
Zinc deficiency.
Tongue shape: Thin
Blood deficiency.
Tongue shape: Swollen
Qi or Yang deficiency causing fluid retention;dampness.
Tongue shape: Scalloped (teeth marks on sides)
Weak digestion (spleen Qi deficiency), pancreatic insufficiency, in ayurvedathis will lead to build up of ‘ama’ (undigested food toxins).
Tongue shape: Raised / upturned edges
A sign of high stress
Mobility of the tongue: Tremor / quiver
Spleen Qi deficiency. In ayurveda it indicates excess ‘vata’ —nervous energy and anxiety. Nutritionally it can indicate magnesium deficiency.
Midline of tongue
In ayurvedic tongue analysis, the midline of the tongue, also known as the ‘sulcus’, represents the spine. The tip of the tongue is the top (cervical region) and the back the bottom (lumbar region).
- Cracks or fissures can correspond to painful areas of the spine.
Medial fissure
A shallow vertical crack through middle of tongue (not to the tip) —can be a sign of deficiency of digestion.This indicates an under-secretion of digestive juices.
Medial fissure at the tip
Tendency to constitutional heart problems. May also indicate thyroid issues.
Geographical (or mapped) tongue
Yin deficiency; nutritionally it can indicate a B vitamin deficiency. Often seen in psoriasis sufferers.
Tongue coating: Thin white
Normal
Tongue coating: Brown
Chronic excess heat (leading to degenerative changes).
