Tongue Diagnosis Flashcards
The most numerous and smallest papillae on the tongue; distributed over the tongue, tip, body and sides
Filiform Papillae
Papillae mostly seen on the tip of the tongue. Newborns have more of this papillae than adults.
Fungiform Papillae
The e larger papillae, 7-9 in number, arranged in a V-Shaped distribution anterior to the sulcus terminalis, which separates the tongue body from the tongue root.
Circumvallate Papillae
Three to six in number, these papillae are found only in a small percentage of general population and are considered a remnant of past evolutionary stages.
Foliate Papillae
The posterior third of the tongue is associated most closely with which organs?
Kidney + Bladder
Organs of lower burner
The middle of the tongue is analogous / associated with which organs?
Spleen + Stomach
The middle burner
The anterior third of the tongue is most closely associated with which organs?
Lung + Heart
The upper burner organs
The lateral portions of the tongue are most closely associated with which organs?
Liver + Gallbladder
The lateral aspect of the abdomen
How does the tongue and it’s coating typical appear in the morning before the first meal?
The tongue coating is typically thicker and the color may appear dim (dusky) when one first awakens.
What is the typical tongue coating in the spring?
Normal
What is the typical tongue coating in the summer?
Slightly thick and yellow
What is the typical tongue coating in the autumn?
Thin and dry
What is the typical tongue coating in the winter?
Moist
What is a common change in the tongue for a person menstruating?
The tip or side of the tongue may be slightly more red.
After menstruation what is the typical color of the tongue body?
The tongue may be slightly pale in color
Is a black tongues coating in a genetically female person a critical sign?
No. It is critical in a genetically male person
The normal tongue is…
Pink with a thin white coating.
Teeth marks, quivering tongue and small cracks on the side of the tongue could indicate…
Spleen Qi Deficiency
Red only on the tip of the tongue would indicate…
Heart Heat
Red only on the sides of the tongue would indicate…
Liver/GB fire or Liv yin def
Red only on the center of the tongue would indicate…
Stomach heat or yin deficiency
Red only on the back of the tongue would indicate…
UB, lower jiao heat
Crack in the center of the tongue that does not reach the tip may indicate…
Stomach yin deficiency
A red tongue indicates…
Heat Syndrome
Excess or deficiency heat
a deep red tongue indicates…
Extreme Heat
Exogenous excess heat or yin deficiency w/ blazing fire
A purple tongue indicates…
Blood Stagnation
Blue-purple + dry = Stagnation due to heat
Pale + purple & moist = stagnation due to cold
A pale tongue indicates…
Deficiency & cold syndromes
Deficiency qi and blood
An orange tongue indicates…
Severe, persistent Lier blood deficiency that has become yin deficiency
A yellow tongue coat coloring indicates…
Heat Syndromes
A white tongue coat coloring indicates…
Cold Syndromes
A black tongue coat coloring indicates…
&dry = extreme heat damaging fluids
&moist = excessive cold from yang deficiency
A grey tongue coat coloring indicates…
&yellow + dry = excess heat consuming fluids
&white + moist = cold damp or phlegm in interior
What does a thin tongue coating indicate?
Exterior condition (not a strong antipathogen qi)
What does a thick tongue coating indicate?
Interior condition
Damp, phlegm, food
What does a dry tongue coating indicate?
Consumption of body fluids, excess or deficiency heat
What does a moist tongue coating indicate?
Moist is normal
Too moist = cold damp, water accumulation
What does a sticky/ greasy tongue coating indicate?
Turbid damp, phlegm, food
What does a granular tongue coating indicate?
Heat bringing turbid st qi up
Phlegm, food retention
What does a peeled/geographic tongue coating indicate?
St yin deficiency
Severe St qi damage
What does a swollen tongue indicate?
& deep red = excess heat in Ht and SP
&blue-purple, dark = toxicosis
&pale = Sp & Kidney yang deficiency
What does a cracked tongue indicate?
& deep red = heat consuming fluids
& pale= blood deficiency
Cracks can be normal!
What does a thin tongue (shape) indicate?
Deficiency Qi and Blood
if dry = hyperactive fire from yin deficiency
What does a thorny/prickle tongue indicate?
& red = excess pathogenic heat, interior
What does a rigid tongue indicate?
Exogenous febrile dx
Impending stroke
Turbid phlegm interior
Heat consuming fluids
What does a deviated tongue indicate?
windstroke
What does a flaccid tongue indicate?
& deep red= yin collapse
&pale = deficiency qi and blood
A tender tongue indicates…
Deficiency syndrome
a. Tender and dry = qi and blood deficiency
b. tender and wet = yang qi deficiency
A tough tongue indicates…
Excessive heat syndrome
(excessive path invasion cause qi and blood to rise, consuming qi and body fluids)
