w6.h1 Lesson 5: Tongue Body Shape Indications

Question 1

Choose the best answer.

What is not a clinical significance of tongue body shape change?

a) Helps provide a correct diagnosis when the color of the tongue body hasn’t changed.
b) Indicates a more severe condition.
c) Helps determine the thermal nature of the pathogen
d) Reflects excess or deficiency syndromes.

Answer 1

c) Helps determine the thermal nature of the pathogen

Question 2

Choose the 2 best answers that complete the sentence accurately.

If the texture of the tongue body is tough, ___

a) and if the tongue body is red then there is excess heat
b) and if the tongue body is pale then there is deficient heat
c) and if the tongue body is blue then there is damp heat
d) and if the tongue body is purple then there is blood stagnation

Answer 2

a) and if the tongue body is red then there is excess heat
d) and if the tongue body is purple then there is blood stagnation

Question 3

Choose the 2 best answers that complete the sentence accurately.

If the texture of the tongue body is tender, ___

a) and if the tongue body is moist then there is damp accumulation
b) and if the tongue body is dry then there is qi and blood deficiency
c) and if the tongue body is glossy (wet) then there is yang deficiency
d) and if the tongue body is prickled then there is blood deficiency

Answer 3

b) and if the tongue body is dry then there is qi and blood deficiency
c) and if the tongue body is glossy (wet) then there is yang deficiency

Question 4

Choose the 3 best answers.

A flabby tongue shape indicates:

a) damp or phlegm heat if the tongue body is red
b) blood stagnation if the tongue body is pale
c) Spleen or Kidney yang deficiency if the tongue body is pale, tender, and teethmarked
d) normal health in an asymptomatic person

Answer 4

a) Damp or phlegm heat if the tongue body is red
c) Spleen or Kidney yang deficiency if the tongue body is pale, tender, and teethmarked
d) Normal health in an asymptomatic person

Question 5

Choose the 3 best answers.

A (vertically) swollen tongue shape indicates:

a) Alcohol poisoning if the tongue body is purple
b) Blood stagnation due to chemical toxicity if the tongue body is dark blue purple or pale blue purple
c) Heart or Spleen Heat if the tongue body is bright red, possibly painful
d) normal health in an asymptomatic person

Answer 5

a) Alcohol poisoning if the tongue body is purple
b) Blood stagnation due to chemical toxicity if the tongue body is dark blue purple or pale blue purple
c) Heart or Spleen Heat if the tongue body is bright red, possibly painful

Question 6

Choose the 4 best answers.

An enlarged tongue with teethmarks indicates:

a) Dampness if the tongue body is pale and moist
b) Spleen yang deficiency if the tongue body is pale and moist
c) Kidney yang deficiency if the tongue body is pale and moist
d) abnormal health in all cases
e) Spleen deficiency if slightly pale

Answer 6

a) Dampness if the tongue body is pale and moist
b) Spleen yang deficiency if the tongue body is pale and moist
c) Kidney yang deficiency if the tongue body is pale and moist
e) Spleen deficiency if slightly pale

Question 7

Choose the 3 best answers.

A thin and/or small tongue indicates:

a) Qi and blood deficiency if the tongue body is pale and the coating is thin
b) Spleen yang deficiency if the tongue body is pale and dry
c) Yin deficiency with heat if the tongue body is red and mirrored
d) Normal health in some cases

Answer 7

a) Qi and blood deficiency if the tongue body is pale and the coating is thin
c) Yin deficiency with heat if the tongue body is red and mirrored
d) Normal health in some cases

Question 8

Choose the best answer.

Which indication is incorrect for a cracked tongue body?

a) Blood deficiency if the tongue body is pale or slightly red and the coating is varied
b) Spleen qi deficiency with dampness if the tongue body is pale, flabby, scalloped and the coating is varied
c) Excess Heat if the tongue body is deep red and has a dry coat
d) Yin deficient if the tongue body is red and the coating is thin and yellow

Answer 8

d) Yin deficient if the tongue body is red and the coating is thin and yellow

Question 9

Choose the 3 best answers.

Which indications are true for a prickled or speckled tongue body?

a) Speckles are raised and due to pathogenic heat pushing upwards
b) Damp Heat accumulation if the tongue body has red prickles and the coating is thick and yellow
c) Toxic Heat if the tongue body is bright red and has a yellow coat
d) Heat in the Nutritive or Blood Level if the tongue body is deep red with red or dark purple prickles and the coating is little or none

Answer 9

b) Damp Heat accumulation if the tongue body has red prickles and the coating is thick and yellow
c) Toxic Heat if the tongue body is bright red and has a yellow coat
d) Heat in the Nutritive or Blood Level if the tongue body is deep red with red or dark purple prickles and the coating is little or none

Question 10

Choose the 2 best answers.

Which indications are true for sores on the tongue body?

a) Toxic Heat in the Heart Channel if the tongue body is pale and has a white coat, sores are yellow, ulcerating and painful
b) Deficient Heat from the Lower Burner if the tongue body is pale with scallops and the coating is thick and white, sores are flat, red and mildly painful.
c) Toxic Heat in the Heart Channel if the tongue body is red and has a yellow coat, sores are yellow, ulcerating and painful
d) Deficient Heat from the Lower Burner if the tongue body is red with fissures and the coating is very little and yellow, sores are flat, red and mildly painful.

Answer 10

c) Toxic Heat in the Heart Channel if the tongue body is red and has a yellow coat, sores are yellow, ulcerating and painful
d) Deficient Heat from the Lower Burner if the tongue body is red with fissures and the coating is very little and yellow, sores are flat, red and mildly painful.