Tongue Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine practitioners believe the appearance of your tongue can reveal a lot about your health.

Tongue diagnosis is an important part of the Chinese medical assessment. During an examination, the practitioner usually looks at the overall tongue coating, shape, and color. Then he or she looks at specific areas on the tongue. 

In Chinese medicine, different areas of the tongue are believed to reflect the health of the different organ systems. If there is an unusual color, coating, and/or shape in a certain area, special attention is paid to the corresponding organ system.

Tongue diagnosis can also be used to confirm a diagnosis. As with any assessment method, the doctor doesn't rely on tongue diagnosis alone, but uses it to provide a complete picture of a person's health.

Below are some of the guidelines Chinese medical practitioners use to assess the tongue. This is only a selection of many different types of patterns.

 

What is the Tongue Color?

The tongue color is normally a light red color, indicating that a person's vital energy (qi) is strong. It also reflects the health of the internal organs and blood circulation. Changes in the tongue color usually reflect chronic illness.

 

Tongue body color

May be a sign of

Pale

Excess cold, especially if thick white coating.

Spleen qi deficiency, especially if thin white coating

Blood deficiency, especially if dull, pale face and lips

Red

Excess heat, especially if there is a thick yellow tongue coating.

Yin deficiency, especially if tongue body is thin and coating is thin, absent or peeled.

Purple

Stagnant qi

Stagnant blood if dark purple tongue body and/or red spots on the tongue

 

 

 

 

What is the Tongue Shape?

The tongue shape is normally not too thick or thin, and the tongue body is smooth with no cracks. Changes in the tongue shape usually reflect chronic illness involving blood, qi, or body fluids.

 

Tongue shape

May be a sign of

Swollen or puffy

Spleen qi deficiency, especially if teeth marks on the sides

Damp heat

Thin

Blood deficiency

Fluid deficiency

Trembling

Spleen qi deficiency

Elongated

Heart heat

Sides curled up

Liver qi stagnation

If the sides are swollen and red, it may indicate Liver Fire

Cracks

Excess heat or yin deficiency

Heart imbalance, especially if there is a crack down the middle of the tongue to the tip

 

 

 

What does the Tongue Coating Look Like?

The tongue coating is normally thin and white. A pale yellow and slightly thicker coating at the back of the tongue may also be normal. The tongue coating often indicates the health of the spleen and stomach. It also provides a good indication of acute illness, such as colds and digestive problems.

Tongue coating

May be a sign of

Thick

Excess

Yellow, thick, glossy

Damp Heat

Dry, yellow

Excess heat

Peeled or absent

Deficient yin

Heart yin deficiency if it's on the tip of the tongue

Kidney yin deficiency if it's all over the tongue or at the back of the tongue and the tongue body is red.

 

 

Are there any Specific Problem Areas?

Each area connected to specific internal organs. For example, a thick yellow coating at back of tongue may be a sign of damp heat in intestines, bladder or uterus

 

Other Tongue Tips

•                Some disorders don't show up on the tongue.

•                Tongue is usually examined for no longer than 15 seconds at a time. If it's extended for longer, the   tension may alter the shape or color.

•                The tongue should be examined under natural light.

•                Before examination, don't eat foods that may discolor the tongue, such as coffee, beets, vitamin C,   and foods made with artificial food coloring.