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Tongue - CAM
Tongue Diagnosis from CAM
Question | Answer |
---|---|
The deep branch of which meridian goes to the root of the tongue? | Heart Meridian of the Hand Shaoyin |
Which meridian TRAVERSES the ROOT of the tongue and SPREADS over its LOWER surface? | The Spleen Meridian of the Foot Taiyin |
Which meridian terminates at the root of the tongue? | The Kidney Meridian of Foot Shaoyin |
The 4 qualities of a normal tongue are: | ● Proper size ● Soft in Quality ● Free in Motion ● Slight red in color with a thin layer of white coating which is neither dry nor over moist. |
The tip of the tongue often reveals: | The pathological changes of the heart and lung |
The border reveals: | The pathological changes of the liver and gallbladder |
The central part reveals: | pathological changes of the spleen and stomach |
The root reveals: | Pathological changes of the kidney |
A pale tongue indicates: | ● Syndromes of Deficiency Type ● Insufficiency of Qi and Blood ● Cold syndromes caused by Deficiency of Yang Qi |
A red tongue indicates: | Various heat syndromes including: ○ interior heat syndromes of excess type ○ interior heat syndromes of deficiency due to yin deficiency |
A deep red tongue indicates: | Extreme heat conditions: ○ Exogenous febrile diseases: ■ Invasion of the Yin and Xue (blood) systems by pathogenic heat. ○ Endogenous febrile diseases: ■ Indicates yin deficiency leading to hyperactivity of fire. |
A blue purple tongue indicates: | Stagnation of blood which is related to either cold or heat. |
Deep blue purplish tongue, dry and lusterless | Blood stag related to heat |
Pale purplish and moist tongue | Blood stag related to cold |
Purplish spots on the tongue surface | Stagnation of blood |
Swollen tongue description | Larger than normal, delicate in quality and pale in color, and with tooth prints on the border |
Swollen tongue indicates | Yang deficiency of the Spleen and Kidney ○ This condition is due to IMPAIRED CIRCULATION of BODY FLUIDS producing: ■ Harmful water ■ Retained Fluid ■ Phlegm ■ Damp |
A swollen tongue that is larger than normal, deep red in color occupying the entire space of the mouth. | Excessive heat in the Heart and Spleen |
A swollen tongue that is larger than normal, is blue purplish and dark. | Toxicosis |
Thin tongue description | Smaller and thinner than normal |
Thin & pale indicates: | Deficiency of Qi and Blood |
Thin, dry & deep red indicates | Hyperactivity of fire due to deficiency of yin in which body fluid is consumed. |
Cracked and Deep Red tongue indicates: | Excessive heat consuming body fluid |
Cracked and pale indicates: | Deficiency of blood if the tongue is pale. |
Cracks that are not deep and remain there all the time unchanged indicate | Normal |
Thorny tongue description | Papillary buds over the surface of the tongue swell up like thorns. |
Thorny and red tongue indicates | Accumulation of pathogenic heat in the interior. ○ The more severe the pathogenic heat, the more enlarged and profuse the thorns will be. |
Deviated tongue indicates | ● Wind-stroke ● Early threatening signs of wind-stroke. |
Rigid tongue description | Lacks flexibility and is difficult to protrude, retract, or roll. |
Rigid tongue indicates | ● Exogenous febrile diseases: ○ Invasion of the pericardium by heat ○ Retention of turbid phlegm in the interior ○ Excessive Pathogenic heat consuming body fluid ● Endogenous febrile diseases: ○ Wind-stroke ○ Early threatening signs of wind-stroke |
Flaccid tongue description | Weak in motion |
Flaccid tongue indications | Extreme deficiency of qi and blood ● Consumption of yin fluid depriving the tongue of the nourishment |
Flaccid, pale tongue indicates: | ● Deficiency of Qi and Blood |
Flaccid, deep red tongue indicates: | Collapse of yin |
Thin coating indicates | the superficial portion of the body is affected in a disease ● the disease is due to deficiency of the antipathogenic qi |
Thin coating description | If the tongue proper can indistinctly be seen through it |
Thick coating description | If tongue proper cannot be seen through it |
Thick coating indicates | Retention of: ○ damp ○ phlegm ○ food in the interior ○ Inward transmission of the pathogenic factor from the exterior |
Dry coating indicates | Consumption of body fluid due to excessive heat ● Consumption of yin fluid not allowing it to nourish upwards |
Dry coating desc. | Looks coarse and feels lacking moisture |
Slippery coating desc | Excessive moisture over the tongue surface and the saliva dribbles when the tongue is stuck out in a severe case |
Slippery coating indicates | Upward flooding of harmful water and cold damp |
Sticky coating desc | The tongue is covered by a turbid layer of fine greasy substance which is HARD to be SCRUBBED. |
Sticky coating indicates | Syndromes resulting from: ○ Retention of turbid damp ○ Phlegm ○ Retention of Food |
Granular coating desc | Coarse, loose and thick like residue of making soy bean curds, and easily scrubbed. |
Granular coating indicates | Excessive Yang heat bringing the turbid qi in the Stomach upwards ● Syndromes caused by: ○ Retention of turbid phlegm ○ Retention of food |
Geographic tongue coating desc | Tongue with a part of its coating peeling off |
Geographic tongue coating indicates | Consumption of Qi and Yin of the Stomach |
Glossy coat desc. | The entire coating peels off leaving the surface mirror smooth |
Glossy coat indicates | ● Exhaustion of the Stomach Yin ● Severe damage of the Stomach Qi |
White tongue coat indicates | ● Normal ● Exterior syndromes ● Cold Syndromes |
Thin and white coating: | Present in exterior cold syndromes |
Thick and white | Interior cold syndromes |
Yellow coating: | ● Interior syndromes ● Heat syndromes |
Deeper yellow coating | More severe pathogenic heat |
Light yellow coating | Mild heat |
Burnt yellow coating: | Accumulation of heat |
Grey coating: | Interior syndromes |
Grey coating that is yellowish and dry: | Consumption of body fluid due to excessive heat |
Grey coating that is whitish and moist | ● Retention of cold damp in the interior ● Retention of phlegm ● Retention of fluid |
Black coating description | The outcome of the further development of a yellow coating or a grey coating. |
Black coating indicates | Interior syndromes due to: ○ Extreme heat ○ Excessive cold |
Black coating is yellowish and dry, possibly with thorns: | Consumption of body fluids due to extreme heat |
Pale black and slippery coating | Excessive cold due to yang deficiency |