What’s your tongue saying?
What is your tongue saying?
Tongue diagnosis in a long tradition in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Analyzing the tongue is a lens into the body, allowing us an interior visual of the individuals overall health. In TCM it is thought that the different areas of the tongue correspond with the five major organ groups: heart, spleen, liver, lungs & kidneys. Here’s a quick look highlighting how practitioners utilize tongue diagnosis:
Color:
A light red color indicates that an individual's vital energy (also known as "qi") is strong. Changes in tongue color, are said to signal chronic illness.
For example, pale coloring in the tongue is thought to indicate an issue with the pancreas and/or digestive function, while purple coloring is said to arise from blockages and stagnation in the flow of Qi.
Shape:
Normal tongue shape is neither too thick nor too thin; the tongue body is smooth with no cracks. In general, changes in tongue shape are thought to reflect chronic illness affecting the blood, bodily fluids, or qi (energy).
Changes in tongue shape may include a swollen or puffy tongue (said to be another indicator of problems with the pancreas and/or digestive function), cracks in the tongue (a possible sign of imbalance in the heart organ, an issue associated with insomnia and memory troubles), and curling at the sides of the tongue (thought to indicate liver qi stagnation).
Coating:
Although the tongue coating is usually thin and white, a pale yellow and slightly thicker coating at the back of the tongue may also be normal. White coatings are generally associated with damp or coldness with in the body and yellow coatings are a sign of excess heat.
Please note: Tongue diagnosis should not be used as a substitute for standard medical care or to diagnose potential health problems. TCM practitioners do not solely rely on tongue diagnosis in evaluating a patient's health. Please consult with your primary care physician
