Tongue Diagnosis

Alternative Medicine

Filed In:

Alternative Medicine

Tongue Diagnosis

by Cathy Wong

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. George was probably fighting off a cold. 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.

This article is meant for information only. An accurate tongue assessment using the Chinese medical system can only be made in person by a qualified practitioner.

Guide since 2000

Cathy Wong
Alternative Medicine Guide

Sign up for my Newsletter

Explore Alternative Medicine

Must Reads