Patches on tongue diagnosis in tcm

The tongue reflects the health of the internal organs and blood circulation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt in applying noninvasive tcm tongue diagnosis to the discrimination of bcps and nps. The tongue coating fur refers to a layer of moss over the tongue surface, which is produced by the stomach qi. Pale being qi and blood deficiency, yang deficiency and cold. Tongue diagnosis and chinese medicine observing the tongue is one of the major diagnostic tools of tcm and there are hundreds of possible indications. Guidelines for formulating a tcm diagnosis east west. Tongue diagnosis can be complicated but there are a few easy to look for signs that may give you an indication of whats going on. A tongue can be slightly pale, but when you see a pale tongue, it almost looks white. Tongue diagnosis is a very traditional and effective method which has been used to diagnose diseases for over two thousand years. Jun 24, 2017 a normal tongue has a cover of tiny, pinkish white papillae. The tongue is pale or has teeth marks, and the pulse is deep and thready. In tcm, its thought that different areas of the tongue reflect the health of five corresponding organ systems. Mar 15, 2016 according to traditional chinese medicine tcm, the tongue is an important diagnostic tool for evaluating the meridians and internal organs of the body, including in the digestive system. It also provides a good example on how to describe in decent english the concepts and terms in chinese medicine.

For thousands of years, tongue diagnosis has played an indispensable role in the practice of ayurveda and traditional chinese medicine tcm. Tcm practitioners rely on tongue diagnosis to differentiate one syndrome from another, and use variations in the tongue s colour, texture, shape and coating to evaluate a patients condition. May 29, 2017 the tongue reflects how a persons body is balanced, generally in a more longterm way than pulse diagnosis. Tongue diagnosis in traditional chinese medicine sarah. It includes observing the tongue and any coating it may have. But once we know what the symptoms are then the tongue is useful in finding the right formula.

It typically occurs in people with abnormal immune systems, such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, people taking immunosupressive drugs to protect transplanted organs, and people with hiv infection. In geographic tongue, the patches of cracked tongue are missing these papillae making flat patches. What causes a black tongue and how to get rid of it. Auscultation refers to the analysis of particular sounds.

Tongue diagnosis what your tongue says about your health. Learning to read the 28 pulses that are an essential part of chinese medicine diagnosis takes years of study and practice. Seasons of the year in summer, there may be more dampness present in the tongue coating, leaving it slightly thicker and light yellow. Traditional chinese medicine tongue diagnosis carahealth. According to tcm principles, the tongue itself is considered. Youll also learn about the types of things that can contribute to a black tongue.

Tongue helps to diagnose how harmonized the dosha is or whether it is out of balance. With geographic tongue, patches on the surface of the tongue are missing papillae and appear as smooth, red islands, often with slightly raised borders. In chinese medicine, each type of tongue quality relates to a chinese diagnosis, as well as particular physical and mentalemotional symptoms. When a chinese practitioner carries our his diagnosis through tongue session, he would take notes of the following. Giovanni maciocia discusses tongue diagnosis, including the. Knowledge of tongue diagnosis is one of the unique treasures of traditional chinese medicine tcm. Eight principles of diagnosis in traditional chinese. Individuals with hairy tongue may notice keratinization and overgrowth of the papillae. This is a method for tcm physicians to understand and predict the. There is a reasonable congruence between ayurvedic tongue assessment and tcm regarding the map of the organs on the tongue. How traditional chinese medicine sees itchy conditions.

This simplified guide to tongue examination is for reference only. To reset the colour, just pull your tongue back into your mouth for a few moments. Unusual bumps on the tongue are a symptom of infection by human papillomavirus hpv. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This is how i explain tcm tongue diagnosis to my patients. In ayurveda, one of the primary investigative tools of practitioners for determining the state of ones health is tongue diagnosis or evaluation of the tongue the tongue is the beginning of the digestive tract, which lumbers on for another 30 feet or so. Dec 22, 2019 the tongue, according to ayurveda, is a strong diagnostic tool for looking at ones systemic health. The aims of this study were to 1 understand cognitive strategies and diagnostic reasoning processes of tcm practitioners engaged in tongue diagnosis and 2 investigate tcm practitioners. Symptoms while the appearance of geographic tongue is unusual and may be alarming if someone has not experienced it. It is a condition which results in the appearance of a maplike pattern on the tongue surface as well as red spots on tongue. A scalloped tongue one with ridges on the outside edge indicates fluid retention. Tongue diagnosis gillian mckeith healthy eating, weight. A misguided study to test the reliability of traditional chinese medicine pulse diagnosis.

Tongue diagnosis is an integral part of taking a medical history in chinese medicine. Changes in the tongue happen when changes occur first in the diet, emotions, lifestyle and state of health. Dark red, bruised spots or patches, blood stasis with heat. It is a very accurate view into the inner health of an individual. Tcm doctors rely on tongue diagnosis to differentiate one syndrome from another, and use variations in the tongues colour, texture, shape and coating to evaluate a patients condition. Practical diagnosis in traditional chinese medicine, 1e. Tongue diagnosis is an important part of the chinese medical assessment. The appearance and qualities of the tongue is a critical part of diagnosis in chinese medicine tcm. One of the most challenging obstacles for an advanced east west herb school students is to learn how to make and write a traditional chinese medicine tcm styled diagnosis and formulate treatment principles and treatment all derived from applying the four diagnoses. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and. Introduction to tongue assessment for the western herbalist. Oct 22, 2019 while everyones tongue may look slightly different, a typical healthy tongue should be pink in color, with a thin whitish coating on the surface.

The reddishpurple colour indicates blood stasis with heat. Besides a thick white tongue coating, other symptoms may also be present, especially when digestion and candida are at the root of the problem. Construction of the tongue and how the tongue is related to the body and internal organs. Tongue the tongue is one of the major pillars of diagnosis, the other main one being the pulse. Within tcm there are a couple of different schools of thought with regards to where to map different organs on the tongue. Click on the combination that matches your symptoms to find the conditions that may cause these problems. Tongue diagnosis of traditional chinese medicine for rheumatoid. Tongue diagnosis is a practice long used in traditional chinese medicine a system of alternative medicine that originated in china. Stagnation of qi of the spleen and stomach caused by retention of food or dampness.

The tcm tongue diagnosis can serve as a preliminary screening procedure in early detection of bc in light of its simple and noninvasive nature, followed by other more accurate testing process. In traditional chinese medicine tcm the tongue body represents the yin organs, blood and nutritive qi ying qi. In wm, liver fire could correlate with high blood pressure or inflammation of the liver such as would occur during a hepatitis flareup. Chinese medicine also known as tcm pulse diagnosis is a more detailed and subtle process. White coating on tongue may mean deficiency in the heart, liver. Tongue diagnosis is a key process used in chinese medicine and there is growing. Our tongues say a lot about us, including our health. The tongue body refers to the muscular tissue of the tongue. Tongue diagnosis of traditional chinese medicine for. These are signs of underlying health complications that need correct diagnosis and treatment after consultation with a doctor. The coating of the tongue would be observed separately from the actual body of the tongue. Tongue diagnosis in tcm beachside community acupuncture.

Understanding diagnostic reasoning in tcm practice. In chinese medicine, pulse diagnosis is also a very important diagnostic tool that provides your practitioner with information about the state of your health but in different ways. These patches can be sensitive to spicy or hot food and drinks. In tcm, a normal tongue is one that is light red or pinkish, with a thin, white and moist coating. Traditional chinese medicine tcm has developed a unique, effective diagnostic approach using inspection of the tongue. Doctor of traditional chinese medicine vancouver area canada. The art of facial diagnosis acupuncture and chinese medicine for children. The appearance of a white coating is caused by debris, bacteria and dead cells getting lodged between the enlarged and sometimes inflamed papillae. If you stick your tongue out at yourself in the mirror, you can actually see the health of your organs.

They are both used to derive a tcm diagnosis for your. Such unsightly bumps may be painful and elicit a burning sensation. Tongue and pulse diagnosis are two of the more important diagnostic tools in chinese medicine. A pale and moist tongue with a thick white coating is an indication of dampcold or excessive dampness. However it is best to see a practitioner who specialises in tongue diagnosis. The swelling on the sides indicates chronic spleen deficiency and the rootless coating missing in patches indicates stomachyin deficiency. A tongue with a thick and yellow coating or swollen taste buds will indicate excess heat or an interior heat pattern. Red spots can indicate the presence of dampheat in the xue level, where the internal organs are accumulating toxins. Tongue apperance and mechanisms a quick guide tongue diagnosis is a powerful means by which a practitioner of chinese medicine can quickly locate the solution to many issues of internal medicine. Tongue diagnosis is an important method in tcm to detect constitution like qi deficiency, yin deficiency, blood stasis, dampness, etc. In this way, tcm offers keys to harmonious health through understanding what we see about our tongue. Patches may also appear on the top or bottom of the mouth, the insides of the cheeks, the lower lip, or the gums. Tongue diagnosis is an important part of the chinese medicine.

Webmd does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If theres a thick yellow coat on the rear of the tongue, this indicates dampness and heat in the intestines, bladder or uterus. Aug 12, 20 tongue diagnosis is an important method in tcm to detect constitution like qi deficiency, yin deficiency, blood stasis, dampness, etc. Geographic tongue is a condition that gets its name from a maplike appearance on the upper surface and sides of your tongue. These patches lesions give the tongue a maplike, or geographic, appearance. In tcm, the surface of the tongue corresponds to particular zangfu organs and can reveal a lot about a particular disease. The best prevention an explanation for how acupuncture works how to boost energy with acupuncture in winter the chinese heart diagnosis of the tongue summertime. A misguided study to test the reliability of traditional.

Observation of the tongue, also known as tongue diagnosis, is an important procedure in tcm examination. Webmd symptom checker helps you find the most common symptom combinations and medical conditions related to white patches on tongue. In this article i am going to share with you knowledge about tongue diagnosis. The tongue body proper is going to give you information more about the yin organs, the blood organs in particular. Some of this can be affected by what a person did that day. Here is what a yellow tongue may tell us, according to tcm. For a proper diagnosis, always consult an accredited tcm physician. Diagnosis through tongue acupuncture and chinese medicine. They are based on imagination, not on anatomical and physiologic reality. Sep 11, 20 tongue assessment is part of both tcm and ayurvedic medicine. If the tongue is purple in the center, this is blood stagnating in the stomach.

Im not a medical scientist but part of my research is related with chinese medicine. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, risk factors, diagnosis. Therefore, the tongue diagnosis is considered a cornerstone practice in the diagnostic process. It is a harmless condition, but patients may seek medical attention if they experience discomfort or pain. It is also the changes in the body and coating of the tongue that are important in tcm. How moist or dry the tongue is can be important for tongue diagnosis. It can be a strong indicator of a persons overall harmony or disharmony. Tongue analysis can be used in complement with pulse, nail, and facial diagnosis in order to really see what is going on. During tcm diagnosis we focus on the body of the tongue, the coating and any particular tastes the patient might experience.

Tongue diagnosis is a primary method in chinese medicine for understanding whats happening inside the bodyits the other mri of traditional medical systems. They may however occur as bumps that are hard to touch. According to the principles of tcm, analyzing the appearance of an individuals tongue can provide a greater understanding of his or her overall health. According to tcm theory, the tongue provides a geographic map of organ systems. In ayurveda, one of the primary investigative tools of practitioners for determining the state of ones health is tongue diagnosis or evaluation of the tongue.

However, lesions on the tongue may indicate other moreserious conditions of the tongue or diseases affecting the body in general. Tongue diagnosis is involved, but below youll find a shortish list of what an acupuncturist is observing. For our herbalists, the tongue helps us select the proper herbal formula. Geographic tongue is a minor although sometimes uncomfortable condition.

Every persons tongue is unique, with distinct characteristics that reflect their inner health. Although there is no treatment for hpv, the symptoms can be treated. Chinese medicine to treat anger reading between the lines. Tongue assessment in traditional chinese medicine verywell health. The tongue itself usually cant tell you what formula to take. Often, a white coating on the tongue and bad breath will show up together, or you may have a metallic taste in the mouth. The lesions often heal in one area and then move migrate to a different part of your tongue.

Excessive tongue coating in any of these specific areas shows an imbalance of that dosha. Spleen qi deficiency, especially if teeth marks on the sides or damp heat. Tongue diagnosis in traditional chinese medicine january 26, 2016 sarah johnson if youve ever had an acupuncture treatment, there is a pretty good chance that at some point your practitioner has asked to take a look at your tongue. The tongue gives clear clues as to the health of different organ systems and the bodymindspirit as a whole. The tongue is a map of the body in chinese medicine. Poor appetite in a prolonged illness with emaciation, loose stools, lassitude, and a pale tongue with thin white coat.

Leukoplakia produces one or more white patches in the mouth or on the tongue that cannot be removed by scraping. White tongue is the result of an overgrowth and swelling of the fingerlike projections papillae on the surface of your tongue. I found this book a very nice description of the principles and practices of the tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine. Jul 05, 2018 a black tongue usually isnt as serious as it looks. Tongue assessment in traditional chinese medicine tcm.

In tongue diagnosis, observation of the surface of the tongue is mainly focused on the shape, fur, and body of the tongue. The treatment of diseases with acupuncture and chinese herbs, 2e. Examples of a tongue that has lost its healthy qi zheng qi include a tongue that is. In fall or autumn, the tongue may be thinner with a coating that is more dry. Tcm tongue diagnosis is considered a pillar of tcm diagnosis because it provides.

Apr 25, 20 when a practitioner of tcm looks at a patients tongue heshe is looking at many things such as the tongue body, shape, movement, coating as well as the yin and yang organs reflected on the tongue. Oral candidiasis symptoms include whitish patches that appear in the oral cavity such as on the tongue, inside the cheeks or on the palate. During an examination, the overall tongue coating, shape, and color is taken into account. In traditional chinese medicine tcm, the tongue is believed to be connected to the organs of the. Treatment of candidiasis by traditional chinese medicine. The symptoms of a fissured tongue are cracks on top surface of the tongue. How tongue diagnosis works by transformational acupuncture. Tcm doctors rely on tongue diagnosis to differentiate one syndrome from another, and use variations in the tongue s colour, texture, shape and coating to evaluate a patients condition. Changes in the tongue color usually reflect chronic illness. Tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine tcm tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine the normal tongue in traditional chinese medicine has a light red or pinkish body with a thin white coating.

The longer your tongue is out of your mouth, the darker it appears. Ask the patient not to brush their tongue, at least the day of their tcm tongue diagnosis. Tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine by giovanni maciocia. Doctor of traditional chinese medicine vancouver area. Tongue diagnosis in tcm is comprehensive and much information can be gathered from it such as the degree of the pathogenic factor and the state of. Webmd explains how a strawberry tongue, one that is swollen and bumpy, can be caused by many different conditions or disorders.

If you have lesions on the tongue that dont resolve within 10 days, see your doctor or dentist. Excerpt from demystifying chinese medicine class 4, taught by danny geren, l. It causes discolored bald patches on the tongue s surface that often appear in an islandlike distribution, making the tongue s surface look like a map. This sequence is the defining cornerstone of traditional chinese medicine. It will often be necessary to crossreference several or all of these aspects to establish a full picture. However, your chinese medicine practitioner will talk to you about your pulse diagnosis, and the most common descriptions are.

The tongue is the beginning of the digestive tract, which lumbers on for another 30 feet or so. An enlarged red tongue with a greasy yellow coating may indicate stomach and spleen dampheat or yang deficiency. On the other hand, tooth marks correspond to qi vacuity or water toxin. These patches suggest deficient yin in either stomach andor kidney. Jun 14, 2016 the tongue is a map of the body in chinese medicine. Diy ayurvedic tongue diagnosis john douillards lifespa. Tongue diagnosis is a primary method in chinese medicine for. Since we cannot see much beyond the mouth without some invasive diagnostics, a quick look at the. Tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine health diagnoses by tongue has long been done by traditional chinese medicine tcm practitioners. In traditional chinese medicine tcm, the tongue is considered a very important sign for both the meridians and the internal organs of the body. What follows on this page are the various tongue body and coating appearances, how they came to look that way mechanisms and what they indicate. Inspection and tongue study methods in tcm shen nong.

The presence of painful red bumps can lead to difficulties in eating and chewing food. Pulse diagnosis and tongue diagnosis are widely used in traditional chinese medicine. There comes a point in every patient interview that acupuncturists do where we ask to take a look at the patients tongue. Red spots on tongue may sometimes develop as red bumps. It is especially important in confirming the tcm diagnosis. Bright red and swollen on the tongues sides in em, bright red and swollen sides of the tongue suggest a diagnosis of liver fire. Poor appetite with stuffiness in the chest, fullness in the abdomen, and a thick sticky tongue coat. Tongue diagnosis is an important method of tcm to detect blood stasis. The four examinations, part 2 tongue diagnosis in chinese.