A normal tongue is relatively flat across its length. This suggests overabundance of pathogenic heat in the body, which could be due to eating too much spicy food, particularly redgreen chilis, tabasco sauce, or. A cracked tongue can be observed as an incidental finding during a routine dental examination. Jan 25, 2017 vertical crack on the tongue usually indicates the exhaustion of your body fluids specifically yin deficiency. During an examination, the overall tongue coating, shape, and color is taken into account. Diagnosis through tongue acupuncture and chinese medicine. The tongue body shows the condition of zang fu organs, especially zang, the yin organs. Cracks in tongue, fissured, burning, vitamin deficiency. Now they have a bright red tongue with cracks and its peeled. In general, changes in tongue shape are thought to reflect. Practice of chinese medicine and tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine are all outstanding contributions of scholarship and clinical acumen, and this present volume obstetrics and. Cracks in a red tongue indicate deficient yin or heat injuring the fluids. Tongue assessment in traditional chinese medicine tcm.
Chinese medicine tongue diagnosis show me your tongue did you know that your tongue is giving very important clues about your overall health. Therefore, it is a great diagnostic tool to understand the health of the internal organs as well as the overall health of the human body. In chinese medicine, each type of tongue quality relates to a chinese diagnosis, as well as particular physical and mentalemotional symptoms these will be described in more detail below. A cracked pale tongue indicates insufficiency of yin and blood. The symptoms of a fissured tongue are cracks on top surface of the tongue. See more ideas about chinese medicine, traditional chinese medicine and acupuncture. This could also indicate heat or an insufficiency of fluids in the body. In chinese medicine, each type of tongue quality relates to a chinese diagnosis, as well as particular physical and mentalemotional symptoms.
A cracked tongue is a benign condition with multiple small but furrows, fissures or grooves visible on the dorsal of the tongue. The stomach crack on the tongue is rather wide and it is in the central section of the tongue corresponding to middle burner. A normal tongue is pink in color, medium thickness, no cracks, ulcers, no teeth marks and with a light white moist coat with root on it. Sep 27, 2018 the surface of the tongue reveals significant information about underlying imbalances. The four examinations, part 2 tongue diagnosis in chinese. As with geographic tongue, the smooth patches will make the natural fissures in the tongue more noticeable. Tongue diagnosis and analysis natural health techniques. Most causes of a cracked tongue have distinctive and telltale symptoms, so a visual inspection followed by a medical history can accurately determine most culprits. It is more prevalent in aged individuals where its severity is also know. When a chinese practitioner carries our his diagnosis through tongue session, he would take notes of the following. Aug 05, 2016 ideally, if you have a cracked tongue, then you should visit the doctor or even an ear, nose and throat practitioner that will give you a diagnosis. The gums and inside of the cheeks are related to the yangming meridians, the stomach and the large intestine. A peeled or cracked tongue coat indicates insufficient lining or flora in the.
A light red or pale tongue is a sign of deficiency in both qi and blood. Tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine by giovanni maciocia. Tongue diagnosis in tcm acupuncture theory chinese medicine. There is no movement quivering, trembling, sidetoside motion, curling or shifting to one side. In the first place, the properties of tongue coating should be examined. 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.
A central short crack in the middle of the tongue often indicates stomach yin. The color of the tongue, its shape, its coating or lack of, all these details can give us information about what is going on internally. Generally speaking, a heart crack indicates a constitutional propensity to heart patterns and to emotional problems. Today, the tongue illustration tradition that scholar ao began is often seen as a curious relic, as most chinese medicine practitioners primarily learn tongue diagnosis from casestudy photos. Cracked tongue pictures, causes, diagnosis, treatment. The photos provide a graphic representation of a wide variety of common disorders. The most common tongue condition in the literature is the geographic tongue which is followed by fissured tongue. According to the principles of tcm, analyzing the appearance of an individuals tongue can provide a greater understanding of his or her overall health. How tongue diagnosis works by transformational acupuncture.
Taking into account swelling of the tongue body your teeth marks it confirms the yin deficiency in the spleen and accumulation of damp. However, most fissures occur in the middle of the tongue. Tongue color varies widely from person to person, but is a good indicator of the overall nature of what is going on in the body. A normal tongue color shows up as light red or pink.
Ideally it looks like the tongue of a six or sevenyearold child if you have access to one, check it out. This tongue shows clearly a relatively common condition of stomachyin deficiency leading to some heat and spleenyang deficiency. A purple tongue indicates blood stagnation, or insufficient blood circulation. However, a cracked tongueof long term duration without any other symptoms can be. This form of treatment has been proven effective for many, many conditions, from asthma to womens issues. Diy ayurvedic tongue diagnosis john douillards lifespa. A cracked tongue diagnosis usually involves looking at the tongue to see what else is occurring alongside the cracks. Geographic tongue usually accompany cracked tongue. If the tongue body also has cracks and there is little or no tongue coat, this usually indicates deficient heat due to. Cracked tongue, also referred to as fissured tongue is common according to medical practitioners during diagnosis. The fissures or grooves vary in sizes and can either be deep or shallow and may be as deep as six millimeters.
If the tongue is pale and cracked, there is deficient qi or xue. Tongue fur the tongue s coating is best described as moss or fur. The tongues body color helps determine chronic conditions, and the coating helps determine acute conditions. The tongue has many relationships and connections in the body, both to the meridians and the internal organs.
A peeled or cracked tongue coat indicates insufficient lining or flora in the digestive system. Vertical crack on the tongue usually indicates the exhaustion of your body fluids specifically yin deficiency. Jun 19, 2019 chinese medicine tongue diagnosis show me your tongue did you know that your tongue is giving very important clues about your overall health. However, a cracked tongueof long term duration without any other symptoms can be considered normal. Therefore, many students of chinese medicine place more emphasis on the tongue than the pulse during the early.
Changes in the tongue color usually reflect chronic illness. Colour of the tongue can also reveal to your acupuncturist if there is a heat or cold condition present. Tongue diagnosis is a practice long used in traditional chinese medicine a system of alternative medicine that originated in china. Sep 06, 2018 the symptoms of a fissured tongue are cracks on top surface of the tongue. I use acupuncture and other forms of oriental medicine, including chinese herbs and moxibustion a localized heat treatment. Consult your physician to determine the proper diagnosis. A thick, purple colored tongue is often associated with alcoholism, while cracks in the tongue show dryness, heat, and deficient yin. Tongue diagnosis in traditional chinese medicine verywell health.
In some cases, the cracks may cause burning sensation while consuming specific food type or may leave you tasteless too. All treatment begins with a proper diagnosis, which takes place during your first visit. Indeed, one begins to see the outlines of a maciocia. The tongue in em an em practitioner can garner much more information from tongue observation, including signs about the livers health. Cracked tongue from a vitamin deficiency takes two main forms. In general, a cracked tongue is not much painful, but acidic, hot or more so spicy foods can irritate the tongue, making it to burn or even develop a pins and needles sensation. The basics of this art can be learned in a single day or less. In this video, you will learn what cracks, spots, red dots, and bumps all mean. It can present strong visual indicators of a persons overall harmony or disharmony. There are often cracks appearing on the tongue surface and sometimes there are parts of the coating that look peeled. But if the tongue is pale and cracked, deficient qi or xue is present. Biotin can be replenished by increased intake of cauliflower, egg yolks, mushrooms, and chicken.
Cracked tongue homeopathy remedies, homeopathy treatment. Cracks on the tongue with deep red color indicate excessive heat. A red tongue indicates that there is heat present in the body, and the redder the tongue, the greater amount of heat present. The tongue body color indicates the bodys internal temperature. Treatment for irritation include vitamin and zinc supplements, and treatment for pain include pain revilers and antiinflammatory drugs.
Chinese medicine tongue diagnosis comox valley acupuncture. As you continue treatment with acupuncture and herbs, your overall health will improve, and it will be reflected in your tongue. A normal tongue is pink in color, medium thickness, has no cracks, ulcers, or teeth marks and. For our herbalists, the tongue helps us select the proper herbal formula. To try it yourself, observe the variations of your tongue and compare it to that of friends or family members. The person with this tongue probably has a heat condition with an accumulation of dampness. Tongue diagnosis is an important part of the chinese medicine. If you find cracks on a pale tongue, it usually means that the qi and the blood is deficient. Her advice to the patient would be to address lifestyle factors that may be preventing the bodys natural ability to heal itself.
Indicates the quality of blood, reflecting blood andor qi deficiency or cold. Her advice to the patient would be to address lifestyle factors that may be. The tongue is a map of the body in chinese medicine. After you have looked at a few tongues, you will see that they differ widely, and with a little study can tell you a lot about the overall health of a person. You might be self conscious of this, you do not need to be. Tongue diagnosis is a powerful tool for me to gauge progress of a patient along with discussions of symptoms. Many cases of cracked tongue do not need any treatment, especially if it is not leading to any discomfort.
It also informs the practitioner about the underlying strength or weakness of the patient s constitution. A normal tongue is moist and has an appropriate red color. It is rare to need a biopsy to diagnose a fissured tongue. That said, there are two specific conditions that can be assessed by looking at just the tongue cracks.
The four examinations, part 2 tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine. Tongue diagnosis is a key process used in chinese medicine and there is. In tcm, the tongue is known as an internal organ that you can see from the outside. The tongue is the beginning of the digestive tract, which lumbers on for another 30 feet or so. It is therefore very useful and important during inspection for confirming tcm diagnosis. In fact, i can find out almost everything i need to know regarding your health just from looking at your tongue. If the tongue body also has cracks and there is little or no tongue coat, this usually indicates deficient heat due to internal injury. This new 2nd edition of atlas of chinese tongue diagnosis contains over two hundred color photographs of tongues seen in a western clinic. Tongue diagnosis by a chinese medical practitioner includes examining aspects of the overall tongue coat, shape and color and then breaking these factors down to their exact location on the tongue. Tongue diagnosis has been used for thousands of years in traditional chinese medicine.
A tongue that is pale indicates a deficiency of qi and blood or the presence of cold. Tongue diagnosis is an important part of the chinese medical assessment. A fissured tongue is marked by a deep, prominent groove in the. Tongue diagnosis tongue diagnosis is part of diagnosis by looking in traditional chinese medicine tcm. It has a look of aliveness and is supple not stiff. Mouth sores causes and treatment acupuncture services. Possible causes include food allergy, biting the tongue, malabsorbtion of vitamin b, colon imbalance and other factors. The foundation of tongue diagnosis is that the tongue reflects the general state of health of the individual, and a corresponding system exists between the tongues topography and the bodys organ systems.
Since the tongue always reflects the basic, underlying pattern, it is extremely reliable, especially whenever there are. She correlates this with the patient who has flaming red gingiva vs. Jun 24, 2017 deficiency of biotin, a vit b family vitamin can cause muscle pain, dry skin, fatigue and increases the risk of developing a cracked or fissured tongue. May 16, 2017 your tongue reveals a lot about your health.
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. The colour of the tongue serves as an indicator of the internal temperature of the body and correlates with circulation from the liver and the heart. Chinese tongue diagnosis poster x laminated chinese tongue examination is much, much easier to master than chinese pulse examination. In fact, im surprised when acupuncturists dont use it. Stomach crack on the tongue giovanni maciocia acupuncture. It is considered a pillar of diagnosis because it provides clearly visible clues to a patients pattern of disease. If there are sensations of a burning tongue, or pain due to canker sores in the mouth, or you are often irritable, look for a crimson red tongue or tongue tip with reddish prickles. The doctor will examine or look at your tongue carefully to determine if there is any other symptom that is accompanied with cracks.
Oct 03, 2019 fissured tongue is a benign condition affecting the top surface of the tongue. Tongue cracks are hereditary, and rarely cause and problem. Cracked or grooved tongue diagnosis involves making an appointment with your healthcare provider to determine the cause of your condition. In fact you will mostly only notice signs of a cracked tongue during your regular dental checkup. Tongue diagnosis in tcm acupuncture theory tcm acupuncture theory. And if you find cracks on a red tongue, it usually means that theres heat either excess heat thats burned up the tongue or theres insufficiency of yin, usually stomach yin. The tongue is divided into different areas, and these areas reflect the chinese medicine organ system. It will often be necessary to crossreference several or all of these aspects to establish a full picture.
Cracked tongue is a condition in which the top visible surface of your tongue gets cracks or fissures these tongue cracks might go unnoticed because of their benign effects, but they change the tongue appearance. The tongue has a special relationship with the heart, in that. We are not looking at it to show the quality of your dental hygiene. Practice of chinese medicine and tongue diagnosis in chinese medicine are all outstanding contributions of scholarship and clinical acumen, and this present volume obstetrics and gynaecology in chinese medicine significantly adds to his accomplishments. Fissured tongue is a benign condition affecting the top surface of the tongue. Normal tongue shape is neither too thick nor too thin. Scallops, which are crevices on the sides of the tongue, can indicate digestive system issues, edema or fatigue. The diagnosis can also be made using the clinical symptoms of the tongue. Even chinese medicine agrees that the tongue can point to all diseases affecting.
When diagnosing the pattern of disharmony related to these mouth sores, one must also distinguish between a condition of. Jun 14, 2016 today, the tongue illustration tradition that scholar ao began is often seen as a curious relic, as most chinese medicine practitioners primarily learn tongue diagnosis from casestudy photos. The tip of the tongue corresponds with the lung and heart. When you get acupuncture, your acupuncturist will look at your tongue. No wonder every doctors appointment start with tongue examination. The tongue reflects the health of the internal organs and blood circulation. Cracks in on tongue, fissured,causes, vitamin deficiency. The surface of the tongue reveals significant information about underlying imbalances. Both substances are used to mature the tongues papillae and lacking in one or both can result in large, smooth patches developing on the tongue. Since we cannot see much beyond the mouth without some invasive diagnostics, a quick look at the. Tcm offers a different way to diagnose your health. Tongue diagnosis is a primary method in chinese medicine for. The tongue is the only muscle that you can see and reflects what the muscles look like inside.
A case study using tongue diagnosis for a 41yearold female with anxiety. The tongue, especially the tip of the tongue, is related to the heart. A healthy tongue looks like a piece of freshly killed meat. Swelling in the spleen area on the sides, stomach cracks. According to the american academy of oral medicine, fissure tongue occurs in about 5% of the population in us. Disorders seen with a cracked tongue are skin or vaginal dryness, shortened menstrual flow, poor memory, insomnia and pms. The tongue s body color helps determine chronic conditions, and the coating helps determine acute conditions. To contrast and compare the heart and stomach cracks, the former is rather narrow and runs all along the tongue from near the root to near the tip, while the latter is rather wide and is only in the middle of the tongue.
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