What is tongue diagnosis in Chinese medicine?

You may have heard from me or another Chinese medicine practitioner that we can learn a great deal from a quick examination of your tongue.

The tongue reveals the body’s response to pathology. It can show us information about a person across various dimensions of health, including:

• The level of systemic hydration in the body

• The quality and sufficiency of blood

• The presence of stagnation or blockage in a particular area of the body

• The strength of digestion

• Whether or not there is pathological heat (inflammation) in the body

• Difficulties in a person’s health history

Tongue assessments are simple and immediate, providing specific, personal health information about the individual.

Tongue diagnostic techniques are also very old.

In Tongue Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine, Giovanni Maciocia provides a historical account of tongue diagnosis, dating the earliest techniques back to the Warring States Period in China, which occurred between 403 BC and 221 BC. The more robust, detailed version of tongue diagnosis we still use today appeared during the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD).

When we look at the tongue, we make observations on several aspects of appearance, including tongue coat, color, shape, and texture. We also look at the parts of the tongue that correspond to specific areas or parts of the body and take note of signs of pathology that may be arising in those areas.

For example, consider the coat of the tongue.

The tongue coat can tell us about the status of the immune system. In Tongue Diagnosis: Visible Responses To Pathology, Ann Cecil-Sterman writes about the importance of tongue moisture, which she learned from Dr. Jeffrey Yuen: “Without adequate fluids, pathogens can be neither resisted nor evacuated.”

A tongue that is dry and cracked indicates a systemic lack of fluids—dehydration. It will be more difficult to prevent and overcome illness without proper hydration. The tongue coat further shows us what is going on with the mucosal lining of the stomach, which we call stomach yin. The status of the stomach yin is deeply connected to the strength and capacity of digestion.

Another example of tongue diagnostics involves the shape of the tongue. A tongue that is swollen and round indicates an accumulation of dampness in the upper and middle parts of the body. (If you need a refresher on dampness, check out this past newsletter.)

As a clinical herbalist, tongue assessment informs the selections of herbs and formulas I make for my clients. 

Of course, what a client verbally shares is just as important, but the tongue can sometimes reveal or express certain aspects of health that a person may not say (or know to say). I use information from tongue assessments to choose warming or cooling herbs, clearing or tonifying formulas.

Chinese medicine practitioners can also teach clients how to start “reading” their own tongues at home. If you see a thick white coat, you can know that today is not the day for ice cream, and you may want to hold off on dairy for a while. If you see lots of little cracks, you may make a greater effort to prioritize hydrating meals.

Note: Tongue analysis is not akin to palm reading, and it is not a form of fortune telling. This is not a new age practice, but rather, a very old, very well-documented clinical practice that is inherent to the diagnostics of the Chinese medicine system.

Tongue Analysis Mini-Sessions (15 minutes | $20)

If you’d like to have your tongue assessed and learn about how you can get started with this technique at home, I am offering a few mini-session spots on Wednesday evenings over the next few weeks that will involve tongue analysis. Each mini-session is 15 minutes. The cost is $20. I will point out 3-4 main observations on your tongue and talk with you about what they mean. This is a good way to dip a toe into Chinese medicine if you’ve been curious.

Sign up here

In any case, I hope you’ll consider the tongue with a little bit more curiosity and perhaps reverence going forward! 😀

You are welcome to respond directly to these emails anytime. I read every message, and I love to hear from you!

Warmly,

Artemisia

Artemisia Obi, MA

Chinese Medicine Practitioner | Clinical Herbalist

innervillagehealth.com 

@innervillagehealth