Submitted By: sophie
i was wondering, i have an interest in TCM and wanted to know what anyone practicing, student or qualified, could tell my about the tongue in this image (link in a moment) i am interested to know what can be told from the tongue and how accurate it is.
thank you :)
Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.
You will want to start by reading my article on tongue diagnosis. This will show the various aspects we consider within the tongue and their meanings. In general, the tongue shows more acute (or what is happening now) within the body and is quite accurate. The pulse will show deeper, more chronic issues but is somewhat more subjective and, accordingly, somewhat less accurate. That said, you rarely rely on a single diagnostic procedure. When you use the tongue, pulse, appropriate questioning, etc. you will come to clear and accurate diagnosis in the majority of cases.
Your tongue shows some heat in the heart area (the red tip), some minor liver qi stagnation (the mild teethmarks on the sides), and the white coating is a little heavier in the stomach/spleen area which may indicate some kind of digestive issues of a deficiency nature. If you look through the article and understand some of the basics, however, you can watch the tongue overtime and find what issues are more prevalent and which ones come and go. With appropriate treatment the tongue will change as your condition(s) improve.
Comment by Archived User
thank you very much, i will read that in a moment! wow thats actually very good just going on the tongue - IBS being the biggest issue - although there is an infected tooth on the same side as the heavier coating and i am unsure wether that has anything to do with it - or allergies. But if you rule out those things the digestive problem is very very good i will look into more detail in the artice after my bath! thank you!