Tongue diagnosis, an ancient and effective diagnostic tool, helps identify a person’s health condition by observing changes in the taste and sensations of the tongue. This method holds a significant place in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and even in modern medicine, where Eastern and Western practices combine, it remains widely used. In this article, we will explore how TCM uses different tongue manifestations to infer the state of one’s health.
一. The Importance of Assessing Tongue Sensations
Abnormal tongue sensations primarily involve self-reported changes in how the tongue feels. Assessing these sensations relies on asking the patient about unusual experiences with their tongue and analyzing these reports to better understand and predict their condition. Changes in tongue sensations not only help in detecting diseases but also indicate their severity. Mild changes in sensation typically suggest a less serious illness, while more pronounced changes often point to a more severe condition. Additionally, the increase or decrease in tongue sensations can provide valuable clues about the progression or retreat of the illness.
二. Tongue’s Taste Sensations
The taste buds on the tongue, controlled by the taste nerves, enable the tongue to detect various flavors, such as bitter, sour, spicy, salty, sweet, and bland. In TCM tongue diagnosis, changes in the tongue’s taste sensations are analyzed to reveal the health of the body’s internal organs.
(1) Liver and Gallbladder Heat — Bitter Taste on the Tongue
A bitter taste on the tongue refers to the sensation of bitterness on the tongue. In TCM, bitterness is associated with the gallbladder, and the secretion and excretion of bile are closely linked to the liver’s ability to regulate. Under normal circumstances, bile is smoothly secreted under the liver’s guidance and does not reverse to the mouth, so a bitter taste doesn’t occur. In tongue diagnosis, a bitter taste often points to heat in the liver and gallbladder, suggesting stagnation of heat in the liver and gallbladder meridians, bile heat rising, or liver heat spreading to the gallbladder.
(2) Liver Heat Rising — Sour Taste on the Tongue
A sour taste on the tongue refers to the sensation of sourness in the mouth, and sometimes an odor of sourness may also be detected. Unlike acid reflux, which involves acidic fluids rising from the stomach, a sour taste on the tongue is a self-perceived sensation without any acidic fluid. In TCM, sourness is related to the liver. Therefore, a sour taste on the tongue is often associated with heat in the liver and gallbladder, which can invade the spleen or rise up to the mouth. This is particularly evident when liver fire is strong, and the spleen is weak.
(3) Lung Heat Stagnation — Spicy Taste on the Tongue
A spicy taste on the tongue refers to the sensation of spiciness or a tingling, sometimes burning feeling on the tongue. Spicy flavors combine saltiness, heat, and pain, which in TCM tongue diagnosis may indicate that the tongue temperature is higher than normal. Modern medicine believes that abnormalities in the tongue papillae may be related to long-term stress or hormonal imbalances. A spicy taste is typically linked to heat accumulation in the lungs or stomach fire rising upwards.
(4) Kidney Deficiency — Salty Taste on the Tongue
A salty taste on the tongue refers to a sensation of saltiness, similar to having salt crystals in the mouth, and may even be accompanied by the expulsion of salty phlegm. Saltiness is associated with the kidneys in TCM. A salty taste on the tongue often points to kidney yang deficiency, with cold water rising, or kidney yin deficiency leading to the rise of deficient fire. The appearance of a salty taste usually indicates a kidney deficiency.
(5) Spleen and Stomach Damp-Heat — Sweet Taste on the Tongue
A sweet taste on the tongue refers to a sensation of sweetness, which can even be noticed when drinking plain water. Sweetness is associated with the spleen in TCM, so a sweet taste on the tongue often suggests damp-heat in the spleen and stomach. A sweet taste may occur after excessive consumption of spicy or rich foods that lead to internal heat, or it may result from external heat invading the spleen and stomach. It is also commonly seen in some coronary heart disease patients following stent surgery.
(6) Spleen Dysfunction — Bland Taste on the Tongue
A bland taste refers to the absence of taste or a diminished sense of taste, making food seem dull or tasteless. A bland taste is often related to spleen dysfunction, especially when there is obstruction of dampness or qi deficiency in the spleen and stomach. This sensation is also common in cold conditions. Modern medicine finds that a bland taste is often seen in the early or recovery stages of digestive system diseases, as well as after major surgeries.
三. Tongue’s Sensations
The sensations of the tongue are controlled by both the lingual nerve on the back of the tongue and the glossopharyngeal nerve at the tongue’s root, allowing the perception of heat, pain, numbness, swelling, astringency, itchiness, and other sensations. In TCM tongue diagnosis, changes in these sensations are often used to help determine the overall health condition of the body.
(1) Internal Heat Evil — Hot Sensation on the Tongue
A hot sensation on the tongue refers to the abnormal perception of heat, such as when food is too hot or too cold. Normally, the tongue responds to external temperature changes, but if the tongue feels hot or cold without any external stimulus, this indicates an abnormal temperature sensation. For instance, a hot sensation on the tongue often accompanies pain or swelling. This is primarily caused by internal heat evil, which rises and affects the tongue, making it unusually warm.
(2) Internal Fire Rising — Tongue Pain
Tongue pain refers to a burning sensation on the tongue, often accompanied by redness, swelling, and pain, especially on the tip of the tongue. This pain is commonly linked to internal fire rising, which could be due to excessive heat from the heart, spleen, or liver. Tongue pain may also manifest as a sharp, dry, or numb pain. Tongue sores and burning pain often indicate heat toxicity in the heart meridian or kidney yin deficiency, leading to fire rising.
(3) Blood Deficiency and Liver Wind — Numbness of the Tongue
Tongue numbness refers to a tingling or numb sensation on the tongue, sometimes to the point where the tongue feels unable to move normally. In severe cases, tongue numbness may be accompanied by tongue tremors, slurred speech, and difficulty swallowing. In TCM, tongue numbness is often seen in conditions of blood deficiency, liver wind, or phlegm obstruction. Blood deficiency leads to inadequate nourishment of the tongue, while excessive liver wind causes the transformation of wind, leading to numbness. Tongue numbness can also be an early sign of a stroke, especially in cases of both qi and blood deficiency.
(4) Qi Stagnation — Swelling of the Tongue
Tongue swelling refers to a feeling of the tongue being swollen, although the tongue may not appear visibly enlarged. Swelling caused by qi stagnation typically manifests as an abnormal sensation in the tongue, without any obvious increase in size. Qi stagnation is often seen in conditions like external wind-cold, blocked heart fire, or spleen deficiency with cold dampness, which hinder the smooth flow of qi and result in tongue swelling.
(5) Dry Heat Generating Fluids — Astringency of the Tongue
Astringency of the tongue refers to a dry feeling on the tongue, akin to the sensation when eating raw persimmons. Dry heat that generates fluids is the primary cause of this sensation, and it is often accompanied by cracked or parched tongue. When excessive yang heat in the organs or qi fire rises, it can lead to a dry, astringent feeling on the tongue. This condition is often seen in late-stage malignant cancers and is commonly accompanied by dry mouth and other symptoms.
(6) Yin Deficiency with Internal Heat — Itching of the Tongue
Tongue itching is characterized by an intense itching sensation on the tongue, despite no obvious abnormality in the tongue’s shape. Patients often feel the urge to scratch their tongue. In TCM, tongue itching is frequently seen in cases of heart yin deficiency or excessive heart fire, but it can also be caused by the invasion of wind pathogens. This symptom is usually accompanied by other signs of yin deficiency and internal heat, such as dry mouth and flushed face.
Conclusion
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis uses the sensations and taste of the tongue to help identify the body’s health condition. The different manifestations of the tongue reveal the functional status of the organs and can also indicate the severity and progression of diseases. The changes in the tongue’s taste and sensations each carry unique significance. The key to understanding tongue diagnosis lies in the comprehensive analysis of various symptoms of the tongue, allowing for the development of precise treatment plans for patients. Therefore, tongue diagnosis, as an essential diagnostic tool in TCM, not only provides a theoretical basis for TCM treatments but also opens up new perspectives for integrative treatments in modern medicine.
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More Articles in “Identification Tongue”:
- Tongue Sensation & Taste
- Tongue Shape
- Tongue Color
- Tongue Condition
- Tongue Coating
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