Diagnosis Based on Tongue Examination (She-Zhen)

diagnostics

Tongue examination is one of the most informative methods in TCM: the tongue “reflects” the condition of the organs and bodily fluids. The body of the tongue (color, shape, moisture) and the coating (color, thickness, character) are assessed. A pale tongue body indicates a deficiency of qi or blood, or cold; a red tongue body indicates heat; a purple tongue body indicates blood stasis. A thin white coating is normal; a thick yellow coating indicates damp-heat; the absence of a coating indicates a deficiency of yin. Tooth marks along the edges are a sign of spleen weakness and dampness. The tongue is valuable because it changes slowly and reveals the “background” of a person’s condition.