Pulse and Tongue Diagnostics

Chinese pulse diagnostics

Chinese pulse diagnostics knows almost 30 different pulse qualities.

This type of diagnosis requires years of experience.There is a distinction between the superficial pulse quality and the deep pulse quality. There are 3 pulse points on each wrist, which are examined for both qualities. These points are called “Cun point”, “Guan point” and “Chi point”.Right Arm

• Superficial pulse – Yang: large intestine, stomach and triple warmer.
• Deep pulse – Yin: lungs, spleen-pancreas, circulatory-sexuality.

Left arm

• Superficial pulse – Yang: small intestine, gall bladder, bladder.
• Deep pulse – Yin: Heart, liver, kidney

For clarification, some pulse qualities and their meaning.

• Slow pulse (CHI-MAI) – cold syndrome.
• Fast pulse (SHUO-MAI) – heat syndrome
• Empty pulse (XU-MAI) – Emptiness syndrome, exhaustion.
• Tense pulse (Jin-Mai) – pain syndrome, cold syndrome, food stagnation.

Pulse diagnosis is one of the basic diagnostics in TCM and is usually performed before any treatment. Thus, the attending physician gains a first impression of any diseases that may be present.

Tongue diagnostics

With tongue diagnostics, the Chinese have developed a relatively simple and yet enormously fascinating concept for the rapid detection of malfunctions and diseases of the human body.Based on the vitality, shape, color and mobility of the tongue, it is possible to infer diseases of the digestive tract in particular.In addition to the general examination, each area of the tongue has a connection to an organ. This connection is based on the meridian system, which is explained in detail in the text on acupuncture.

• Tip of the tongue – heart and lungs
• Center of the tongue – spleen and stomach
• Tongue base – kidney
• Lateral edges of the tongue – liver and gall bladder.

Vitality – Shen QA healthy tongue is adapted in shape and of a pale red color. It is mobile and covered with a moist, thin, white coating. Such a tongue is healthy and indicates a healthy state of qi, blood and juices.

Shape

Swollen TongueIf a tongue is swollen, it sometimes fills the entire mouth. It looks either thick or wide. A swollen tongue indicates too much moisture.Narrow or thin tongueThe narrow tongue is the opposite of the swollen tongue. It is a sign of dryness.Cracked tongueA cracked tongue indicates a Yin deficiency.Tooth marksTooth marks in the tongue indicate digestive disorders that are already chronic.

Color

The color of the tongue provides information about heat and cold. The color gradations are very wide – from light red to dark red, burgundy, purple to black or from light red to pale, bluish and purple to blue and finally black. Paleness usually indicates cold, redness or dark tongues indicate heat. The intensity of each color indicates whether the disease is still superficial or is already deep.

Mobility

The mobility of the tongue is of great importance. If the tongue hangs down to one side, it may be a sign of previous apoplexy (stroke).Following are some examples:

• Red tongue, yellow coating – stomach heat.
• Purple tongue – pain
• Sticky, white coating, mucus – splenic weakness