"The tongue is the seedling of the heart".
Although the tongue is mainly used to identify taste in the body, in fact, the flow of qi and blood in the heart and other visceral organs is also connected with the tongue, and when the function of the heart or other viscera is abnormal, changes are often found on the tongue, which is what TCM attaches importance to when diagnosing the body"Gazing at the tongue".
A middle-aged man of about 50 years oldLong-term low back pain, knee sorenessCome to your doctor's appointment. He was engaged in heavy physical labor when he was young, but in recent years, he feels that his body is gradually not as good as before, and the symptoms of low back pain are getting worse day by day, and even affecting his daily life.
During the consultation, I observed the patientTongue elephant。Discover hisThe tongue coating is thick and greasy, the tongue is fat and large, and there are obvious tooth marks on the side of the tongue。These tongue changes suggest the presence of the patientYang deficiency in the spleen and kidney, and internal arrest of water and dampnesssituation.
In addition to the observation of the tongue, the patient's pulse showed thinness and weakness, and he often complained of symptoms such as chills, frequent nocturia, and loose stools. Based on this information, it was judged that the result was low back pain with spleen and kidney yang deficiency.
Then the prescription:Aconite, cinnamon, yam, poria cocos, etctoWarm and nourish the spleen and kidneys, dissipate cold and relieve painFor the sake of accuracy, it is designed to:Warm yang dispels cold, strengthens the spleen and relieves dampness, I also advise patients to pay attention to the improvement of diet and lifestyle habits to assist**.
After a course of treatment, the patient's low back pain symptoms were significantly relieved, and the soreness of the knee joint was also reduced。When the tongue was observed again, it was foundThe tongue coating is thin and white and moist, the tongue is reduced, and the tooth marks are reduced。The pulse also became stronger, and the patient felt that his physical condition had improved significantly.
"Gazing at the tongue".It has an important position in the diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine. By carefully observing the color, shape, and dryness of the tongue, TCM doctors can preliminarily judge the patient's visceral function, so as to provide a basis for subsequent development.
Reflects the functional status of the viscera. For example, tongue coatingThick and thincan be reflectedMovement of the spleen and stomachfunction, tongue coatingMoisturizeThe degree can be reflectedFilling up the body with fluidscase, and the tongueColorcan be reflectedThe rise and fall of qi and blood。Different parts of the tongue can also reflect the lesions of different viscera, such as the tip of the tongue reflects the heart and lungs, the tongue reflects the liver and gallbladder, the middle of the tongue reflects the spleen and stomach, and the root of the tongue reflects the kidneys.
Reflects the nature of the disease. For example, the color of the tongue coating can reflect the nature of the disease, such as:White moss is mainly cold, and yellow moss is mainly hotWait. This helps TCM doctors to identify, so as to formulate a corresponding plan.
It reflects the depth of the disease position and the progress and retreat of the disease. For example, the thickness of the tongue coating can reflect the depth of the diseased location, according to which the tongue coating is followedWhite, yellow, gray, blackThe gradual change of the order can reflect the trend of the disease from the surface to the inside or from the inside to the surface. This is of guiding significance for predicting the development trend of the disease and adjusting the best plan.
Estimate the prognosis of the disease. For example, if the tongue is glorious and has a god, the tongue surface is thin, and the tongue is normal, it is a sign that the evil qi is not flourishing, and the righteous qi is not harmed, and the prognosis is better. However, the tongue is dull, the tongue coating has no roots, and the tongue is abnormal, which is a loss of righteous qi, a decay of stomach qi, and a dangerous condition.