Best Chinese Medicine Inc.

Body Shape	Indications
cracked	if develops during illness indicates chronic and severe, otherwise normal location of cracks relates to organ pathology + red = empty heat consuming fluids + pale = blood & qi def crack runs from center to the tip = ht disorder or congenital ht problems horizontal cracks = yin def
deviated (crooked)	wind
flaccid	deficiency heat + pale = blood & qi def + dark red = yin collapse
long	heat in the ht
rigid	stroke or early signs of stroke
short (contracted)	serious conditions blood deficiency ht deficiency + pale or purple = cold or yang def + swollen = damp or phlegm + red = heat consuming the fluids
stiff	heat in the ht ht/sp heat phlegm obstructing the ht qi + normal & pale = wind, stroke
swollen	deficiency + pale & wet - yang def + teethmarks & pale = qi def or excess fluids + dark red = excess heat usually ht/sp
thin	blood or fluid def empty heat consuming fluids + pale = blood & qi def + red = yin def
thorny (strawberry, granular)	heat congealed blood + on tip = ht fire + on edges = lv/gb fire + on center = st a/or intestines heat
trembling (quivering)	wind + pale = qi def + red = heat producing internal wind

Tongue Coatings and Clinical Indications

The tongue coat is a good indicator of the state of the Stomach and Spleen. It also shows the strength, depth and temperature of pathogenic factors.

A normal tongue coat is thinnest at the edges, thicker in the center and thickest at the root. It is thin and white, slightly moist and has a root.

Tongue Coat	Indications
thin	normal exterior condition, wind-cold
thick	excess damp/phlegm food stagnation
dry	heat consuming yin excess yang or fire deficiency fluids
moist	normal or mild imbalance
wet	excess fluids from yang def dampness
sticky(greasy, creamy)	dampness or phlegm retention of food
Coat Coloration	Indications
white	internal or external cold if coat looks like cottage cheese = ST heat + thin coat & body aches = exterior wind-cold + thin coat & thorny = wind-heat
yellow	internal or external heat effected by coffee, tea a/or smoke intake
gray	hot or cold internal condition retention of phlegm heat + dry = heat consuming body fluids + moist = damp cold
black	severe condition involving hot or cold + pale = excessive cold from yang def + dry & possible thorny = consumption of body fluids
Coat Rooting	Indications
ooted moss appears firmly implanted	strong st/sp qi
rootless moss appears to float on the surface	st/sp qi def
peeled	sp qi def deficient yin or fluids