Digestion; Naturopathic Investigations: Pulse, Tongue and Nail Diagnosis

Question 1

Pulse diagnosis

Answer 1

The pulse is an energetic representation of the organs, channels and vital substances.
Known as ‘Front Mu’ points
* Post diagnosis is one of the most important factors for determining constitution and the nature of disease
* Place your index, middle and ring fingers above the radial artery
* Rapid = Heat
* Slow = Cold
* Weak = Qi deficiency
* Wiry (it feels forceful, as if a guitar string hits your fingers) = Qi stagnation
Mu = gather / collect, as in to gather / collect Qi related to specific organs. More often at front but also at back

Question 2

Tongue diagnosis: Area

Answer 2

The tongue has four distinct areas:
1. Root / Back: Lower abdomen – Kidneys, bladder, intestines and reproductive organs
2. Centre: Central abdomen – stomach and spleen
3. Sides: Liver and Gallbladder
4. Tips in front: Chest – heart and lungs

Question 3

Tongue diagnosis:
Shape

Answer 3

Shape:
* Tongue shaped: Normal
* Swollen: Qi / Yang Deficiency
* Thin (Flat): Blood deficiency
* Teeth marks (on edge of tongue): weak digestion or malabsorption of nutrients in the small intestine
* Raised/upturned edges: a sign of high stress (in TCM our liver equates to our stress-fighting capacity)

Question 4

Tongue diagnosis:
Colour

Answer 4

• Pale pink or pale red: Normal
• Red: Heat / inflammation / B9 or B12 deficiency
• Pale: Qi / Yang deficiency
• Blue / purple: cold / poor circulation

Question 5

Tongue diagnosis: cracks / markings

Answer 5

Cracks:
* Small transverse cracks (geographical tongue) at the centre of the tongue indicate damage to the stomach lining
* A deep centre crack indicates stomach heat (e.g. acid reflux, ulcers)

Spots/lumps (by area):
* Red spots (raised papillae) indicate heat
* red to spots at the side indicate mild inflammation affecting the liver/ gallbladder

Question 6

Nail diagnosis

Answer 6

Nail diagnosis can provide key information about the clients health.

• Spoon shaped nails: severe iron or zinc deficiency
• pale: anaemia
• brittle/easily split: mineral deficiency, low stomach acid
• White spots: Zinc or vitamin A deficiency
• vertical lines/ridges: malabsorption of nutrients (the deeper the lines the more severe the deficiency), e.g. vitamins B, C, minerals, EFAs
• horizontal lines/ridges: sign of a strong illness infection (a depletion at the time of nail growth)