CALE Tongue Dx

Question 1

What are the two major aspects of tongue diagnosis?

Answer 1

1. Tongue Proper/ Tongue Body
2. Tongue Coating

Question 2

What are the two sub-aspects of tongue body diagnosis?

Answer 2

1. Tongue body color
2. Tongue body form

Question 3

What are the two sub-aspects of tongue coating diagnosis?

Answer 3

1. Tongue coating quality
2. Tongue coating color

Question 4

Tongue Body - Color

PALE

Answer 4

Deficiency type
Cold syndrome by Yang Qi Xu; Qi and blood Xu

Question 5

Tongue Body - Color

RED

Answer 5

HEAT SYNDROME
Interior excess -or- deficiency

Question 6

Tongue Body - Color

DEEP RED

Answer 6

EXTREME HEAT
* Exogenous: Invasion of Ying and Blood Levels by Pathogenic Heat
* Endogenous: Yin Xu leading to fire

Question 7

Tongue Body - Color

[Blue] PURPLE

Answer 7

Blood stasis d/t Cold OR Heat

In FCM - “blue purple” means blood stasis d/t COLD; “Reddish purple” means blood stasis d/t HEAT

Question 8

Tongue Body - Color

DEEP BLUE-PURPLE, DRY, LUSTERLESS

Answer 8

Blood stasis d/t Heat

This is different from FCM, where a reddish purple tongue would indicate blood stasis d/t heat

Question 9

Tongue Body - Color

PALE PURPLE, MOIST

Answer 9

Blood stasis d/t Cold

In FCM, a Blue-Purple Moist tongue would indicate Blood stasis from internal cold

Question 10

Tongue Body - Color

PURPLISH SPOTS on the TONGUE SURFACE

Answer 10

Blood stasis

FCM - Purple spots in center = blood stasis and heat in ST

Question 11

Tongue Body - Form

SWOLLEN: Delicate in quality, pale color, teethmarks

Answer 11

SP or KD Yang Xu producing harmful water

Question 12

Tongue Body - Form

SWOLLEN: Deep red color, occupying entire space of mouth

Answer 12

Excessive Heat in HT or SP

Question 13

Tongue Body - Form

SWOLLEN: Blue Purplish, Dark

Answer 13

Toxicosis

Toxicosis = disease or condition caused by poisoning

Question 14

Tongue Body - Form

THIN: Pale

Answer 14

Qi and Blood Xu

Question 15

Tongue Body - Form

THIN: Deep Red, Dry

Answer 15

Fire d/t Yin Xu

Question 16

Tongue Body - Form

CRACKED: Deep Red

Answer 16

Excess Heat

Question 17

Tongue Body - Form

CRACKED: Pale

Answer 17

Blood deficiency

Question 18

Tongue Body - Form

CRACKED: Normal

Answer 18

Not deep and remains there all the time unchanged

Question 19

Tongue Body - Form

CRACKED: Horizontal cracks

Answer 19

Yin Xu

Question 20

Tongue Body - Form

CRACKED: Ice Floes

Answer 20

Yin Xu d/t aging

Question 21

Tongue Body - Form

CRACKED: Irregular

Answer 21

ST Yin Xu

Question 22

Tongue Body - Form

CRACKED: Transverse Side

Answer 22

SP Qi/ Yin Xu

Question 23

Tongue Body - Form

CRACKED: Vertical Center

Answer 23

SP Qi Xu

Question 24

Tongue Body - Form

CRACKED: Long Vertical

Answer 24

HT - emotional disorder

Question 25

# Tongue Body - Form CRACKED: Transverse (LU area)

Answer 25

Prior LU disease or Present LU Yin Xu

Question 26

# Tongue Body - Form CRACKED: Deep + Small

Answer 26

KD Yin Xu w/ Heat

Question 27

# Tongue Body - Form SWOLLEN: Edges

Answer 27

SP Qi/ Yang Xu

Question 28

# Tongue Body - Form SWOLLEN: Sides

Answer 28

LV Yang Rising or LV Fire

Question 29

# Tongue Body - Form SWOLLEN: Tip

Answer 29

HT Fire (if **red** color) HT Qi Xu (if **normal** color)

Question 30

# Tongue Body - Form SWOLLEN: Half of tongue

Answer 30

Weakness of channels

Question 31

# Tongue Body - Form SWOLLEN: Localized one side

Answer 31

Deficiency or stagnation in chest

Question 32

# Tongue Body - Form SWOLLEN: Half surface

Answer 32

LU Qi Xu

Question 33

# Tongue Body - Form SWOLLEN: Hammer shaped

Answer 33

Serious SP/ ST/ KD Xu

Question 34

# Tongue Body - Form THORNY: Red

Answer 34

Internal accumulation of pathogenic Heat

Question 35

# Tongue Body - Form THORNY: Increasing Severity

Answer 35

The more severe the pathogenic heat, the more enlarged and profuse the thorns will be

Question 36

# Tongue Body - Form DEVIATED

Answer 36

**Wind-Stroke** or early threatening signs of Wind-Stroke

Question 37

# Tongue Body - Form RIGID: Exogenous

Answer 37

* Invasion of the PC by Heat * Retention of turbid phlegm in the interior * Excessive pathogenic Heat consuming body fluids

Question 38

# Tongue Body - Form RIGID: Endogenous

Answer 38

Wind-stroke or Early signs of wind-stroke

Question 39

# Tongue Body - Form FLACCID: General

Answer 39

Extreme Qi and Blood Xu or Consumption of Yin Fluids

Question 40

# Tongue Body - Form FLACCID: Pale

Answer 40

[May be Extreme] Qi and Blood Xu

Question 41

# Tongue Body - Form FLACCID: Deep Red

Answer 41

Yin Collapse

Question 42

# Tongue Body - Form QUIVERING: Pale body

Answer 42

* SP Qi Xu * HT and SP collapse

Question 43

# Tongue Body - Form QUIVERING: Red Body

Answer 43

Extreme Heat generating internal wind

Question 44

# Tongue Body - Form QUIVERING: Pale and Thin

Answer 44

Yang Collapse

Question 45

# Tongue Coating - Quality THICK

Answer 45

* Deeper progression * Retention of Damp or Food

Question 46

# Tongue Coating - Quality THIN

Answer 46

* Superficial portion --> Deficiency of Anti-Pathogenic (Wei) Qi

Question 47

# Tongue Coating - Quality DRY

Answer 47

* Consumption of body fluids * Excess Heat * Yin Xu Heat

Question 48

# Tongue Coating - Quality EXCESSIVE MOISTURE, SALIVA DRIBBLES aka "SLIPPERY" ## Footnote do NOT confuse this with a slippery PULSE, though they can be related

Answer 48

Harmful Water and Damp

Question 49

# Tongue Coating - Quality STICKY ## Footnote Hard to Scrub off - Greasy

Answer 49

Retention of Damp, Phlegm, or Food

Question 50

# Tongue Coating - Quality GRANULAR ## Footnote Coarse, soybean curds, easily scrubbed off, pasty

Answer 50

Excessive Yang Heat bringing turbid ST Qi upwards, also Phlegm or Food Retention

Question 51

# Tongue Coating - Quality PEELED: Partially (Geographic)

Answer 51

Consumption of ST Qi and Yin

Question 52

# Tongue Coating - Quality PEELED: Entirely (Mirror/ Glossy)

Answer 52

Exhaustion of ST Yin, Severe damage of ST Qi

Question 53

# Tongue Coating - Color THIN WHITE

Answer 53

Exterior Cold or Normal

Question 54

# Tongue Coating - Color THICK WHITE

Answer 54

Interior Cold

Question 55

# Tongue Coating - Color LIGHT YELLOW

Answer 55

Mild Heat

Question 56

# Tongue Coating - Color DEEP YELLOW

Answer 56

Severe Heat

Question 57

# Tongue Coating - Color BURNT YELLOW

Answer 57

Accumulation of Heat

Question 58

# Tongue Coating - Color GREY: Yellowish and Dry

Answer 58

Interior Excessive Heat

Question 59

# Tongue Coating - Color GREY: Whitish and Moist

Answer 59

Retention of Cold or Damp

Question 60

# Tongue Coating - Color BLACK: Extreme Interior Condition

Answer 60

Extreme Heat or Extreme Cold

Question 61

# Tongue Coating - Color BLACK: Yellowish and Dry, Possibly w/ Thorns

Answer 61

Extreme Heat

Question 62

# Tongue Coating - Color BLACK: Pale and Slippery

Answer 62

Excessive Cold d/t Yang Xu

Question 63

# FCM - Tongue Body Red + MOVING

Answer 63

HT Fire and Internal Wind

Question 64

# FCM - Tongue Body Red, Dry, MOVING

Answer 64

SP Heat w/ Body Fluid Exhaustion

Question 65

# FCM - Tongue Body TIP ROLLED UP

Answer 65

Excess Heat

Question 66

# FCM - Tongue Body TIP ROLLED DOWN

Answer 66

Deficiency Heat

Question 67

# FCM - Tongue Body TEETHMARKS

Answer 67

SP Qi Xu

Question 68

# FCM - Tongue Body ULCERATED: Red Body

Answer 68

HT Fire blazing, SP and KD Heat

Question 69

# FCM - Tongue Body ULCERATED: Red Body and Peeled

Answer 69

HT Heat fr KD Yin Xu

Question 70

# FCM - Tongue Body Red Body SORE-COVERED

Answer 70

Heat Toxin in the HT

Question 71

# FCM - Tongue Coating SLIMY/ GREASY

Answer 71

Thicker in center and is rooted (**cannot be scraped**) Qi cannot transform Fluids and accumulates for form Phlegm - secondary to Yang Xu

Question 72

# FCM - Tongue Coating MOLDY

Answer 72

Thick, patchy, **like cottage cheese; rootless (CAN be scraped off)** ST Heat, ST Yin Xu

Question 73

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color WHITE: Rough and Cracked

Answer 73

Attack of Summer-Heat injuring the Qi

Question 74

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color WHITE: Sticky and Greasy

Answer 74

Dampness or Phlegm in MJ or Exterior attack of Damp at Qi Level

Question 75

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color WHITE: Cottage Cheese/ Tofu

Answer 75

ST Heat

Question 76

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color WHITE: Powder

Answer 76

Generally Heat: sl. red body = exterior heat; scarlet body = interior heat Possible D-C in MJ

Question 77

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color WHITE: Snow-like

Answer 77

SP Yang Exhaustion w/ D-C in MJ

Question 78

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color WHITE: Moldy

Answer 78

KD/ST Yin Xu; Damp-Toxin in Interior

Question 79

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color YELLOW: Slimy/ Slippery

Answer 79

Damp-Heat

Question 80

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color YELLOW: Yellow Root with White Tip

Answer 80

EPF changing into Heat and penetrating interior

Question 81

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color YELLOW: Bilateral yellow strips, remainder** yellow**

Answer 81

LV/GB Heat

Question 82

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color YELLOW: Bilateral yellow strips, remainder **white**

Answer 82

EPF penetrating interior ST/LI Heat

Question 83

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color Half YELLOW Half WHITE

Answer 83

LV/ GB Heat

Question 84

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color WHITE Coat, BLACK **POINTS**

Answer 84

EPF penetrating interior transforming to heat

Question 85

# FCM - Tongue Coating Color WHITE coating, BLACK **PRICKLES**

Answer 85

True Cold False Heat Cold turning into Heat