Tongue/Pulse/Complexion Flashcards by Julia eh

diagnostic methods

looking
hearing
asking
pulse/palp
tongue

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what to observe when looking?

body condition
complexion
mobility
shen
tongue

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what to observe when hearing/smelling

tone of voice
communication
breathing
odour

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asking

ask how you can help them
focus on their main symptoms
history of their complaint
ask about general health
medical history
medications

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treating critical patient

complaint
symptoms
tongue and pulse

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if an area is hot

inflammation

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if an area is cold

qi xu or internal cold

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if an area is swollen

dampness

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if area is tender

qi/xue stagnation

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when to take tongue and pulse

after consultation, when patient is settled

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what does the pulse tell

condition of zang, fu, qi and xue

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six pulse positions reflect

the 12 meridians (zangfu pair)

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tendons, blood, eyes pathology

liver imbalance

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muscle, mouth

spleen imbalance

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sinus, skin

lung imbalance

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ear, bones

kidney imbalance

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tongue, blood vessel

heart

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dry eyes

liver blood / yin syndrome. always consider the root of the issue

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in order to make a diagnosis

ask your patient what is normal for them
consider the person as a whole
avoid assumptions

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when in doubt

trust the tongue and pulse

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which channel spreads over the surface of the tongue

spleen primary channel

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eyes are dull
complexion is grey
body is soft
slow responses

lack of vitality

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severe mental health illness
severe loss of essence and qi

loss of vitality
more severe than lack of vitality

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reasons for loss of vitality

decline in essence
excessive pathogens

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complexion colour-red

heart fire excess seen at cheeks and nose heat syndrome

complexion colour - blue

heart fire imbalance sudden shock/trauma cold syndrome or pain seen around the mouth

complexion colour - green

liver wood imbalance migraines seen on the temples

complexion colour - white

lung metal imbalance cold or xu syndrome seen on whole face

complexion colour - yellow

spleen earth imbalance suggests spleen (qi) xu bright-yang dull-yin

complexion colour - black

indicates kidney syndrome blood stagnation/xu dark circles - kidney or liver xu

if a person always leans forward while sitting

lung syndrome

texture of sputum shows

if still at a damp stage, or if thicker at phlegm stage

excessive saliva

due to spleen xu and cold in spleen and stomach

looking at vomit tells us

how well stomach qi is breaking down food how well liver qi is controlling flow of qi

normal stool

is yellow, cylindrical and well formed variation indicates imbalance internal temp and ZF

watery stool

spleen dysfunction usually due to excessive cold/raw foods

foul smelling stool

indicates damp heat in stomach/large intestine

normal urine

light yellow and clear naturally lightens in winter and darker in summer

tongue regions - root of tongue

kidney at the sides root, bladder and intestines in the center root

tongue regions-sidewalls of tongue

liver and gallbladder

tongue regions - direct middle of tongue

spleen on top, stomach bottom

tongue regions - tip of tongue

very tip is heart, just above is lungs

the existence and disappearance of tongue coating shows

the condition of stomach qi

if tongue coating suddenly thickens

suggests pathogenic factor moving into the interior body

if tongue coating suddenly peels

indicates abundance of pathogenic factor and decline of healthy qi

things that can change tongue coating

lighting, food, drink, meds, lifestyle

long term meds (especially antibiotics) make tongue coating look

black and greasy

healthy tongue coating should be

white, thin and dry but with lustre

if you can see the tongue body, coating is

thin

if you cant see tongue body, coating is

thick

thick coating indicates

pathogenic factors, prolonged disease, retention of phlegm

if thin coating becomes thick

suggests disease is worsening

if thick coating becomes thin

suggests vital qi is strengtheing against pathogen

peeled coating indicates

xu of yin (area of organ) peeled all over-severe exhaustion of yin

slippery (moist) coating indicates

cold or damp syndrome

dry coating with no fluid indicates

heat pathogen consuming body fluid OR false heat

curdy coating indicates

excess heat rising, steams up turbid stomach qi

swollen tongue indicates

retention of fluid or phlegm, usually pale due to yang xu

teethmarks tongue indicates

spleen qi xu, just like swollen tongue

thin/small tongue indicates

qi and blood xu of heart and spleen

cracked tongue indicates

essence and blood xu all cracks mean the same thing

trembling tongue indicates

qi and blood xu consumption of body fluid

moving tongue indicates

heat in the heart and spleen

short tongue indicates

internal cold, qi and blood xu

prickled tongue indicates

excess toxic heat

sublingual veins indicate

circulation of qi and blood

where is CunKou pulse taken

radial side of each wrist

what does CunKou pulse reflect

actions of ZangFu organs balance between 3 jiao

take the pulse of your patient

with your opposite hand

pulse is measured in

beats per patient breath

regular paced pulse is measured at

4 beats per patient breath

four elements of pulse taking

location speed consistency power

pediatric pulse is taken

at the same location but with one finger instead of three - hold the childs hand

children under 3 pulse

use index finger and look at veins

children 6-8 yrs pulse

take pulse using your thumb

children 10+ yrs pulse

take pulse as adult

pulse can be affected by

menstruation pregnancy season geography age body build

pale tongue indicates

qi and blood xu

red tongue indicates

excess heat syndrome

crimson tongue indicates

intense heat pathogen heat in blood, heart and stomach

purple tongue indicates

stagnation of qi and blood may be due to cold or heat

blue tongue indicates

reduced blood circulation

orange tongue indicates

liver blood xu

white tongue coating

normal unless thick

yellow tongue coating

indicates heat

grey tongue coating

indicates serious disease, chronic illness of digestive tract, dehydration

black tongue coating

indicates critical stage of disease indicates extreme internal hot or cold

root of illness

primary aspect - syndrome which came first

branch of illness

secondary aspect(s) - syndromes occur because of initial imbalance