Section 5　Clinical Significance of the Tongue Examination

Judging exuberance or failure of thezheng qi and pathogen.

Distinguishing the nature of the pathogenic factor.

Analysing the location and tendency of the pattern.

Estimating the prognosis of the pattern.

For example:

? Arough tongue relates to anexcess pattern.

? Atender tongue relates to adeficient pattern.

? Ayellow coating relates to aheat pattern.

? Awhite coating relates to acold pattern.

? Agreasy coating relates to adamp pattern.

? Athin coating relates to anexterior pattern.

? Athick coating relates to aninterior pattern.

A lustrous tongue, where the tongue coating changes from thick to thin, from dry to moist suggests a favourable prognosis, the disease is moving from the interior to the exterior, and fluid is recovering.

A red tongue, where the tongue coating changes from thin to thick, from moist to dry suggests unfavourable prognosis, the disease is moving from the exterior to the interior, and extreme heat is damaging the fluid.