THE SIDES OF THE TONGUE

As the previous blog on the chest/breast area of the tongue has aroused some questions about the sides of the tongue, I would like to clarify some diagnostic aspects of the sides of the tongue.

Of course the sides of the tongue reflect the state of the Liver but there are circumstances when they reflect the state of the Spleen.

The area on the sides reflecting the Liver is long and rather narrow.  By “long” I mean that it extends almost from the root to near the tip.  A redness of this area is very common and it indicates Liver-Heat.

Liver areas

Red sides, Liver area

Swollen sides, Liver area

The area on the sides reflecting the Spleen differs from that reflecting the Liver in two ways:
1) it is less long, being concentrated in the middle section of the tongue (Middle Burner);
2) it is wider.

A common change in this area is a swelling which indicates Dampness in the Spleen.  It also is often pale, indicating Spleen deficiency.  If it is pale and swollen it indicates Spleen-Qi deficiency leading to Dampness.  The Spleen area may also be red indicating Spleen-Heat.

Spleen areas

Spleen areas

Swelling Spleen areas

Redness Spleen areas

Compare this redness on the sides with the redness in the Liver areas above (first picture)










The chest/breast/ area is completely different being confined to a relatively small area between the middle section of the tongue and the tip.

Chest/breast areas

CHEST/BREAST AREA OF THE TONGUE

The “chest/breast” area is on the sides of the tongue, between the centre part and the tip.

The chest area reflects a pathology of three organs: heart or lungs in men and women or breast in women.

The chest area reflects pathologies of the lungs, heart or breast but in a Western medical sense.  A change in the chest area may involve a change in colour or body shape.  In women, how to differentiate when a change in the chest area indicates a problem of the lungs or heart or of the breasts?  In women, a change in the chest area indicates a pathology of the breast rather that of lungs/heart when two conditions are fulfilled:

1) In the absence of an obvious lungs/heart pathology
2) Especially when it is unilateral

Thus:
Men: lung, heart
Women: lung, heart, breast

Examples of lung pathology manifesting in the chest area are chronic asthma or chronic emphysema (in which case the chest area would be swollen and possibly purple). An example of heart pathology is chronic coronary heart disease (in which case the chest area would be purple).

As the area on the sides between the centre and the tip reflects the condition of heart/ lungs/ breast, I call this the “chest area”.

Changes in this area to look for are:
1) Changes in colour (usually purple or red)
2) Changes in body shape (usually swollen or with teeth marks)
3) Red points
4) Lack of coating

In women, a purple colour in the breast area indicates Blood stasis in the breast.  Blood stasis in the breast may cause masses such as fibroadenoma or carcinoma.

Purple breast area left side

Purple breast area both sides

Purple breast area left side (also without coating)







Although we should never assume that a purple colour in the breast area indicates carcinoma of the breast, we should always take it seriously and treat it by invigorating Blood in the breast.

In case of carcinoma of the breast, there is a correlation between the purple colour of the breast area and the prognosis: the darker this area, the worse the prognosis.

If the breast area on the tongue is purple in women who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer, this sign may indicate a tendency towards the disease before any symptoms manifest; for this reason, observation of the chest/breast area in women is particularly relevant. When I do tongue diagnosis in a woman, I always check the chest/breast area carefully.

Apart from a purple colour, other possible changes in the chest area are teeth marks that are confined only to the chest area, red points, the absence of coating in the chest area and a swelling.

In women, teeth marks only in the chest area indicate usually a problem in the breast (possible carcinoma) occurring against a background of severe Qi deficiency.

Teethmarks breast area right side








Red points in the chest area indicate Toxic Heat in the lungs or breast.

Red points chest/breast area right side







In women, an absence of coating in the chest/breast area indicates a possible problem in the breast occurring against a background of Yin deficiency.

No coating breast area left side

No coating breast area left side

No coating breast area left side






In women, a swelling in the breast area indicates Phlegm in the breast (which may cause fibrocystic disease or also contribute to the development of carcinoma of the breast).

Swelling breast area both sides






The Women's Treasure remedy Clear the Moon resolves Phlegm and invigorates Blood in the breast.

Clear the Moon