One of the most important aspects of a Traditional Chinese Medicine consultation is the tongue exam: having a healthy tongue presentation provides tremendous insight into your overall health. Most of us rarely look at our tongues, and even when we do, we hardly give it more than a glance. But the tongue presentation can vary considerably.

Sometimes it can change rapidly within the time span of a day. Other times, meaningful changes may take weeks, even months, to manifest. We can think of the tongue as a window into the inner changes in the body. It is often crucial, and sometimes decisive, in shaping the treatment that a patient receives.

But before we can begin to understand what a tongue can tell us about our health, we need to first understand what a healthy tongue should look like. 

The Balanced Canvas

A healthy tongue, like so many things in Chinese medicine, should be “balanced.” It needs to be right in the middle, so to speak, along several axes of examination.

Let’s get an insight into certain important ones:

• Color: This is one of the most important features of a tongue. A healthy tongue should be pink, with a healthy, even glow. This color suggests proper blood circulation, balanced energy, and overall well-being. 
• Coating: Perhaps of equal importance to the color is the coating. Our tongues will generally produce a thin, white coating that covers the tongue evenly. In general, this type of coating suggests that the body is neither hot nor cold, and that one’s digestive system is healthy and robust.. 
• Shape: A healthy tongue is known to have a moderate thickness with a natural curvature. It is not highly swollen or very thin. 
• Texture: A healthy tongue should be free from cracks, ulcers, or significant blemishes. 
• Movements: A healthy tongue should move smoothly and easily, without any stiffness
• Other considerations:  Beyond the color and coating of the tongue, other features can also be important. 

Interpreting the Tongue's Messages

Interpreting the tongue presentation is a skill that must be cultivated through years of clinical experience. Many factors, such as age, illness history, exercise, and diet can affect the appearance of the tongue. Nonetheless, it is often not hard to recognize when one’s tongue deviates significantly from the healthy tongue described above.

Embarking on Your Wellness Journey

What can you do if you find that your tongue does not reflect the healthy moderation so cherished by doctors of Chinese medicine? First, we recommend working with an experienced practitioner to help correct the problem. You may receive acupuncture, massage, herbal medicine, or other traditional therapies to help bring your body back into balance.

Second, cultivating a healthy tongue involves nurturing your body's internal harmony, through a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, effective stress management, and restorative sleep. Even without a Chinese medicine practitioner, these lifestyle adjustments will have an important effect on your tongue and overall health

Get an Digital Review of Your Tongue

Curious about what your tongue says about your health?  DAO Labs offers a free "tongue review", tailored to one of your health goals.  Simply review this page, answer a few questions, snap and upload a picture of your tongue, and a colleague or I will review your tongue and follow-up with some observations.  For a more in depth review, consider scheduling a virtual consultation. 

Care Consideration: Just a reminder that the above information is not a substitute for medical care and is not a substitute for medical advice or recommendations  from a healthcare provider.  This information is not intended to treat, mitigate or cure any disease.  That said, we encourage you to connect with an Acupuncturist in your community to learn more about this and other Traditional Chinese Medicine options.  If you’ve got questions about Chinese herbal medicine or getting started with an Acupuncturist, feel free to connect with us on hello@mydaolabs.com. 

Dr. Eric Karchmer is a practicing Chinese medical doctor, medical anthropologist, and co-founder and Chief Doctor of Chinese Medicine for DAO Labs. From 1995-2000, Eric studied at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and today is both a licensed acupuncturist and professor at Appalachian State University. Eric can be reached at drkarchmer@mydaolabs.com.