Heart health is closely related to the condition of the tongue. According to Chinese medicine theory, the heart and tongue are closely connected, and issues with the heart often manifest first on the tongue.
When there are bruises on the tongue’s surface, it may be a sign of blood stasis, especially for patients with cardiovascular diseases. A dark purple or bruised tongue should be taken seriously if accompanied by palpitations, shortness of breath, insomnia, vivid dreams, or pain in the precordial region, as it may indicate cardiovascular issues. Feeling dizzy or having a headache at the same time may be related to poor cerebral vascular condition.
A red tongue usually reflects inadequate heart yin. A healthy tongue should be pale pink, but sometimes cardiovascular disease patients may have a red tongue, accompanied by symptoms like palpitations, restlessness, premature contractions, and accelerated heart rate. This is known in Chinese medicine as deficiency of heart yin, which may lead to internal heat and exacerbate cardiovascular disease risk.
Changes in tongue coating are also important indicators. A white coating can be divided into two situations: a light white tongue coating may indicate anemic heart disease, especially if accompanied by symptoms like arrhythmia, fatigue, or heart failure. On the other hand, a white and greasy tongue coating is often associated with dampness obstruction in the middle burner, and the patient may feel chest tightness, discomfort in the precordial region, which may suggest the presence of coronary heart disease or atherosclerosis.
To maintain heart health, massaging the acupoint “Gongsun” can help alleviate discomfort. As a collateral acupoint of the spleen meridian, Gongsun can regulate the whole body, improve qi and blood deficiency, promote abundant qi and blood circulation, and help the heart attain sufficient qi and blood for a peaceful state of mind.
Observing the tongue can reveal more information about overall health. A healthy tongue is light red, moist, with a thin white coating evenly distributed, moderate in size, neither overly dry nor excessively wet.
Specific tongue conditions, such as a mirror-like tongue (without coating, smooth as a mirror), may indicate malnutrition, deficiency of trace elements, or severe illness; a pale tongue is often a sign of deficiency or cold syndrome and needs comprehensive assessment together with other symptoms; dot-slit tongue may signal heat excess or toxic heat invading the blood; fissured tongue is mostly related to tongue mucosal atrophy or chronic glossitis and sometimes reflects malnutrition or vitamin B deficiency.
In conclusion, the different appearances of the tongue can provide important clues about health conditions. Paying attention to and understanding these signals can help us better manage our own health.
