Thick white coating on the tongue

http://hpathy.com/homeopathy-papers/what-the-tongue-tells-us/

Tongue conditions
The remedies suggested in the box are only possible treatments and can only be verified by considering the totality of symptoms and their full repertorisation.

CONDITION	REMEDIES
Cuts	The tongue is considered to be the fastest healing organ in the body. Wounds should respond within 48 hours with correct treatment, otherwise consult a physician. May be treated with a mouthwash of Calendula mother tincture or a mixture of equal volumes of Calendula and Hypericum mother tinctures (Hypercal), 10 drops in a half a cupful of water. If there is suppuration, give Hepar sulph. 6c also.
Bites/ Bitten Tongue	Ledum 6c for puncture wounds with imprints of teeth, or as for cuts. Hydrastis. Merc. cor, Merc. sol. or Rhus tox. may also be considered. All at 6c or 30c.
Coloroation
Red Tip of Tongue	Usually a dietary problem with excessively acid foods. Reduce acidity by increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables and give Natrium carb 6x, Belladonna 6c, Natrium phos. 6x, Arg. nit. 6c, Rhus tox. 6c or Sulphur 30c.
White	Salivation and bad, slimy taste. White ‘thrush’ tongue. Give Kali carbo 6x or Kali mul: 6x. Bryonia 6c or Taraxacum 6x might also be useful. For white patches, Taraxacum 2x.
Dry. thick white	Coating is a sign of toxification. Give drainage remedies. Berberis vulgaris 6x for kidney dysfunction, Chelidonium 6c for liver dysfunction, or Kali sulph. 6x or Taraxacum 2x. Water intake should be increased. Also consider Baptisia 6c or Arsen. alb. 6c. For con- stipation, give Senna 6x.
Greyish-white mapped tongue	Swelling. Tongue feels dryish or slimy. Give Kali mur 6x or Natrium mur 6x.
Smooth, pale tongue	May suggest a nutrional deficinecy; the healthy tongue is rough. A healthy, balanced diet is necessary. Give the biochemic remedy Kali phos. 6x.
Purple	Lachesis 30c. Consider also Petroleum 30c.
Red edges	Give Merc. sol. 6c Consider also Arsen. alb. 6c, Chelidonium 6c or Lycopodium 30c
Reddish with pale edges	(And possibly tiny white spots). Indicates a liver problem. Give Natrium sulph. 6x, Chelidonium 6x, Berberis vulgaris 6x or Solidago 6x.
Black or blackish	Consider Merc. sol. 6c, Carbo veg. 6c, or Arsen. alb. 6c. If black at the centre consider Phosphorus 30c. The tongue can also be brushed gently night and morning using a Calendula mouthwash.
Blue	Antim. tart. 6x or Arsen. alb. 6x. Possible heart condition. Lips may be blue. Give Digitalis 6c or 30c. Consider Convalleria 6c or Crataegus in mother tincture.
Brown	Give Arsen. alb. 6c or Baptisia 6c. If worse in the morning, give Rhus tox. 6c.
Red	Give Belladonna 6c. If swollen, Rhus tox. 6c. If fiery red, give Apis med. 6c. Rhus tox. has fiery red triangular tip. A strawberry tongue indicates Belladonna.
Grey or greyish-yellow	Ambrosia 6c
Grey-green	Give Natrium sulph. 6x or Nat. phos. 6x. A thick grey-green coating may suggest severe constipation. Give drainage remedies, including Senna 6x and increase water intake to 2 litres a day minimum.
Yellow Thick, dirty coating	Give Chelidonium 30c if a liver problem is suspected. Consider Rhus tox., Kali bich. or Spigelia, all in a 6c potency.
Multicoloured	Lachesis 6c
Appearance
Mapped tongue	Natrium mur: 6x but see Coloration
Twitching tongue	Give Glonine 6c or 30c.
Trembling tongue	Give Lachesis 6c or Merc. sol. 6c. If the tongue is protruded and trembling, give the Lachesis. If accompanied by stammering choose Stramonium 30c or Arg. nit. 6c.
Tongue tremor	This condition could indicate hyperthyrodism, and a blood test would be required. Other symptoms include weight loss, bulging eyes, insomnia, restlessness and depression. Meanwhile Kali phos. 6x can be given.
Wrinkled tongue	Consider Calc. phos. 6x or Phosphorus 6c.
Swollen tongue	An enlarged tongue may indicate thyroid enlargement, an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Other symptoms include weight gain and lethargy. Give Fucus. vesiculosus 6c. This remedy, prepared from sea kelp, is high in iodine content, the major constituent of thyroxine. Alternatively you can give Iodium 6c. Other remedies to be considered are Anacardium and Pulsatilla, both at 6c. A swollen, flabby tongue where the teeth leave marks would indicate Merc. sol. 6c. See also Cuts or Bites.
Smooth tongue	Accompanied by redness and soreness. This indicates anemia, in particular iron deficiency anemia. There may be an earthy taste. Give Ferrum phos. 6x. In the morning or on waking, Opium 30c, Pulsatilla or Rhus tox. At night, Nux moschata 30c (also for the ‘sensation as if’ dry).
Dry Tongue	A dry tongue may be caused by stress or nervousness, for example, before addressing an audience or before an examination. The client feels tongue-tied, unable to speak. Take Arg. nit. 6c the night before and 1 hour before the event or consider Gelsemium 6c or 30c. Drink plenty of water.
Itching Tongue	Give Apis mel. 6c. Dulcamara 6c or Sulphur 30c.
Tongue in constant motion	Loquacious, but in motion even when not talking. Tongue may be protruded. Give Phytolacca 6c or Hyoscyamus 6c and follow with Lachesis 6c or Phosphorus 6c.
Mucus/saliva	If this is sticky, give Arg. nit. 6c., Sepia 30c or Nux moschata 30c. If it is bitter, give Chelidonium 6c.
Pain in tongue:
On swallowing	Give Calc. phos. 6c or Phytolacca 6c.
On talking	Give Kalmia 6c or Lycopodium 6c.
On puffing out	Give Phytolacca 6c or 30c.
Burning pain (smarting)	Give Arsen. alb., Iris vers., Sanguinaria or Veratrum vir. (all 6c). Aconite could be given initially (one dose).
Soreness	Give Nitric acid 6c or Thuja 6c.
Paralysis	Difficult articulation of speech. Give Causticum 6c or 30c, Gelsemium 30c, Lycopodium 30c or Opium 200c (left side). See also Trembling tongue.
Sensitive tongue:
At tip of tongue	Give Croton tig. 6c. If the tip is sensitive and red choose Arsen. alb. 6c, Phytolacca 6c or Sulphur30c
Whole tongue	Taraxacum 2x
Blisters	Gums may bleed. Give Zinc. met. 6c.
Numbness	Natrium mur 6x is indicated, particularly if associated with a tingling sensation. Also consider Gelsemium 6c or Aconite (initially).
Hot tongue	Give Belladonna 6c or Apis mel. 6c.
Inflamed tongue	Give Apis mel., Lachesis or Croton-c. all 30c.
Coatings:
Frothy	With bubbles on side of tongue. Natrium mur 6x. See also Coloration.
Greyish film	May be caused by excessive use of antibiotics. Give Ambrosia 6c or Kali carb 6c or Chelidonium 6c.
Ulcers:
White ulcers	Give Kali iod. 6c. Tongue may have greyish-white coating.
Small ulcers	Give Merc. sol. 6c. May be the result of stress. A vitamin C supplement may be helpful. Possibly follow up with Psorinum 1M.
Bleeding ulcers	Give Merc. sol. 6c or 30c. Ulcers at edges of tongue may be treated with Nitric ac. 6c or, if under the tongue, with Lycopodium 30c.

Recommended potencies are a general guide only and may be higher for persistent or chronic conditions

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http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/White_Thick_Coating_Tongue_Treatment__General_Conventional_and_TCM_Perspectives_a1163.html

B. Causes
There are many causes of white coat furry tongue in traditional Chinese medicine, the below are some of them, please consult with your Chinese medicine practitioner for corrected differentiation
1. A white thin furry coat tongue coating is defined as health condition of external cold patterns 2. A thicker white furry coating is a health condition of can indicate damp-cold
3. A dry white furry coating tongue is an indication of cold turning to heat, causing dry mouth,
the 2 and 3 are due to spleen, stomach and kidney deficiency. In case of the presence of excess heat, the white furry coating turns yellow.

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http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/tongue.html

CHINESE MEDICINE DIAGNOSIS OF THE TONGUE

07/22/2009: Kevin from Vancouver, BC writes: "I am an acupunturist.

Usually a white tongue or coating mean cold is inside.

Yellow means heat is inside. I know these terms seem a bit out there but using the idea of yin and yang is or cold and hot is more sophisticated than trying to figure out a single cause when the body is an orchestra or functions.

So for a white toungue one would suggest Hot or warming food. For example ginger or cinnamon or cayenne. I would also suggests other tonic herbs like ginseng but only if there is not thick coating. A thick coating means excess or too much and so to build that would make it worse. You need to decrease the thickness. This is done by taking herbs that help to clear dampness usually bitter ones or astringent like orange peel for example.

There is a whole study of toungue coating and colour out there that is foundational to chinese diagnosis. Your toungue is a great indicator of health.

So to recap white toungue means cold so get warm and the toungue will change. Literally and with warming food. DO not eat ice cream or drink cold drinks with a cold tongue."

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 http://altmedicine.about.com/library/weekly/bl_TongueDiagnosis.htm

What is the Tongue Color?
Normal tongue color is light red, indicating that a person's vital energy (called qi) is strong. It also reflects the health of the internal organs and blood circulation. Changes in the tongue color usually reflect chronic illness.

Tongue body color	May be a sign of
Pale	Excess cold, especially if thick white coating. Spleen qi deficiency, especially if thin white coating Blood deficiency, especially if dull, pale face and lips
Red	Excess heat, especially if there is a thick yellow tongue coating. Yin deficiency, especially if tongue body is thin and coating is thin, absent or peeled.
Purple	Stagnant qi Stagnant blood if dark purple tongue body and/or red spots on the tongue

What is the Tongue Shape?
Normal tongue shape is not too thick or thin, and the tongue body is smooth with no cracks. Changes in the tongue shape usually reflect chronic illness involving blood, qi, or body fluids.

Tongue shape	May be a sign of
Swollen or puffy	Spleen qi deficiency, especially if teeth marks on the sides Damp heat
Thin	Blood deficiency Fluid deficiency
Trembling	Spleen qi deficiency
Elongated	Heart heat
Sides curled up	Liver qi stagnation If the sides are swollen and red, it may indicate Liver Fire
Cracks	Excess heat or yin deficiency Heart imbalance, especially if there is a crack down the middle of the tongue to the tip

What does the Tongue Coating Look Like?
Normal tongue coating is thin and white. A pale yellow and slightly thicker coating at the back of the tongue may also be normal. The tongue coating often indicates the health of the spleen and stomach. It also provides a good indication of acute illness, such as colds and digestive problems.

Tongue coating	May be a sign of
Thick	Excess
Yellow, thick, glossy	Damp Heat
Dry, yellow	Excess heat
Peeled or absent	Deficient yin Heart yin deficiency if it's on the tip of the tongue Kidney yin deficiency if it's all over the tongue or at the back of the tongue and the tongue body is red.

Are there any Specific Problem Areas?
Each area of the tongue is connected to specific internal organs.

• sides of the tongue - liver
• tip of the tongue - heart
• center of the tongue - spleen
• back of the tongue - kidney

Other Tongue Tips

• Some disorders don't show up on the tongue.
• Tongue is usually examined for no longer than 15 seconds at a time. If it's extended for longer, the tension may alter the shape or color.
• The tongue should be examined under natural light.
• Before examination, don't eat foods that may discolor the tongue, such as coffee, beets, vitamin C, and foods made with artificial food coloring.

This article is meant for information only. An accurate tongue assessment using the Chinese medical system can only be made in person by a qualified practitioner.


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http://www.massagetoday.com/archives/2002/09/07.html


The second drawing shows a true full-heat condition -- yang consuming yin.
In this instance, you see symptoms such as a rapid pulse, which signifies heat, but it's also thin or empty, which indicates yin deficiency. If it were rapid and full, it would indicate excess heat. With an excess heat condition, the tongue is deep-red, but with yin deficiency, it's red or even light-red. You will also notice that due to the depleted yin, there will be patchy areas or no coating. A full heat will cause the face to be all red, but with yin deficiency, only the cheeks will be red (called "malar flush" in Chinese-English). A full heat will cause someone to be hot all of the time all over his or her body. On the other hand, yin deficiency will cause mild heat, mainly in the afternoon or evening, night sweats and/or warm hands, feet and chest (called Five-Centers Heat).
Yin-deficient people find that they are thirsty but they don't really feel like drinking a lot, or they take small sips. They want to drink mostly in the afternoon or at night. Those with full heat want cold drinks and have a dry mouth all of the time. Both will have scanty dark urine and suffer from constipation (from being dried up), but those with full heat may have pain as well.
Emotionally, heat causes restlessness, but yin-deficient people experience vague anxiety and are not really able to pinpoint why in particular they feel edgy. They could even be defensive. A person with an excess heat condition is much more obviously agitated, and sometimes arrogant. Any heat will cause difficulty falling and staying asleep, but yin deficiency heat keeps people waking frequently during the night or early morning, whereas with a full heat, their sleep is extremely restless and dream disturbed.
All of these are general yin deficiency signs and symptoms. A person doesn't have to have all of them to be considered yin deficient. Become familiar with them in contrast to an excess heat and then look more deeply to figure out which organ is involved and what the etiology could be.
Yin Deficiency/ Empty Heat Excess Heat/ Full Heat Principle Signs and Symptoms Afternoon, mild fever High fever Night sweating Feeling of heat all day Five Centers Heat Hot all over Scanty, dark urine Scanty dark urine Dry stools, no pain Constipation, pain Thirsty with no desire to drink, or just small sips Thirst for cold beverages Dry mouth and throat at night Constant dry mouth & throat Mentally restless but tired, vague anxiety, fidgety Extreme restlessness, agitation or manic behavior Defensive Offensive or arrogant Waking frequently at night Dream-disturbed and very restless sleep Red line inside eyelid Red eyes Mild red, painless spots Red skin eruptions, burning pain Overextended Driven Complexion Red cheeks/ Malar flush Whole face ted Tongue Red with little coating, or peeled Red with yellow coating Pulse Rapid, thready, empty, floating Rapid, full Treatment method Nourish yin Clear heat

Comparison of Yin Deficiency and Full Heat
	Yin Defiiency / Empty Heat	Excess Heat / Full Heat
Principle Signs and Symptoms	Afternoon mild fever Night sweating Five Centers Heat Scanty, dark urine Dry stools, no pain Thirsty, with no desire to drink, or just in small sips Dry mouth and throat at night Mentally restless but tired, vague anxiety, fidgety Defensive Frequent waking during night Red line inside eyelid Mild red, painless spots Overextended	High fever Feeling of heat all day Hot all over Scanty, dark urine| Constipation, pain Thirst for cold beverages Constant dry mouth and throat Extreme restlessness, agitation or manic behavior Offensive or arrogant Dream-disturbed or very restless sleep Red eyes Red skin eruptions, burning pain Driven
Complexion	Red cheeks/malar flush	Whole face red
Tongue	Red with little coating, or peeled	Red with yellow coating
Pulse	Rapid, thready, empty, floating	Rapid, full
Treatment Method	Nourish yin	Clear heat

There are five common types of yin deficiencies, and three types of excess heat/fire. You will find others described in texts. In part 2 of this article, I will discuss what I see most frequently in my practice. The beauty of making yourself familiar with the general symptoms for a large category like yin deficiency is that all you then need to memorize are a few key symptoms for each organ/meridian, instead of a long list for each different pathology. In the next issue, I will be able to discuss many syndromes in fewer words, because now you know the basics!



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