Chinese medicine believes that "the tongue is the seedling of the heart". Although the tongue is mainly used to identify the taste in body function, in fact, the qi and blood circulation of the heart and other viscera organs are also connected with the tongue. When the heart or other viscera functions are abnormal, changes are often found on the tongue, which is the "tongue image" that Chinese medicine attaches importance to when examining the body.
Many contemporary doctors, such as Gao Binglin, a researcher at Jiangsu Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, have confirmed through the study of 51 patients with heart disease admitted to the outpatient department that the different tongue pictures of patients can indeed reflect the different symptoms of heart disease and the degree of abnormal heart function, and the observation of patients' tongue pictures can be used as one of the indicators to judge abnormal heart function in clinic.
Chinese medicine believes that "the heart governs the blood vessels, but it also opens the mouth to the tongue", so when there is a problem with the heart function, it will lead to the color change of the tongue caused by the poor circulation of qi and blood. When the caution function is normal, the tongue tends to be ruddy and soft, but when the caution function is in trouble, these common changes often occur:
1. Tongue redness-deficiency of heart yin
Principle: A normal and healthy tongue often appears pale pink or fleshy pink, but if it is found that the tongue is red and dark, we should be alert to the deficiency of heart yin that may be caused by cardiovascular disease. Due to yin deficiency, it is easy to cause internal fire and speed up blood flow, which is manifested as redness of the tongue.
symptoms: these patients may often be accompanied by palpitations, irritability, poor sleep, or always feel dry mouth, cracked tongue and other symptoms.
Second, the tongue is blue and purple-the blood flow is not smooth
Principle: Shen Jin 'ao, a famous doctor in the Qing Dynasty, once said, "Qi is transported by blood, and the blood will flow around with the gas, and the blood will be coagulated if it is coagulated." Zhang Zhongjing, a famous physician in the Eastern Han Dynasty, once wrote in a medical book: "A husband with blood stasis has a weak lip and a blue tongue." Therefore, when the tongue is found to be blue and purple, it is likely that the blood flow is stagnant and slow due to abnormal blood circulation function of the heart, so we should be alert to blood embolism.
Symptoms: In severe cases, these patients will have dark ecchymosis on their tongues. If they are accompanied by chest tightness, chest pain, dizziness and headache, they should be alert to cerebrovascular diseases. If accompanied by insomnia, palpitation, shortness of breath and other symptoms, we should be alert to cardiovascular diseases.
Third, the tongue is white-qi and blood deficiency
Principle: When the heart function is abnormal, it will lead to qi and blood deficiency and yang deficiency due to insufficient blood production or poor blood circulation, which will be reflected in the tongue picture, and the tongue will be white and slightly fat. Patients in the pale tongue group often have dull pain in the chest, chest tightness and shortness of breath, and even can't lie flat when breathing, palpitations, fatigue, pale face, easy sweating and weak pulse. Or cold limbs, light and fat tongue, thin and weak pulse, etc., showing deficiency of qi (Yang).
symptoms: this kind of patients may also have chest pain, tightness, chills, sweating, fatigue, palpitations and other symptoms, so be alert to heart diseases such as anemia, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
From the above, we can know that observing the mind from the tongue is not only about the changes of the tongue picture, but also about other symptoms. People with poor heart should develop the habit of less salt, less sugar, less frying, quitting smoking and drinking, and less fat in their daily diet, and ensure proper exercise every day to promote blood metabolism and circulation.
In addition, you can also massage acupoints to dredge the blood vessels of the heart and relieve the discomfort of the heart:
1. thenar acupoints
Point selection: after the palm is up and straightened, there is an obvious protruding muscle from the lower end of the thumb to the edge of the wrist, which is called thenar in medicine. Daily massage can be done by rubbing the thenar of both hands and feeling hot.
Function: Massage here can relieve the pressure on the heart, promote blood circulation, and protect the heart in case of emergency.
2. Neiguan point
Acupoint selection: After straightening the wrist, you should point three fingers from the wrist transverse stripes to the arm direction, and Neiguan point is located between the two funicular tendons here.
Function: Massage this point when you feel chest tightness or palpitation, which can calm your mind, effectively relieve discomfort, and have health care effect on your heart. In addition, it is quite effective in treating arrhythmia and myocarditis.
3. Gongsun point
Acupoint selection: At the first joint along the big toe, when you push hard, you will find a depression, which is Gongsun point. Daily massage can be directly rubbed with the fingertips, and the strength can be slightly larger, and it is appropriate to have a feeling of soreness.
Role: Sharla Cheung Zhou, chief physician of the Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said that people with bad heart should massage the acupoints more, which can effectively relieve heart discomfort. This acupoint can harmonize qi and blood of the whole body, and also help to promote blood production in viscera. Usually, you should pay attention to relieve fatigue by pressing it more often.
References:
1. Tongue Can See Heart Strength (Chinese Medicine Forum), 215, Chinese Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
2. Pan Qiuxiang and Gao Binglin: Clinical Observation on the Relationship between Tongue Picture of Heart Diseases and Heart Function, 199, Journal of Nanjing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
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