Why do acupuncture look at your tongue

Elliot R. This is the first chiropractor I have ever been to even though I am active in a lot of sports. I went because of lower back pains and a rotator cuff sprain, and I must say: the massage plus Dr. Naim's experienced hands really made a huge and rapid difference for my pain. I highly recommend. Austin M. Knowledgeable, competent, caring. Excellent expertise and most concerned on helping the client. Appreciate the continued help he delivers and the competence of the staff.

Don C. Dr Naim knows what he is doing and he is the most gentle and friendly chiropractor I have ever known. I was referred to him by my husband and will never go see another chiropractor again.

Within seconds he assessed my particular situation and knew exactly where the pain came from and how to fix. Dr Naim is the best, he is my miracle Dr. I have been a patient of his since he open his practice in El Segundo. When I went to see him I was in so much pain. I had really bad lower back problems; I could not sit for more than 30 mins. I had seen other Chiropractors and other acupuncturists. Delores B. Severe migraines for my whole adult life; gone within the first two sessions.

Thank you Dr. These energy pathways coincide with the overall health of the organ system they correspond with. The colour of the tongue serves as an indicator of the internal temperature of the body and correlates with circulation from the liver and the heart.

Colour of the tongue can also reveal to your acupuncturist if there is a heat or cold condition present. This is also why your acupuncturist may suggest that you eat hot or cold foods see: Healthy Eating According to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Red or Pink: Indicative of the internal temperature of the body and is a normal colouring. White: The thin white layering of the tongue is referred to as the tongues coating. In individual cases, the coating can vary from week to week. Here's a beginner's guide to interpreting the messages your tongue could be sending you.

Consider tongue reading another way to check in with yourself, but don't use it to replace a doctor's visit or override any diagnoses from medical professionals. A normal tongue coat is thin with a moist, light white coating, thinnest at its edges and thicker in the center but thickest at the base of the tongue. Take a look at your tongue in the mirror and see if it fits this description. Really notice the details: Is it puffy or thin? Is it reddish, purplish, or pinkish?

Are there deep cracks, small cracks, or no cracks at all? Is there a coating on it? Is the coating white or yellow? Try to scrape off the coating; does it go away or stay in place? According to TCM, all of this means something. Here are a few things your tongue reading can tell you about yourself. Again, if you suspect something is off, talk to your doctor or seek out a licensed, qualified Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner for another opinion.

In some cases, a quivering or trembling tongue body can indicate a chronic condition that has drained the body's energy and caused some level of fatigue and tiredness.

When the tongue has a puffy body with ridges on the side, it indicates that the body is so tired that the muscle of the tongue doesn't have adequate energy to hold itself in place, so it's super relaxed in the mouth, taking the shape of the teeth. A quivering tongue can also be a symptom of stress , or a side effect of medication. The coating on the tongue indicates the body's level of hydration. When the body isn't hydrated, the tongue immediately looks and feels dry.

Other signs of dehydration include diarrhea and constipation, upset stomach, headache, insomnia, vivid dreams, hot flashes, dry skin, thirst, heartburn, or hunger. In TCM, a thick yellow coating right in the center of the tongue also means your body is dehydrated and can't properly digest your food.

If you've never been to an acupuncturist, you may think most of what they do is poke patients with tiny needles to relieve joint and back pain that's certainly what I thought. It's actually way more complicated than that, and it turns out there are many surprising things acupuncturists can help you with—from treating asthma symptoms to coping with chemotherapy to dealing with gastrointestinal distress.

First, acupuncturists try to identify the underlying cause of illness or discomfort during what's called the intake process. Anna Folckomer, a licensed acupuncturist and board certified herbalist in New York City, explains that the intake process starts from the moment you call to make an appointment and picks back up the second you walk into the consultation room.

Folckomer pays close attention to the way her patients speak, walk, and sit, and she notes the colors on their faces, body smells, and hair texture. Then, Folckomer might move on to taking pulses, checking fingernails, and examining tongues. I piece together information from the tongue, pulse readings, and the intake process into a pattern that determines my treatment with herbs and acupuncture. So, for the sake of this story, I accepted when Folckomer offered to take a look at my tongue. I sent her the best tongue selfie I could take, and a day later she e-mailed me back with a whole list of things my tongue indicated about my health.

Obviously, looking at my tongue is only one piece of the puzzle, but it was almost scary how much she could tell by studying a picture of just one body part. Here's what she was able to glean. This article was originally published by our partners at RodalesOrganicLife.