What The Tongue Tells Us - Homeopathy 4 Everyone

The make-up of the tongue

The tongue is a vital, highly active, sensitive organ, which is the beginning and the only visible part of the digestive tract. It is sometimes called the mirror of the stomach. It can prove to be a key-factor in determining many conditions and the overall health of the body.

The tongue is a flexible muscular organ of the mouth. It is meant for tasting, moisturising, licking, kissing, mastication of food, swallowing and, in humans, speech. Its muscles are attached to the lower jaw and to a bone above the larynx. Its rough texture is produced by tiny nodules or papillae which project from its upper surface. Sensory nerves or taste buds are situated at the sides and the base of the tongue and the motor nerve is distributed across the muscular substance.

Ask the client to protrude the tongue and check for any deviation, discomfort or tremors. Examine the dorsum of the tongue, noting the colour and any coating or furring. Is the tongue enlarged or flabby? Note the condition of the papillae. Are there any cracks, fissures or patches on the tongue? Ask the client to elevate the tip with the wide open mouth and examine the undersurface of the anterior tongue. While conducting this examination it is pertinent to study the lips, teeth, gums, palate, fauces (the passage from the mouth pharynx), tonsils and pharynx.

The healthy tongue is free of any discomfort, such as pain, stinging, burning, swelling, excrescences or numbness. It is moist, with a rough surface, and has an evenly coloured pink surface overlaying pale red. Inspection of the client's tongue is, therefore, a very useful starting point in most consultations. -

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

Dr. Trevor Cook

Director and principal. British Institute of Homeopathy

email: britinsthom@compuserve.com

web: www.britinsthom.com