Jivha Parikshan: (included in ashtavidh pariksha)

Observation – shape,colour,moisture,movement,coat/covering.

Examination

• Coating of tongue – shows the presence of ‘Aama’ due to “Agnimandhya”.
• Presence of ‘Aama’ in instestine or stomach – indication by coating in middle region of the tongue.
• Presence of ‘Aama’ in the large instestine – coating in the back of tongue.

JIVHA –Basic Introduction

Called as “Rasendriya” & organ of taste.

Formed by Jala mahabhuta – predominantaly Kapha, Rakta & Mamsa dhatu.

Heathy Tongue – it is suchi(clean) shalakshan (not too dry nor too moist).No dilation or distention of the veins beneath the tongue.

1. Vata Prakruti – chilly,harsh,fissured.
2. Pitta Prakurti – raddish, blue in colour ( strawberry like-scarlet fever etc).
3. Kapha Prakurti – white,sticky & greasy.
4. Tridosha – blakish appearance.

EXAMINATION

• Tongue 1/3 (front) – the lung ,heart,chest.
• Froth accmulatin in this area – lungs weakening, indicating a risk of respiratory illness including asthma,bronchitis and common cold.
• Deppresion in ant. middle region – (location of heart on tongue)

Indicates sadness, depression or mental illness.

• Tongue 1/3 (center) – liver, spleen,pancreas,stomach.

Gastritis & other organ abnormalities are indicated by small fracture or ulceration in this region.

• Tongue 1/3 (back) – the small and large intestine.

Coating on the back of tongue indicates ulcerative colitis and sever constipation.

• Dosha vitiation –
• Kapha vitiation – white or yellow-green tongue covered with a bad odor.
• Pitta vitiation – red or yellow-green tongue covered with a foul odor.
• Vata vitiation – brownish black tongue.
• Dwandhaj – mixed
• Sannipataj – Krishna, kantak (thorny),shuska
• Dhatu related –
• Rasa dhatu – dry tongue
• Rakta dhatu – pale tongue (i.e. Pandu (anemia))
• Extremely blue tongue –central cyanosis;description in ayureda in Madataya.
• Coated or cracked tongue – indigestion (maybe due to mental stress),loss of taste.
• Kledak kapha – situated in stomach & GIT ( associated with the production of rasa dhatu)

Related to liquid balance in body (dehydration or excessive sensation may cause low ph of gastric juice in stomach).

• Bodhak kapha – recognisation of flavor related with taste.
• Function – sensation of taste, speaking,swallowing ,saliva secreation (saliva&digestion enzyme production).
• Location – mouth and tongue
• Also maintain temperature of mouth
• Can be related with partial lobe of brain
• Provide support & energy to all kapha
• Vocal quality may attacted
• Treatment –bhedhak kapha is hyperactive – treatment is ginger, black pepper & long pepper maybe used as aid.
• Vata -> have paleness ->due to nutrition absorption.

Vyana vyau-> purple –blue appearance.

• A pale tongue indicates congestive cardiac failure and may be due to aggrevation of Avalamabaka kapha.

Jivha examination in different rogas

1. Visham jwara – red/yellow/green coating -> due to predominance of pitta.
2. Atisara – (due to agani mandhya & rasa dushti take place with Aama) can be correlated with serum electrolyte level of sodium & potassium.
3. The presence of teeth marks along with margin is a symptom of malabsorption, poor digestion,inflammation of GIT etc.
4. Based on appearance according to doshas-

Dosha	Features
Vata	Small,short,thin dry & cracked
Pitta	Long norrow,pointed inflammed with ulceration and small projection
Kapha	Large swollen thick,soft and wet edges

• Tongue colour – reflect condition of blood & body fluids ( hearts, spleen,lungs,kidney & liver)
• Shape – shows the state of blood and fluid and also persists long term pathological disease.
• Tongue coat – indication of organs( small intestine, large intestine, stomach,urinary bladder & gall bladder) and location of illness.
• Tongue thickness reflects excess or deficiency state (important indicator in acute condition)
• Tongue moisture reflects dryness & tongue movement reflects “Vayu”present or depletion

Examples – pale on sides ->lack of blood in liver.

Purple in center -> blood staging in stomach.

Thick yellow coat and rare -> dampness & heat intestine ,bladder & uterus.

VI. Area on tongue –

1. Tip – heart
2. Front – lungs
3. Center – heart
4. Inside-sides – gall bladder
5. Edge-sides – liver

The rear -> first -> to intestine -> back to bladder & uterus,then at root -> kidney

VII. Observation –

out door light (or halogen light)

not sooner than ½ – 1 hours after eating

not held out more than 20 sec (it change it colour soon)

Analytical observation

• Tongue body colour – it indicates the conditions of blood ,fluid and the organ underlying pattern of discharge, long-term pathological discharmones & constitutional weakness.

Total Number of Words: 685

Total Reading Time: 3 minutes 26 seconds