Tongue pain of Heart-Fire.

If there is hyperactivity of Heart-Fire, the tonguethe opening orifice of the Heart will be burned and impaired, thus tongue pain happens. Excessive worries may cause stagnation of Qi in the Spleen, leading to poor transportation and transformation, and then Damp-Heat forms. When this disturbs and impairs the tongue, it causes tongue pain. Excessive anger, stress, frustration or other emotional upset, may cause Liver-Qi to stagnate, leading to the generation of Liver-Fire. Fire is characterised by uprising and flaring; when the tongue is burned by Liver-Fire, tongue pain occurs. Prolonged fear and fright, or sudden extreme fear and fright, may cause Qi to sink in the Kidney, leading to uprising of Kidney-Fire. The Kidney channel roots in the tongue, so this causes tongue pain. Overstrain and prolonged sickness Too much physical or mental work, as well as prolonged sickness, may consume the Yin of the body, leading to failure of the Fire to be controlled by Water, so hyperactivity of Deficient-Fire occurs, which ascends and burns the tongue, causing tongue pain. Treatment based on differentiation Differentiation Differentiation of External or Internal origin Acute onset of tongue pain, mild in intensity, accompanied by External symptoms, such as an aversion to cold, fever, muscle pain, runny nose, cough, or superficial pulse, is usually caused by

invasion of External factors A chronic history of tongue pain, mild or severe in intensity, associated with diet, emotional state and other physical conditions, is usually caused by disorder of the Internal Zang-Fu organs. Differentiation of character of the pain Acute sharp tongue pain with stiffness of the tongue, together with External symptoms, such as an aversion to cold, slight fever, muscle pain or absence of thirst, is usually caused by invasion of Wind-Cold Acute sharp tongue pain with a burning sensation, a thin and yellow tongue coating, together with External symptoms, is usually caused by invasion of Wind-Heat Acute tongue pain with dryness on the tongue and in the mouth and throat, and thirst, together with External symptoms, is usually caused by invasion of Wind-Dryness Chronic sharp tongue pain, which is related to the emotional state, is usually caused by stagnation of Qi Stabbing tongue pain, which worsens at night, and a purplish colour of the tongue, is usually caused by stagnation of Blood Chronic tongue pain with a burning sensation, restlessness, nervousness, thirst, constipation, a red tongue with a yellow and dry coating, and a forceful and rapid pulse, is usually caused by accumulation of Excessive-Fire from the Zang-Fu organ

 Chronic tongue pain with a slight burning sensation, thirst, night sweating, dry mouth and throat, a red tongue with a thin coating, and a deep, thready, rapid and weak pulse, is usually caused by hyperactivity of Deficient-Fire from Zang-Fu organs Tongue pain with swelling and a burning sensation, a bitter taste in the mouth, constipation, a yellow and greasy tongue coating and a slippery and rapid pulse, is usually caused by hyperactivity of Phlegm-Fire Tongue pain with swelling, numbness on the tongue, tastelessness or nausea, is usually caused by accumulation of Damp in the Spleen. Differentiation of tongue colour If the tongue pain is caused by invasion of Wind-Cold, the tongue colour is usually slightly red, or slightly purplish-red, or there are no tongue colour changes. The tongue coating is usually thin and white. If the tongue pain is caused by invasion of WindHeat, the tongue colour is usually red, especially at the tip of the tongue, or slightly purplish-red. The tongue coating is usually thin and yellow. If the tongue pain is caused by invasion of WindDryness, the tongue colour is usually slightly red, or there are no tongue colour changes. The tongue coating is usually thin and dry. If the tongue pain is caused by accumulation of Damp in the Spleen, the tongue colour is usually pale, with tooth marks. The tongue is usually swollen and big. The coating is usually white and greasy.