How to determine the disease by the tongue - evaluate the appearance and color of the tongue. Symptoms of diseases based on the color of stool

Skin color is normally determined by the presence of a coloring pigment (melanin), the amount of which increases under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, which gives tanned skin a pleasant bronze tint. Skin color can also be affected by other substances produced in the body or from the environment. For example, excess bilirubin in the blood (bilirubinemia) leads to the development of jaundice. Excessive consumption of foods containing carotene (for example, mango, carrots) turns the skin a characteristic orange color.

Normally, carotene is a precursor of vitamin A (retinol) in the body. With hypothyroidism (decreased thyroid function), the process of breaking down carotene into retinol is disrupted, as a result it accumulates in the blood and tissues and turns the skin yellow.

Note! Cosmetics, perfumes and some other substances (for example, lapis, essential oils) can independently color the skin or increase the ability to perceive sunlight.

Skin color can also be affected by taking certain medications (oral contraceptives, mepacrine, etc.), ingestion of arsenic, and heavy metal salts (mercury, lead). The skin becomes darker (pigmented) during exhaustion and pregnancy.

Depigmentation

Depigmentation - the absence of a coloring substance (melanin pigment) in the skin - can be widespread and limited. In this case, the skin acquires shades of white or pink. Perhaps the most striking example of widespread depigmentation is a disease such as albinism - the complete absence of melanin in the body.

There are about 10 types of albinism in the world. The cause of this disease is a mutation (change) in the gene encoding an enzyme (tyrosinase), which promotes the conversion of tyrosine to melanin. This disease is dangerous for the development of skin cancer and melanoma, there is a tendency to bleeding, decreased vision, nystagmus (involuntary, rhythmic movement of the eyeballs). The causes of focal depigmentation can be diseases such as vitiligo, leprosy, pityriasis versicolor.

Vitiligo

Vitiligo (discoloration of skin areas due to the destruction of melanocytes) can develop as an independent disease or as a symptom of other diseases (autoimmune thyroiditis, B12-deficiency anemia, diabetes mellitus, Addison's disease, etc.). Familial cases of the disease are common.

Quite often, vitiligo affects people with dark skin. Characterized by sharply limited, single or multiple, often symmetrically located white spots on the skin, which tend to enlarge and merge (depigmentation can occur on any part of the body except the palms and soles). When the spots are located on the scalp, the hair is also discolored. There are no other complaints. The disease accompanies the patient for life and is practically incurable.

Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation is characterized by excess melanin in the skin. There are multiple known causes of this disease. Primary hyperpigmentation is caused by insufficiency of the adrenal cortex (Addison's disease - an autoimmune lesion of the adrenal glands) and secondary (with diseases of the pituitary gland, lack of vitamin C, pellagra, after ultraviolet irradiation, prolonged exposure to the skin of mechanical factors, medications and as a consequence of various dermatoses - psoriasis, eczema, neurodermatitis, etc.).

In this case, patients have a characteristic hyperpigmented skin color and appear tanned all year round, but, unlike tanning, the entire body is hyperpigmented evenly. Exposed areas of the body darken so much that they appear almost black. Interestingly, with this syndrome, not only the skin darkens, but even postoperative scars and folds of the palms. Hyperpigmentation also affects the mucous membrane of the cheeks and gums (without affecting the edges of the gums).

Hyperpigmentation is often combined with vitiligo. However, patchy pigmentation on the facial skin of various shapes may turn out to be a malignant tumor called melanoma, which develops from pigment cells (melanocytes). It is characterized by the absence of a typical skin pattern and dense consistency; Often secondary metastatic nodes (satellites) form around the primary focus. This tumor is prone to early and multiple metastases to the liver, lungs, heart, adrenal glands, and bones.

Plaques of actinic keratosis, which often appear in older people, can sometimes be mistaken for melanoma. Very often, melanoma develops at the site of pigmented nevi (moles). Reasons contributing to the development of melanoma: trauma to the mole, prolonged exposure to the sun (intense tanning). External changes: change in color of the mole, increase in size, inflammation of the mole or the skin around it, increased bleeding. If such signs appear, contact your oncologist immediately!

Identifying problems in the body using the tongue serves as an informative diagnostic method. Thus, in the East, entire theories are devoted to the topic of how to determine a disease by language. During the research process, attention is paid to shade, configuration, susceptibility and other characteristics. Manifestations on the tongue make themselves felt much earlier than other signs of illness. Therefore, language analysis is gaining more and more popularity.

According to Eastern wisdom, plaque accumulation occurs when there are many problems. In healthy people, this organ is transparent, with a pinkish tint visible through it. If the layer is too dense, the shade and texture do not show through.

Signs of illness in the tongue are closely related to the manifestations of various diseases. This phenomenon is observed with a diseased liver, sore throat, and digestive problems.

If a person has a whitish coating, then most likely the manifestations of the underlying pathology have not yet manifested themselves. The disease itself is only at the initial stage of progression. With grayish content, the manifestations may not be so intense, but they are already making themselves felt.

The accumulation of plaque on the tongue indicates the presence of many problems.

White color characterizes the presence of disorders in the stomach or intestines. Most likely, these are not very serious conditions that can be corrected with the help of special nutrition. It’s worse if the plaque tends to change and darken. The color of the tongue in stomach cancer is grayish-whitish. If you notice this phenomenon, immediately contact a specialist.

Yellowness indicates the accumulation of bile in the gallbladder, liver dysfunction.

Greenish tint may indicate an exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases, problems with bile patency.

Black or brownish tint occur in very serious pathologies of the digestive system. Black color is characteristic of dehydration or problems with the pancreas.

bluish color indicates the development of a purulent process in the peritoneum. If the phenomenon is accompanied by high fever and pain, this should greatly alert a qualified doctor.

Human language: diseases

Many people are interested in the question of how to learn to distinguish diseases based on the characteristics of their language. In reality, this diagnostic method is not something very complicated and does not require special knowledge, medical education, etc. However, in this way the patient can only find presumptive signs that will serve as a serious reason for contacting a doctor.

If you engage in diagnosing your own diseases on your own, you may confuse your existing pathology with another. Therefore, this article is for informational purposes only and does not encourage self-medication.

During the analysis process, it is necessary to focus on the following aspects:


Each individual area on the tongue indicates each specific organ or system in the body. Thus, the ending reflects the state of the heart, the zone before the ending “means” the lungs, the central part – the spleen, the back – the kidneys, the sides reflect the functioning of the gallbladder and liver. The more pronounced these manifestations are, the more serious the condition. Look at the color of the tongue and the disease in the photo.

What does the tone of the tongue say?

Color is important in the diagnostic process. It reflects physiological and pathological abnormalities.

  1. Pale pinkish the shade is characteristic of a healthy person.
  2. White raid occurs when affected by a fungus.
  3. Gray shade indicates a chronic disorder.
  4. Red– infections and inflammations.
  5. Scarlet color makes itself felt in pathologies of the circulatory system.
  6. Burgundy appears in the presence of an acute infectious process.
  7. Bluish and purple These are symptoms of lung dysfunction.
  8. bluish color occurs in severe renal pathologies.
  9. Yellowness most often observed in people who smoke. May indicate a malfunction of the digestive system. Severe liver pathologies are accompanied by exactly this color.
  10. If a person lacks vitamins and nutrients, then the tongue will colorless.
  11. Very dark language- this is a signal of the presence of severe pathologies, which require immediate treatment.

Under no circumstances should you self-diagnose yourself based on the color of your tongue or engage in self-medication.

We remind you once again that under no circumstances should you self-diagnose or self-medicate. This manipulation can be performed only in order to assume the likelihood of having a particular disease.

Language configuration

The determining factor in the study of language is also its form. It is necessary to pay attention to such aspects.

  1. Subtle tongue characteristic of blood diseases and impaired metabolism.
  2. Thick shape indicates the presence of liver pathologies and the gastrointestinal tract system.
  3. Swelling makes itself felt in case of digestive problems.
  4. Long occurs in the presence of heart problems.
  5. Curved stripe in the center indicates problems with the spine.
  6. Convex observed in lung pathologies.
  7. The surface changes with vitamin deficiency.

What does the condition of the organ indicate?

A qualified specialist can easily suspect the presence of certain problems by paying attention to the condition of the organ.

  1. Shiver indicates a malfunction of the thyroid gland.
  2. Bright shades observed with gastritis.
  3. Thick formations occur in the presence of a fungal infection.
  4. Ulcer formation appears at high pH levels.
  5. Inflamed papillae at the end of the tongue are characteristic of pelvic diseases.

A coated tongue indicates problems in the body with internal organs and systems.

It is worth emphasizing that all these phenomena have nothing to do with oral problems and stomatitis. Diseases of the tongue in humans are manifested by soreness, numbness and other unpleasant phenomena. A coated tongue indicates problems in the body with internal organs and systems. If a person’s tongue hurts, then most likely the organ itself is affected and the cause should be looked for in this direction.

External characteristics

External features will also help you conduct your research. Above we discussed the close relationship between the characteristics of the language and the disease itself. However, other features are also of great importance. For example, increased humidity levels indicate digestive problems. Cracks and dryness indicate poisoning and infectious lesions.

If there are no papillae on the organ, and it itself has a glossy appearance, the presence of oncology can be assumed. In this case, a timely visit to the doctor is important.

Taste properties

If a person stops tasting food or feels it differently, this may be a manifestation of serious disorders of the nervous and endocrine systems.

Aroma

Taking into account the characteristics of the individual aroma that comes from the patient, experienced specialists can say a lot about the state of health. The acetone smell suggests that a person has diabetes. Ammonia indicates serious kidney pathologies. Rot coming from a person indicates problems with the teeth or stomach.

Tongue hygiene

All the above points require mandatory consultation with a specialist. Inspect your tongue when it is clean. Use a special massage device or a toothbrush with soft bristles.

In addition to its hygienic role, this technique will have a positive effect on the functioning of those organs with which the tongue is connected.

Some experts advise cleaning the surface of the organ with a silver or wooden spoon. After the procedure, it is useful to massage your tongue with a soft brush.

Tongue cleaning

Today there is a huge variety of tongue scrapers. These devices must be changed periodically, just like brushes. There are also modern toothbrushes that have a scraper on the other side. Therefore, everyone can choose the right hygiene item for themselves. Remember that maintaining tongue hygiene is no less important than maintaining dental hygiene.

Even before the appearance of characteristic clinical signs, some diseases signal “problems” in the body by changes in the mucous membrane of the tongue.

It is not without reason that people have believed since ancient times that the tongue is a mirror of health.

How to identify a disease by language has interested people at all times. So in the East, a whole theory is devoted to this issue.

The human tongue is a mobile organ. It consists of 16 muscles. Covered with mucous membrane with small papillae responsible for taste sensations. This soft organ, despite its modest size, is involved in important processes - from recognizing the taste of food and swallowing it, to pronouncing sounds and speech.

“Stick out your tongue” - everyone has heard this phrase more than once at a doctor’s appointment. The thing is that the mucous membrane of this organ is a kind of indicator of pathologies not only in the oral cavity, but in the body as a whole.

Coated tongue

Normally, the tongue is slightly rough and pink in color. A thin layer of white plaque forms on the mucous membrane of the tongue, which is almost invisible. The surface of the tongue is conventionally divided into zones, each of which reflects the work of a specific organ.

When examining the surface, the doctor pays attention to the following indicators:

  • color;
  • the presence of plaque and its nature, zoning;
  • surface structure;
  • formations on the tongue (ulcers, blisters, papillomas);
  • the nature of motor processes.

Each of the studied indicators may indicate health problems.

What diseases can be identified by the tongue?

By changes in color, functionality, and disturbances in the structure of the tongue, you can see signs of certain diseases. Since the tongue is the initial link in the chain of food digestion, the first thing to appear in the event of a malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract are:

  • dense coating;
  • redness;
  • dry cracks and swelling.

Redness of a child's tongue

In cases of obstructed outflow of bile, the color of the mucous membrane of the tongue changes (from bright red to yellow-green).

Rough thickening indicates disruption of the endocrine system or mental disorders.

Many diseases can be identified by the tongue. The most important point is that this can be done before the clinical picture appears, that is, in the earliest stages.

How can you determine

One important detail should be clarified right away: relying only on visible changes in the language is wrong. To make an accurate diagnosis, an examination by specialists and a series of clinical tests and diagnostic procedures are required. You can examine the tongue yourself. This is done in daylight in the morning, preferably on an empty stomach.

Tongue with thrush

Upon self-examination, the following signs should alert you:

  • presence of an unpleasant odor;
  • structure and color changed;
  • dense coating.

A doctor will conduct a more complete and correct diagnosis. You should not self-medicate. Attempting to independently diagnose and treat the disease can not only be useless, but will also lead to complications due to loss of time.

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Signs by which the disease can be identified

Using the tongue, you can evaluate the work of the internal organs, thanks to the zoning of its surface:

  • the tip informs about the condition of the lungs and heart;
  • the middle is responsible for the functioning of the pancreas, spleen and liver;
  • the side parts are responsible for the functioning of the kidneys;
  • root - for digestion.

If you look closely, you can conclude that the zoning scheme is identical to the location of vital human organs.

Tongue zones and correspondence to internal organs

In addition to pathologies of internal organs based on the condition of the mucous membrane, diseases of the tongue can be identified. The cause of such ailments is often poor oral hygiene.

The following are considered warning signs and reasons to immediately seek medical help:

  • hyperemia and swelling of individual areas of the organ;
  • deep cracks;
  • rough thickening.

External characteristics

Let's take a closer look at how to determine the disease by the tongue based on an external examination.

Normally, the tongue is mobile, quite flexible, with a slight coating. The edges are smooth, the surface looks “velvety” due to the small papillae.

A smooth, shiny, bright red surface of the tongue may be a sign of stomach cancer, dryness, oral candidiasis, lack of vitamin B, and chronic colitis.

Healthy tongue

Dry tongue is evidence of dehydration, impaired nasal breathing, high temperature, accompanied by infectious processes. Thick edges like a groove, the center of the tongue is deepened - a sign of involvement in the pathology of the liver and spleen. This picture can be observed, for example, in liver cirrhosis with portal hypertension.

A different picture may be observed with ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity). The tongue is thickened in the central part, convex.

In some cases, there is a deviation of the midline from the center. This symptom is called deviation and occurs in patients with myasthenia gravis and innervation disorders (traumatic brain injuries, strokes, neuropathy). The central line is skewed towards the lesion.

Geographic language

“Geographic tongue” is another medical term that refers to changes in external characteristics. Language resembles a geographical map. The changes concern both color (it can be changed in some areas) and surface structure (areas of different heights). This symptom is a sign of chronic gastrointestinal diseases, mental disorders, allergic processes, and metabolic disorders in the body.

Deep fissures (transverse grooves) occur during a stroke.

A separate group is distinguished by changes in the size of the tongue. Macroglossia is an enlargement of an organ that can be congenital or acquired throughout life. Intrauterine developmental defects have several causes:

  • muscle hypertrophy (the causes have not been identified), such a deviation often indicates mental retardation;
  • exposure to negative factors during pregnancy (radiation, severe infection, etc.).
Acquired pathology may be evidence of the following abnormalities:
  • hypothyroidism;
  • loss of teeth;
  • amyloidosis;
  • syphilis;
  • cretinism;
  • oncology.

Microglossia - a decrease in the size of the tongue occurs as a defect in the intrauterine development of the fetus. An acquired deviation indicates injury or a consequence of surgery, for example, organ cancer.

Deep ulcerative lesions on the surface indicate the presence of malignant neoplasms or syphilis (lues).

A pronounced midline (its depression) indicates problems with the spine.

Seals, formations, cracks, thick plaque or discoloration are a signal of disturbances in the body.

Tongue color

A bright red color indicates hyperthermia, an infectious disease. If the color is dark red during infection, it means that the kidneys are involved in the pathological process.

The raspberry (strawberry) color of the tongue upon examination indicates anemia resulting from a lack of vitamin B or scarlet fever.

In the second case, the color is determined after the thick coating is removed from the tongue.

Pale mucous membranes indicate exhaustion of the body, loss of body weight, and iron deficiency anemia. Blueness is a sign of serious cardiac dysfunction, arrhythmia or hypoxia (oxygen starvation). Blueness of the lower part in the frenulum area will indicate an imminent heart attack.

The dark purple tint occurs for several reasons:

  • blood clotting is impaired;
  • cardiovascular failure;
  • respiratory system problems;
  • cardiac ischemia;
  • stroke.

A black tint appears as a result of severe diseases of the digestive tract, dehydration, decreased adrenal function, taking certain antibacterial drugs, and cholera.

A greenish-yellow color of the tongue indicates stagnation of bile, brown indicates severe renal failure and bleeding in the mouth, blue indicates heavy metal poisoning, scurvy, poor circulation, dysentery or typhoid fever.

Discoloration may be uneven. In this case, pay attention to areas that are subject to change. For example, hyperemia of the edges of the tongue and the middle part indicate problems with the lungs, and redness of the tip of the tongue indicates problems in the pelvic area.

Raid

Normally, a slight white coating forms in the oral cavity (on the teeth, gums and tongue). In the initial stages of the disease, the plaque is thin, in chronic forms it is a dense layer. You should pay attention to the color of the plaque:

Areas in which a dense layer of plaque is noted are responsible for the internal organs:

  • root of tongue - kidneys;
  • the middle lateral parts on both sides are the liver;
  • the central part is the stomach;
  • lateral parts on both sides, closer to the tip - light;
  • the tip is the heart.

Pathology is considered to be too dense plaque and changes in its color. The thickness of the plaque also plays a role.

Taste properties

The human tongue is a unique organ. With its help, we not only speak and feel taste, but also recognize its shades. If taste sensitivity is impaired, the doctor raises the question of a neuropsychic disorder, problems of the endocrine system, or oncology of the tongue.

Smell

Bad breath is a sign of a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, carious cavities.

At the same time, the nature of the smell is putrid.

An acetone odor from the mouth indicates poisoning, dehydration as a result of severe infections, and diabetes.

The smell of ammonia is present in patients with serious kidney problems.

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