The following table describes specific tongue indications:
| Overall tongue condition | Association | |
| Pale | Cold, blood and Chi deficient, bleeding | |
| Flaccid | Atonic, weak | |
| Swollen tongue, domed |  |
Tissue swelling in that organ Edema, spleen. If red, excess heart fire; if pale, excess cold or damp |
| Trembles, shakes |  |
Adrenal exhaustion, low blood sugar or lethargic, weak. Liver wind- spasticity D.W. Look to pupils for contracting and dilating, trembling hands. Hyperadrenalinism |
| Central red |  |
Heat in the stomach, intestines, spleen. The more red toward the tip indicates severe upper burner heat |
| Geographic or mapped tongue |  |
Phlegm fire, heat baking down fluids, thickened fluids blocking heat. “Dark, red tongue tissue covered by thick white or sometimes yellow coating, ripped off in patches. Always Dandelion!” Mono. “Poor digestive upbringing. Parasites.” |
| Frothy streamers down sides |  |
Dampness in spleen, lungs. M.W. Need for astringents, warmth. M.W. Not breaking foods down. W.M. |
| Coating over tip | Mental confusion |