bubble_chart Concept

Wooden tongue refers to a condition characterized by a swollen, stiff, and inflexible tongue. It is also known as "wooden swollen tongue," "wooden wind tongue," or "dead tongue." It is one of the common tongue conditions in newborns.

bubble_chart Pattern Analysis

1. Excessive Heat in the Spleen︰The tongue is swollen, stiff, and numb, unable to move, hindering breastfeeding, accompanied by fever, flushed face, red lips, dry mouth, dysphoria, crying, scanty dark urine, foul-smelling stools, a red tongue texture, thick yellow coating, and purple stagnant finger veins. If the tongue gradually swells to fill the mouth, turning purple like pig liver, with silent crying and inability to eat or drink, it is a critical sign. This indicates excessive heat in the spleen. The tongue is the sprout of the heart, and the spleen meridian connects to the root of the tongue. Excessive heart and spleen heat ascends along the meridians, stagnating in the tongue, causing this condition. As Zhang Jie-bin said: "The tongue is the sprout of the heart, connected by the spleen meridian. When heart and spleen heat surges upward, it causes tongue swelling. Gradually enlarging to fill the mouth, it is called 'wooden tongue.'" Flaming heat upward manifests as a red face and lips; internal blazing of heart fire or heat transferring to the small intestine leads to dysphoria, restlessness, scanty dark urine, and a red tongue texture. Heat stagnation in the spleen meridian results in dry mouth, excessive thirst, dry and foul-smelling stools, and a thick yellow tongue coating. Treatment involves clearing heart heat, guiding heat downward, removing toxins, and reducing swelling. Internally, take Hang Xie Dan or Xie Xin Dao Chi Tang; externally, apply Chuan Xiao San.
2. Yin Deficiency with Fluid Depletion︰The tongue is swollen, stiff, and immobile, hindering suckling, and in severe cases, it fills the mouth, obstructing breathing. Accompanying symptoms include tidal fever, flushed cheeks, dry mouth, restlessness, night sweats during sleep, feverish sensation in the palms and soles, scanty urine, dry stools, a red and dry tongue texture with a glossy, scant coating, and dark red finger venules. This belongs to the "deficiency-heat" syndrome. It often arises from constitutional yin deficiency or persistent heart-spleen heat stagnation, which over time injures fluids, transforming the condition from excess-heat to deficiency-heat. Deficiency fire flaring upward manifests as flushed cheeks, dysphoria, a red and dry tongue texture, and a stiff, inflexible tongue body. Deficiency-heat steaming the bones leads to tidal fever, night sweats, and vexing heat in the chest, palms, and soles. Fluid depletion and intestinal dryness result in dry stools, scanty dark urine, and a glossy tongue with scant coating. Treatment involves nourishing yin and reducing fire, with oral administration of Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill and topical application of Phellodendron Bark powder.

The condition of wooden tongue can be classified as mild or severe. In mild cases, it is caused solely by the drying of body fluids and often resolves on its own after consuming milk or food without the need for medication. In severe cases, if the tongue appears ulcerated without bleeding, or if there is no saliva on the tongue, resembling a dried tangerine seed, or if there is no sound when crying, with frequent changes in complexion and signs of pain and distress, these are considered difficult to treat.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Zhubing Yuanhou Lun．Lips Disease Section: "The Hand Shaoyin is the meridian of the heart, and its qi connects to the tongue. The Foot Taiyin is the meridian of the spleen, and its qi connects to the mouth. The Taiyin meridian starts from the big toe, enters the ankyloglossia root, and when the heart and spleen are deficient, they are invaded by wind-heat. The evil follows the meridian to the tongue, and the heat qi lingers in the heart, causing stagnation of blood and qi, hence the tongue swells. When the tongue swells and the meridian becomes tense, the tongue becomes stiff and swollen."
2. Youyou Jicheng．Volume 4: "Wooden tongue is caused by the rising qi of accumulated heat in the heart and spleen, which causes the tongue to swell and gradually grow larger, filling the mouth. If not treated urgently, it will surely harm the person."