5 Things An Acupuncturist Could Tell Just By Looking At My Tongue
The accuracy of her diagnosis made me think she was psychic.
If you’ve never been to an acupuncturist, you may think most of what they do is poke patients with tiny needles to relieve joint and back pain (that’s certainly what I thought). It’s actually way more complicated than that, and it turns out there are many surprising things acupuncturists can help you with—from treating asthma symptoms to coping with chemotherapy to dealing with gastrointestinal distress.
First, acupuncturists try to identify the underlying cause of illness or discomfort during what’s called the intake process. Anna Folckomer, a licensed acupuncturist and board certified herbalist in New York City, explains that the intake process starts from the moment you call to make an appointment and picks back up the second you walk into the consultation room. Folckomer pays close attention to the way her patients speak, walk, and sit, and she notes the colors on their faces, body smells, and hair texture. Then, Folckomer might move on to taking pulses, checking fingernails, and examining tongues. “We never stop collecting information from a person,” Folckomer says. “All symptoms are the manifestation of an underlying root problem. I piece together information from the tongue, pulse readings, and the intake process into a pattern that determines my treatment with herbs and acupuncture.”
So, for the sake of this story, I accepted when Folckomer offered to take a look at my tongue. I sent her the best tongue selfie I could take, and a day later she emailed me back with a whole list of things my tongue indicated about my health. Obviously, looking at my tongue is only one piece of the puzzle, but it was almost scary how much she could tell by studying a picture of just one body part. Here’s what she was able to glean.
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I Was Stressed And Having My Period
Folckomer says: “The sides of your tongue are a little pinched, which is not uncommon in people who are under stress, especially if the stress throws off their digestion. It’s also common in people who have bowel changes during their period.”
This one surprised me the most—the day I took this photo was the second day of my period, which is always the absolute worst for me when it comes to bloating and cramping, so my digestive track was even more unbalanced than usual that day. I was also more stressed than normal, since I had back-to-back meetings, a story deadline, and some family issues that were distracting me.
I Have Neck Tension
Folckomer says: “Your tongue deviates slightly to the left. This makes me wonder if you have any right shoulder or neck tension. If there is right shoulder pain, I’d also like to know if you have any hip discomfort.”
Yes again. When I do yoga, I like to focus most on my neck, hips, and lower back. I attribute much of the tension to the hunched-over posture from sitting at a computer all day and driving an hour each way to work. I also have a terrible mattress (I curse myself every day for going the cheap route), and I wake up with a kink in my neck almost every morning.
I Didn't Sleep Well The Night Before
Folckomer says: “The tip of your tongue is slightly red, so I’m curious as to how you slept the night before—any trouble falling asleep, vivid dreaming, restlessness, or feeling hot at night?"
All of the above. My period always gives me night sweats and weird dreams, but it was also a crazy week at work and at home, and the stress had my mind racing as I was trying to fall asleep. It probably carried over to my dreaming, too.
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I Have Stomach Trouble
Folckomer says: “There is a tongue coat present, which is good. There should be a thin, even tongue coat, which is evidence that you’re able to take food in, transform it, and absorb the nutrients. When the coat is patchy or concentrated in a certain area, I’ve got more questions to ask. Yours concentrates slightly in the rear of your tongue, but only slightly. I would definitely ask about your bowel habits—if you have a bowel movement every day, if it is loose or well formed, and if your elimination feels complete."
Not to over-share, but my digestive system has been in slight distress lately. I had a weird stomach parasite called cryptosporidium two years ago, and my internal plumbing hasn’t quite been the same since, though it’s definitely on its way back to normal. Then, about a month back, I contracted a mild strain of E. coli (fortunately no hospitalization or anything). It’s gone now, but my bowels were definitely still feeling the aftershock at the time I took this photo.
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