Structure, color and photo of a healthy human tongue: what does a normal organ look like, what are its functions? How to determine the disease by the tongue - evaluate the appearance and color of the tongue.

Language can tell a lot about a person's health. To find out whether he is sick with something, it is enough to carefully examine the structure of the organ, its color and size. These and other indicators accurately report the current state of the body. Therefore, people should be more careful about the language.

Any changes associated with it may be an alarming signal indicating the development of a certain disease.

What to look for when examining your tongue?

There are a number of characteristics that can tell about the state of the taste organ and the whole organism as a whole. To understand whether they are normal, you need to know exactly what a healthy tongue looks like. To do this, just look at his photo in thematic directories. They usually contain an image of the tongue, which can be used to determine whether a person has a particular disease.

Color

Language healthy person always colored in a natural pinkish tint. This applies to both adults and children.

Any change in the normal color of the organ that senses taste may indicate a problem with its function. internal organs or the whole system.

It must be remembered that a change in the color of the tongue is not always a sign of a pathological process that occurs inside the human body. It may turn red, orange, blue or any other shade if it has recently come into contact with dyes. Therefore, before drawing conclusions, you should find out what the person ate.

If a person concerned about his health is sure that food or drinks could not have caused the change in the color of the tongue, then he can contact a specialist about this problem.

Humidity

Normally, the tongue should be moist. This is his usual state. If a person complains of excessive salivation, the doctor may suspect the development of a disease that is accompanied by just such a symptom. Drying of the mucous membrane of the mouth and tongue is also not a good sign.

This condition is often observed with elevated body temperature and dehydration. A person always pays attention to the moisture of his tongue, since its dryness causes significant discomfort.

Raid

Normally, a small coating may appear on the tongue of a person who is not seriously ill. So there is no need to worry about this. It usually occurs during night sleep. In the morning it is simply scraped off the tongue.

It does not cause any discomfort during the day.

If a fairly noticeable layer of dense mucus accumulates on the surface of the taste organ, the consistency of which resembles cottage cheese, then you should think about your health. This sign warns of problems in the body.

The thickness of the layer helps to understand at what stage the pathological process occurs, which is accompanied by this symptom. The thicker and denser it is, the more serious the situation.

Form

Everyone knows what shape and color a normal tongue has. Therefore, you can understand that this standard parameter differs from the current indicator even without consulting a doctor.

A normal tongue should show no signs of swelling. Small papillae are clearly visible on its surface. Health problems are considered if the organ is enlarged in size, its tissues are unnaturally smoothed, and teeth marks are visible on the sides.

The disorder is also indicated by the abnormal position of the tongue in the oral cavity. The same applies to thickening its structure. A decrease in the size of the taste organ, as well as an increase, is considered a disease that can have unpleasant consequences for the body.

Taste perception

A healthy adult or child will be able to determine the taste of the product that enters his mouth without any problems. If his body is susceptible to infectious inflammation, then this sensation is greatly disturbed. Often the food becomes completely tasteless.

Roughness

If you try to touch a normal tongue from the front and back, it will seem a little rough. This is quite natural. This sensation is created by small papillae that can be seen on the surface of the organ. If upper part the tongue becomes smoothed, then they talk about pathology.

Diagnosis by language

If the root of the tongue and the rest of its parts are not covered with mucus, then you can see its current color. This is the first thing you need to pay attention to when diagnosing the taste organ. A shiny tongue that appears to be varnished may indicate that the body is deficient in vitamin B12.

With this condition, a slight burning sensation is also observed on the surface of the mucous membrane. These symptoms are also characteristic of anemia.

On the sides of the organ located in the oral cavity, teeth marks may be visible. This happens if a person suffers from problems with the spleen. Teeth marks on the tongue appear due to the fact that its soft tissues swell and increase in size. These symptoms indicate the development of hypothyroidism. To identify the disease, it is necessary to undergo a thyroid examination.

The human tongue is symmetrically divided into 2 identical halves. There is a shallow fold between them. It wouldn’t hurt to study it, too, since it can also say a lot about your health. For example, if the fold is curved in the middle of the organ, then there may be problems with the lumbar region. Curvature near the tip of the tongue warns of the development of cervical osteochondrosis.

In people with heart disease, you may see a deep crack in the middle of the tongue. Small cracks, in turn, are a sign of problems:

With kidneys;
With blood;
With the endocrine system.

Diabetics may complain that their tongue is severely cracked.

A dry taste organ in the morning indicates disturbances in the functioning of the gallbladder. Along with this, there is also a clear bitterness in the mouth.

For modern Chinese medicine, tongue diagnosis has great value. Various ulcers and wounds on its surface are considered by local specialists as symptoms of various diseases. According to their theory, each area of the organ is responsible for a specific organ or system.

Therefore, unnatural tubercles in a certain area or other modifications of the mucous membrane serve as a reason for a detailed study of a specific part of the human body.

Therapists must examine the tongue of a patient who is suspected of having an infectious disease. But external diagnostics of the taste organ alone does not allow one to correctly identify the disease that worries a person. It only helps to make a possible diagnosis and tells the doctor in which direction to move in order to cure the patient.

Tongue of a healthy person - photo

Changing tongue color

As mentioned above, the color of the tongue can indicate health problems. It could be like this:

Sometimes the tongue appears pale, almost discolored. In this case, they talk about exhaustion of the body. This symptom can also accompany the development of anemia, gallbladder and liver diseases.

Tongue care rules

Like any other organ, the tongue needs regular care. People who carefully monitor oral hygiene should not forget about this.

Regular tongue cleaning is a procedure that prevents bacteria from multiplying in your mouth. large quantities pathogenic bacteria, and also allows you to save taste qualities. A clean organ perceives them more clearly, since all its receptors are free from the remnants of food already eaten.

To prevent active growth pathogenic microflora in the oral cavity, it is necessary to clean not only the teeth, but also the tongue. This procedure allows you to achieve:

To properly clean your tongue without causing any harm to its mucous membrane, it is not necessary to use special devices. A regular toothbrush can handle this task quite well. Many modern models have a brush that needs to be passed over the surface of the organ several times after or before brushing the teeth. You can use a spoon as a replacement for a brush.

On average, a person spends no more than 1 minute cleaning his tongue. Everyone should get into the habit of carrying out such a procedure in order to reduce the risk of developing oral diseases, and also always have the opportunity to assess the condition of the organ and, if a problem is detected, immediately consult a doctor.

There are a huge number of variants of the type of tongue; by the structure and appearance of this organ one can judge concomitant diseases, especially diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nutrition, lifestyle, habits and, of course, heredity. Let's look at the most common types of language.

Definition and symptoms

Black (hairy) tongue is a condition in which the surface of the tongue becomes keratinized and hyperplasia of the filiform papillae is observed. The epithelium sloughs off, and bacteria begin to multiply on the lesions, producing a dark pigment, as a result of which the tongue becomes brown or black. The colored papillae resemble in appearance short hair, hence the name. The lesion spreads along the center line of the tongue, acquiring an oval or triangular shape.

The papillae reach a length of up to 2 cm and a diameter of up to 2-3 mm. Black tongue is not an independent pathology, but a symptom of various diseases or a consequence of the influence of a number of provoking factors. Occurs most often in men over 40 years of age. The disease occurs in two stages - in the first, the papillae grow and thicken without changing color. Timely treatment can prevent darkening and eliminate symptoms. During the second stage, the papillae begin to become keratinized and blacken.

Reasons for development

Factors causing lesions are divided into three groups:

physico-chemical: antibiotic therapy, alcoholic beverages, cigarette smoke, poor oral hygiene, burn of the mucous membrane of the tongue;
infectious: candidiasis, systemic fungal infections;
pathological conditions of the body: fever, dehydration, decreased saliva production, metabolic disorders, diseases of the stomach and intestines, impaired trophism of the papillae of the tongue.

Treatment

Therapy consists of eliminating provoking factors, treating concomitant pathologies and following a diet. When diagnosing, diseases of the stomach and intestines, diabetes and fungal infection should be excluded. If candidiasis is detected, in addition to the main treatment, rinsing the mouth with salicylic acid and resorcinol is prescribed.

It is undesirable to eat salty, sour and bitter foods, which aggravate the course of the disease. In case of severe growth of papillae, the cryodestruction method is used. The overgrown tissues are exposed to cold, after which they are removed.

Prevention and prognosis

Prevention consists of timely treatment of the main pathologies, daily cleaning of the tongue with a special brush, and giving up alcohol and smoking. With adequate therapy and elimination of provoking factors, the prognosis is favorable, the tongue returns to normal within a few weeks.

Definition and symptoms

Candidiasis of the tongue (candidal glossitis)– an acute disease of the tongue caused by fungi of the genus Candida when they multiply excessively in the oral cavity. It affects representatives of all age groups, but most often occurs in children and the elderly.

The most characteristic symptoms:

the tongue increases in volume due to blood flow;
after 1-2 days, a white or brown cheesy coating appears on the mucous membrane of the tongue;
Over time, the affected area begins to itch, burning and pain appear;
in more severe cases, the tongue swells and becomes immobile, it is difficult for a person to speak, and a lot of saliva forms in the mouth;
there is a strong bad smell from the mouth;
in patients with reduced immunity, erosions and ulcers appear on the tongue;
with the development of the disease, a weakening or distortion of taste sensations is possible;
in severe cases, systemic reactions occur - fever, lethargy, headache, nausea and poor appetite.

If left untreated, the disease may enter the chronic phase. Exacerbations will occur when colds and with any decrease in immunity.

Reasons for development

Candidiasis glossitis can develop as a result of the pathogen entering from the outside or as a result of the proliferation of fungi already living in the mouth. In the first case, the cause may be kissing an infected person, using his toothbrush, eating from poorly washed dishes, and so on. In the second case, the reason for the proliferation of fungi is a decrease in immunity, which can be caused by:

pregnancy;
stress and overwork;
childhood or old age;
metabolic disorders;
flu, mononucleosis, AIDS;
autoimmune diseases;
neoplasms;
undergoing a course of treatment with immunosuppressants and glucocorticosteroids;
alcoholism or smoking;
hypovitaminosis.

Treatment

Therapy is divided into local and systemic.

Topically used:

2% soda or a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate - rinse the mouth 4-5 times a day;
preparations based on hexinidine (Orasept, Stomatidin) - apply for 4-5 minutes 5-6 times a day;
1% solution of clotrimazole - rinse the mouth 2-3 times a day.

Systemic treatment includes:

antifungal therapy - fluconazole 0.05 g or ketoconazole 0.2 g per day;
drugs to strengthen the immune system - interferon, echinacea extract, poly vitamin complexes;
analgesic therapy – dikloberl or movalis, 1 capsule 2 times a day.

Prevention and prognosis

To prevent the disease, you should adhere to a regimen, eat right, maintain personal hygiene and exercise. It is necessary to treat infections promptly and visit the dentist annually for a routine examination. With timely and comprehensive treatment, the prognosis is favorable.

Is congenital anomaly structure, characterized by the appearance of deep folds on the back of the tongue, reminiscent of wrinkles. The mucous membrane is not damaged, and the person does not experience any discomfort. The folds are located in the longitudinal and transverse directions and can appear both in childhood and in adulthood. Sometimes a folded tongue is a symptom of Melkersson-Rosenthal disease, but in general it is a variant of a normally developed organ.

The reasons for the appearance of a folded tongue are not clear. No treatment is required, but food debris should be removed from the folds regularly. If you do not take care of your tongue, it may become inflamed and cause bad breath.

Definition and symptoms

– a pathology of an inflammatory-dystrophic nature, manifested by desquamation of the epithelium on the back and lateral surface of the tongue. As a result of desquamation, one or more spots of red color and arbitrary shape are formed. The lesions have a smooth surface surrounded by a rim white consisting of exfoliating epithelium. As a result of alternating red and white areas on the tongue, patterns resembling geographical map.

There is no pain syndrome, sometimes there is a perversion of taste and a slight burning sensation from irritating food. In approximately 40% of cases, patients also experience folded tongue.

Reasons for development

The final cause of the disease is not clear. Heredity and the tendency to develop allergies play an important role. Geographic tongue is often accompanied by vegetative-endocrine disorders, acute infections, diseases of the digestive and circulatory systems. Collagenosis (systemic lupus erythematosus, acute rheumatic fever) also contributes to the appearance of pathology. In childhood, the provoking factor may be helminthic infestation.

Treatment

If there are no complaints, then there is no need for treatment. If there are concomitant diseases, they are treated. In the case of a combination of pathology with a folded tongue, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the oral cavity and regularly remove plaque and tartar. When pain occurs, you need to apply a 5% suspension of anesthesin in a solution of vitamin E. You can also take a 10-15 minute bath of boiled sunflower oil. Spicy, hot and cold foods are excluded from the diet.

Prevention and prognosis

For prevention geographical language It is necessary to treat concomitant diseases in a timely manner, regularly take vitamin complexes, undergo preventive examinations at the dentist and maintain oral hygiene. You need to give up alcohol and cigarettes.

The prognosis for recovery ranges from cautious to favorable, depending on the cause of the pathology and the general condition of the body.

The tongue is part of the human digestive system and takes part in processes such as chewing and salivation. Apart from these functions, it also gives a person the ability to taste and speak. The color and shape of the tongue can be used to judge the state of health and the development of a number of pathologies in the body. The appearance of changes in the tongue is clearly visible and can be useful in diagnosis.

Language: its structure with photos

The description of what the tongue consists of includes the following information. The human tongue does not contain bones and consists of muscle tissue, which is covered with a mucous membrane. It makes movements using striated muscles. At the same time, in order to fix the position of the tongue, stick it out and return it to the oral cavity, skeletal muscles(see also: ). Raising, thickening and shortening of the organ becomes possible thanks to its own muscles.

From an anatomical point of view, the circuitry of the nervous apparatus is finely structured. The innervation scheme involves 5 out of 12 cranial nerves. The structure of the tongue can be seen in the photo accompanying the article. There are several main parts of the tongue (the photograph shows where they are located) - the root, the body, the groove and the frenulum. The parts of the language are:

The dorsum of the tongue is its upper surface. The lower part of the tongue is called the fascia. It is indicated on the tongue diagram. The submucosal layer is absent. For this reason, the organ does not form folds. If you examine its structure under a microscope, you can see that the body is covered with papillae, which are divided into 4 types.

Which variety is needed for what:

Purpose and functions of language

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Language takes part in several important processes, occurring in the human body, and by its condition some diseases can be identified. Based on research, experts have found that the purpose human language is to perform the following functions:

Digestive - takes part in the process of primary food processing (mechanical). The organ is responsible for proper salivation.
Articulation – thanks to its structure, it becomes possible to speak;
Absorption - mucous membranes have high permeability, which makes it possible various substances better penetrate into the human body;
Gustatory - thanks to this function we feel taste.

What does this organ look like in a healthy person?

The normal color of the tongue is light pink. There is a fold running across its entire surface. A healthy organ has moderate moisture and normal sensitivity. The shape of the tongue is distinguished by smooth outlines and the absence of curvature. Fungiform papillae are clearly visible on the back of the tongue (we recommend reading:).

It should feel soft to the touch. Normally, the formation of a whitish, thin plaque is acceptable. The morning is suitable for examining the tongue; the patient should stick out his tongue, but not too far, since physical stress may affect him appearance. You can see what this organ looks like – healthy and sick – in the photograph accompanying the article.

What color should the tongue be?

As mentioned above, the tongue is normally pale pink. If the examination reveals changes in the shade of this organ, it means there is some kind of pathology. Sometimes color helps to make a diagnosis quickly and accurately. Examples of changing the color of the tongue can be found in the photo accompanying the article. The most common conditions of the organ during examination, which indicate the presence of diseases:

pale – a person is malnourished/starving, suffers from anemia or diseases of the cardiovascular system;
white – the body is dehydrated or affected by a fungal infection;
bluish – kidney failure;
black – infectious diseases of viral origin, dysfunction of the spleen and liver, abscess.

Form

To diagnose pathologies in the human body, it is important to pay attention to the shape of the tongue. The development of some diseases directly affects the shape of the tongue. The organ becomes distorted, swells, and increases in size. Sometimes the tongue becomes uneven. Examination of the tongue allows you to identify changes indicating that the disease is occurring a day or two before the manifestation of the main symptoms of the latter. Examples of changes in the shape of the tongue can be seen in the photo accompanying the article:

Length

If there are changes in the length of the tongue, it is more difficult to notice than the appearance of an unusual coating on its surface or an unusual shape. However, if the organ becomes noticeably longer or shorter than usual, the patient feels discomfort, which prompts him to contact a specialist for examination.

It shrinks unexpectedly or decreases in size gradually (this means that the body is exhausted or a pathology of the central nervous system develops). Elongation of the tongue indicates diseases of the body, in particular the heart or blood vessels.

Surface condition

The surface of the tongue should be uniform, with pronounced taste buds. The appearance of changes in the tongue indicates pathology. If cracks, sores, folds appear, or vice versa, the organ becomes too smooth, as if polished or smoothed, all this is direct evidence of the development of pathologies in the human body. For example, a “geographical” tongue in an adult sometimes indicates chronic gastrointestinal pathologies, and in a child – an allergy. A photo of the “geographical” tongue can be viewed in this article.

Sign	Probable diagnosis	Note
"Vacquered" tongue	Malignant formations in the stomach; chronic colitis	The surface smoothes and shines, acquiring a bright red color due to the fact that the taste buds atrophy.
“Geographical” language (we recommend reading:)
- in an adult	Chronic gastrointestinal lesions; allergy; mental disorders.	On the surface of the tongue there are areas of different colors and sizes, deep grooves
- in a child	Indicates an allergic reaction to food
Clear, deep midline	Spinal problems	If the bend of the line is observed at the tip - the cervical region, in the middle - the middle of the back, at the root - the lower back.
The back is affected by one ulcer - round or oval	Syphilis	The surface of the ulcer is hard and shiny, the boundaries are clear, the color is bright red
Warts	Viral infection	New growths at the root on the lateral parts sometimes indicate HIV infection
Deep transverse cracks on the back of the tongue	Vascular disorders in the brain	-
Foam stripes on the sides	Rheumatism	Stripes are observed on both sides at once
Flat sores	Tuberculosis	Localization – edge, sides, along the furrow

What does plaque on the back and root of the tongue indicate?

The location and color of plaque can provide information about health problems. Using the diagram of its location, you can clarify the diagnosis. If a plaque is detected upon examination of the tongue, it acts as one of the first signs of weakened immunity. This is a common symptom of stomatitis in a child. If the appearance of plaque is associated with pathology, then even after removal with a toothbrush, it soon appears again. Examples of plaque formation on the tongue are in the photograph accompanying the article.

The eyes are the mirror of the human soul, and the tongue can safely be called the mirror of health. The color of the tongue, shape and presence of plaque on it may indicate a particular pathology. Many diseases do not make themselves felt for a long time, and suddenly a detailed picture of clinical symptoms appears. Many doctors warn that the body lets you know about the disease almost immediately, and the most important thing is to notice and learn to recognize the disease. Direct help in determining health is, of course, language.

Anatomy of the tongue.
The tongue is a muscular organ that is covered with a mucous membrane. The organ performs many functions, participates in the formation of speech, determining the taste of food, mixes and helps form a bolus of food, and pushes it into the esophagus. Anatomically, the tongue is divided into two parts, the back part of the tongue is called the root, and the front part, which moves freely, is called the body. The upper surface, which looks like velvet, is called the dorsum of the tongue. The entire tongue is covered with papillae of 4 groups, which are responsible for determining taste.

What should a healthy tongue look like?
The tongue of a healthy person is pale pink in color with an even fold that runs along the tongue. The tongue is soft and does not cause any unpleasant sensations when moving. The papillae on the tongue are clearly visible and not smoothed. Depending on the time of year, a healthy tongue may have a little white coating; in summer, the coating is a little thicker, and the papillae of the mucous membrane are still visible through it. In winter, the plaque may take on a yellowish tint, and in the fall, the plaque becomes lighter and drier. In addition, the presence of a thin coating on the tongue may indicate a minor pathology that develops locally in the oral cavity, such as gum gingivitis, oral candidiasis and even caries. The thickening of plaque, in which it is already difficult to distinguish the back of the tongue, is a signal for action, and may indicate some diseases, including even chronic ones.

What does the color of the tongue mean?
Many diseases can be identified by the color of the tongue, and each of them has its own characteristic color. In case of infectious diseases, such as measles or flu, the color of the tongue becomes burgundy; moreover, this color of the tongue indicates the presence of fever. A pale tongue indicates malnutrition, blood pathology - anemia, or heart failure. A purple tongue not only signals blood diseases, but also indicates diseases of the respiratory system. A yellow or gray tongue occurs in smokers, or indicates problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The black tongue, which frightens parents so much, and by the way for good reason, speaks of weakness of the liver and spleen, dysentery, and serious viral infections and even about abscesses. Talks about kidney diseases blue language. A bluish tint of the tongue occurs with poor blood circulation, scurvy and poisoning with heavy metals, especially mercury. White tongue speaks directly about a fungal infection or dehydration of the body. Problems in the oral cavity can be judged by the presence of a dark brown tongue, which indicates bleeding in the oral cavity and in particular with periodontitis and gingivitis.

Causes of plaque on the tongue.
The main reason, of course, is poor oral hygiene. You need to take care not only of your teeth, but also of your tongue. For these reasons, special brushes have been produced that are suitable for cleaning teeth (bristles) and for the tongue, reverse side This toothbrush has a ribbed surface. But not all children, due to their age, can use a toothbrush; finger toothbrushes with a ribbed working surface are also perfect for such purposes.
But not only poor hygiene provokes the formation of plaque; various problems in the oral cavity of a dental nature can provoke the formation of plaque. At the first suspicion and the appearance of plaque on the tongue, you must first contact your dentist to rule out dental pathology.

Disruption of the stomach or the entire gastrointestinal tract as a whole is also a provocateur in the formation of plaque.

The accumulation of plaque on the tongue in children occurs due to various reasons. The most common cause of plaque on the tongue in infants is oral candidiasis. In children of puberty, plaque can form due to hormonal changes and inflammatory diseases of the oral mucosa, the so-called juvenile gingivitis.

What does the color of plaque on the tongue indicate?
The color of plaque can indicate a particular disease, a particular problem with a certain organ or even a group of organs. But, to fully understand the process, it is still necessary to take into account the location of the plaque; only by adding these two components can we say with almost 100% probability that this is exactly this pathology.
The coating on the tongue in most cases differs from the color of the tongue. The thicker the plaque, the more serious the pathological process. Plaque is the first sign of decreased immunity; based on the thickness of the coating on the tongue, one can conclude which immunity is impaired we're talking about(general or local).

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are indicated by the presence of a thick white coating; it is precisely this coating that indicates the presence of constipation. A thin coating in the middle of the tongue indicates the presence of gastritis, and if the coating is thick, then, most likely, complications of gastritis have begun or gastritis has taken a chronic form. If the plaque is located at the root of the tongue, it can indicate intestinal inflammation. About silent chronic diseases of the intestines and stomach, for example increased acidity, indicates the presence of a gray coating. Yellow and black coating of the tongue indicates a problem with gallbladder, spleen and liver, if it does not go away within a week. If, however, the plaque was a temporary phenomenon, then this indicates a violation of the microbial balance of the oral cavity, and the cause of this phenomenon is diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

But, white coating and its shades may also indicate a disease of other organs, if there is plaque on the edges and in front of the tongue, this indicates a lung disease; a gradual darkening of the plaque indicates a complication of the disease - pneumonia.

The shape and size of the tongue - is it important?
The shape and size are as important in diagnosis as the color of the tongue itself and the color of the plaque. It must be remembered that the tongue is classified as an organ of the gastrointestinal tract, and it is practically the beginning of digestion. If the tongue has become swollen and enlarged, then first of all, it is necessary to exclude diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and undergo examination by an endocrinologist. A thick or wide tongue indicates a lack of calcium and vitamin D, or metabolic disorders, diseases of the lymphatic system. In this condition, we can also talk about inflammation of the tongue itself, diseases of the pituitary gland. With a gradual decrease in size or sudden compression, one can suspect diseases of the central nervous system, general exhaustion of the body, including dehydration.

Appearance of the tongue.
Due to atrophy of the papillae of the tongue, it becomes smoothed, shiny and acquires a bright red color; such a tongue is called varnished. This picture can be seen with gastric oncology or chronic colitis. With a deficiency of vitamin B and nicotinic acid in the body, this disease is called pellagra and belongs to the class of vitamin deficiencies; the tongue looks like a chessboard, covered with a black-brown coating with cracks. As the disease progresses, the tongue changes color and becomes red.

A tongue with deep grooves of varying sizes and colors is called geographic. Such a tongue can be observed in cases of chronic damage to the stomach and intestines (when parents feed the child incorrectly), in some forms mental illness. Using this language, you can immediately judge the presence of an allergic reaction. If the function of the cerebellum or cerebral circulation is impaired, the tongue may bend or deviate to the side. According to some reports, curvature of the tongue may be associated with somatic disorders of the body. If the function of the organs of the left or right half of the body is impaired, the corresponding side of the tongue increases slightly in size, and the tip changes position - it deviates. With pathology of the hypoglossal nerve or with paresis, the tongue can also change its position.

A clearly visible midline of the tongue is directly related to the spine and may indicate problems with the spine. Curved line at the root of the tongue indicates problems in the lumbar spine, if curved in the middle - middle part back, and accordingly, if the bend is at the tip of the tongue, then the problem lies in the cervical spine.

Cracks or ulcerations.
Ulcers on the surface of the tongue can occur for various reasons. Before panicking, it is necessary to exclude simple trauma to the tongue, for example, from biting, or from damage from dilapidated teeth. The latter option is very dangerous, since constant trauma can cause glossitis, inflammation of the tongue.
With inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (Crohn's disease), small ulcers appear on the tongue, and a large number of them immediately form. Ulcers are painful and cause a lot of inconvenience.

With syphilis, only one ulcer appears on the tongue, of completely different size and shape. The surface is bright red, shiny and hard. The ulcer does not make itself felt and is completely painless. A manifestation of HIV infection on the tongue may be the formation of warts. It looks like a growth of the mucous membrane of the tongue on the sides of the tongue or closer to the root. Flat ulcers, which are located on the tip of the tongue, lateral parts or along the midline, indicate a tuberculous process. Transverse stripes on the tongue indicate vascular disorders of the brain.

Unpleasant sensations in the tongue.
Sami discomfort varied and can manifest as pain, excessive dryness, burning, etc. Dryness of the tongue and oral cavity is called xerostomia, and is a signal for research on diabetes mellitus. Dryness may also be associated with impaired activity salivary glands, elevated temperature body, gastrointestinal diseases and dehydration. With prolonged xerostomia, the color of the coating on the tongue becomes dark and cracks appear.

Pain in the tongue or glossalgia usually occurs with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system disorders or neurological disorders. Pain with glossalgia varies in nature, is localized at the tip of the tongue and can vary throughout the day. Spicy, hot and pickled foods can provoke pain.
If you experience itching and burning of your tongue, the first thing you should do is get examined by a dentist and check for fungal infections of the tongue (thrush). A burning sensation can also be a sign of anemia or increased acidity of gastric juice.

Signs of internal organs on the tongue.
Each of the internal organs has its own place on the tongue. IN Chinese medicine The tongue is divided into three parts, the root of the tongue corresponds to the lower part of the body, the body of the tongue corresponds to the middle part of the body, and the tip of the upper body respectively. But there is another opinion, in which each organ is assigned its own place, and it is more accurate.
The front of the tongue is a mirror image of the liver, heart and lungs, the middle shows the stomach, pancreas and spleen. Sections of the intestine can be diagnosed by the root of the tongue, but the kidneys can be diagnosed by the lateral sections of the tongue. Various changes in the ulcer, redness of plaque in these projections, indicate one or another pathology of the corresponding organ. It is necessary to promptly notice the signs of the disease and take timely measures.

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. Most important point The 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 carefully, 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.

Warning signs and reasons for immediately seeking medical help are:

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

"Geographical language" is another one medical term, indicating change 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 chronic diseases Gastrointestinal tract, mental disorders, allergic processes, 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;
impact 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. Acquired deviation indicates injury or consequence surgical intervention, for example, with 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.

Pallor of the mucous membrane indicates exhaustion of the body, loss of body weight, 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;
coronary heart disease;
stroke.

A black tint appears as a consequence of serious illnesses digestive tract, dehydration, decreased adrenal function, taking certain antibacterial drugs, 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.