Basilar Artery Insufficiency in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Deep (Chen), Fine (Xi)

Deep (Chen), Slow (Chi), Weak (Ruo)

The tongue is characteristically pale, puffy, and tender-looking, often appearing swollen enough that the edges press against the teeth and develop scalloped indentations (teeth marks). The surface tends to be moist or even wet. The coating is white and slippery, reflecting internal Cold and Dampness accumulation. If the coating becomes thick and greasy, this suggests that Dampness or Phlegm has become more prominent as a secondary development. The tongue body itself looks somewhat waterlogged, which mirrors the body's inability to properly transform and transport fluids.

Deep (Chen), Slow (Chi), Tight (Jin)

The tongue is characteristically pale and swollen, reflecting the Cold congealing Yang and impairing fluid metabolism. The coating is white, moist, and slippery, indicating Cold and accumulated fluids in the interior. Teeth marks along the edges suggest the Spleen Yang is struggling to transport and transform fluids, leading to a puffy tongue body. There is no redness, dryness, or yellow coating, which would suggest Heat. In more severe cases the tongue may take on a slightly bluish tint, particularly at the root, reflecting deeper Cold penetration.

Deep (Chen), Wiry (Xian), Slippery (Hua)

The tongue typically shows a pale, slightly puffy body with a slippery white coating, reflecting the cold, fluid-retaining nature of this pattern. In the early stage when external pathogenic factors are involved, the coating may be thin and white. As fluid accumulates, the coating becomes white and greasy or slippery. In some cases with Heat developing during the initial invasion phase, the coating may have a slight yellow tinge. Teeth marks on the edges reflect underlying Spleen Qi weakness. The tongue body is moist or wet rather than dry, consistent with the retention of pathological fluid.