🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Atrophic glossitis refers to atrophic changes in the lingual mucosa caused by various diseases, corresponding to "mirror tongue" or "cracked tongue" in TCM, with good therapeutic outcomes.
Nourishing Yin and Lowering Fire: Used primarily for Liver-Kidney Yin deficiency. Common symptoms include dry mouth and tongue pain, decreased appetite, red and shiny tongue, or peeled coating. Accompanying symptoms: tidal fever and night sweats, tinnitus, sore waist and knees, or five-palm heat, restless sleep, constipation. Women may experience heavy, bright red menstruation with abdominal pain, or dark blood with clots, irregular cycles. Pulse: deep and fine or slippery and rapid. Commonly use Zhi Bai Di Huang Tang or Er Zhi Wan with modifications: Anemarrhena Rhizoma, Phellodendri Cortex, Moutan Cortex, Lycium Root Bark, Artemisiae Annuae Herba, Softshell Turtle Shell, Cornus Fruit, Poria, Yam, Ligustrum Fruit, Eclipta Prostrata, Dendrobii Herba, Scrophulariae Radix, Heavenly Winter, Angelica Sinensis, Trichosanthes Root.
Nourishing Lung and Stomach: Treats Lung-Stomach heat, consuming body fluids, Stomach Yin deficiency, insufficient fluid to ascend. Presents with dry throat and tongue pain, red and shiny tongue or fissured tongue. Accompanying symptoms: intense thirst, profuse sweating, aversion to heat, dry cough with little phlegm, poor appetite, constipation, reversed Qi causing vomiting, restlessness, poor sleep. Pulse: stringy, fine, and scattered. Formula: Bai Hu Tang or Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang with modifications: Raw Gypsum, Anemarrhena Rhizoma, Adenophorae Radix, Jade Bamboo, Mulberry Leaf, Ophiopogonis Radix, Trichosanthes Root, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Paeoniae Alba Radix, Raw Rehmannia, Angelica Sinensis, Dendrobii Herba, Yam.
Strengthening Spleen and Nourishing Blood: For Spleen deficiency impairing transportation, failure to transform food essence into Qi and blood, leading to blood deficiency unable to nourish the tongue. Presents with extensive fissures on the tongue surface, or pale, smooth tongue without coating. Accompanying symptoms: reduced appetite, epigastric distension, fatigue, dry and painful tongue, loose or constipated stools. Women may have light, pale menstruation, sore lower abdomen, weak pain. Pulse: weak and slow or deep and weak. Formula: Gui Pi Tang or Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang with modifications: Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Prince Ginseng, Astragalus, Angelica Sinensis, Polygala, Stir-Fried Jujube Seed, Longan Meat, Adenophorae Radix, Ophiopogonis Radix, Jade Bamboo, Trichosanthes Root, Anemarrhena Rhizoma, Rehmanniae Praeparata, Yam, Poria, Glycyrrhizae Radix.
Clearing Heart Fire and Soothing Liver: Due to overwork or emotional injury causing Heart-Liver fire, intense heat consuming Yin fluids, insufficient Yin to ascend and moisturize. Presents with dry mouth and throat, numbness and pain on the tongue, red and shiny tongue or fissured. Accompanying symptoms: irritability, easy anger, insomnia, vivid dreams, chest tightness, rib distension or pain, poor appetite, burning urination, constipation, tinnitus. Pulse: stringy, fine, and rapid. Formula: Dao Chi San or Yu Nu Jian with modifications: Raw Rehmannia, Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Forsythiae Fructus, Scutellariae Radix, Gentiana Radix, Gardenia Fructus, Adenophorae Radix, Raw Gypsum, Anemarrhena Rhizoma, Angelica Sinensis, Heavenly Winter, Ophiopogonis Radix, Trichosanthes Root, Jade Bamboo, Bamboo Leaves, Mulberry Leaf.
Atrophic glossitis has a long course and variable presentations, varying by individual. Ultimately, it results from dietary indiscretion, emotional stress, or overwork damaging organ functions—either due to heat consuming fluids or deficiency causing insufficient fluid. Without upward fluid transmission, the mouth and throat become dry, the tongue red and peeled, or shiny without coating, or with deep fissures. Thus, these four methods complement each other and should be used based on syndrome differentiation.