Relationship between Tongue Temperature and Lingual Circulation System in Blood Stasis Syndrome and Blood Deficiency Syndrome

Objective To study the relationship between tongue temperature and the lingual circulation system. Methods The blood stasis and blood deficiency syndrome of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes were researched by constructing animal model and vascular cast experiment. The influence of blood stasis and blood deficiency syndrome on tongue temperature and the lingual circulation system were studied and analyzed. Then a 3D physical model of arterial trees and a mathematic model of lingual temperature field were proposed. The influence of the difference in circulation system on lingual temperature was simulated with these models. Results It was found with direct measurement that the lingual circulation system of blood stasis syndrome and that of blood deficiency syndrome were distinctly different in blood flow rate, vascular diameters and the density of small vessels. And with simulated models it was found that these differences in circulation system could induce changes on lingual temperature, and changing rules deduced by simulation and experiment were consistent. Conclusion In blood stasis and blood deficiency syndrome, the change of lingual circulation system is the main cause to influence surface temperature change of tongue.