The throat is the door to the lung and stomach, the pathway for breathing and eating and the region over which the kidney meridian circulates. So inspection of throat is helpful for examining the pathological changes of the lung, the stomach and the kidney.

Inspection of throat mainly concentrates on the color and shape of the throat. Reddish swelling and pain of throat is due to virulent wind heat attacking the upper or clue to stagnant heat in the lung and stomach to fumigate the upper; reddish swelling and ulceration of the throat indicates extreme exuberance of heat virulence; bright red and tender throat with slight swelling and pain is due to up-flaming of asthenic fire resulting from deficiency of kidney yin.

Unilateral or bilateral reddish and painful lumps like mastoid process is due to accumulation of heat in the lung and stomach or due to wind heat attacking the upper; reddish swelling and ulceration with erasable yellowish white pus-like substance or suppurative points is called tonsillitis due to exuberant virulent heat as well as heat fumigation and muscle decaying; false whitish membrane on the throat that is not erasable, bleeding when rubbed heavily and reappearing is diphtheria due to accumulation of pestilent factors in the lung and stomach that fumigates the throat and must be treated in isolation.