Traditional Chinese Medicine Pulse Diagnosis

Traditionally the pulse is said to have 3 qualities: Stomach Qi, Spirit, and Root

Stomach Qi – this pulse feels soft, gentle, calm, and relatively slow. If it is rough or hard the Stomach is injured.

The Spirit – this pulse is soft yet has strength, neither big or small, and regular. This shows healthy Heart Qi and blood.

The Root – deep level of the pulse is felt clearly, and Kidney position can be felt clearly. This shows that the Kidneys are strong.

 A Regular Pulse

Average normal pulse rates per minute Age 1 - 4 (90+ bpm) 4 – 10 (84 bpm) 10 – 16 (78-80 bpm) 16 – 35 (76 bpm) 35 – 50 (72-70 bpm) 50+ (68 bpm)

TCM Pulse Diagnosis Explanation: 

A Slow Pulse signifies the patterns of – Cold, empty- Yang deficiency, full- excess Cold, athlete

The Rapid Pulse signifies the chinese medicine patterns of Heat, empty- Yin deficiency, full- excess

Heat Superficial Pulse (floating) can be felt by just resting the fingers on the radial artery. This pulse signifies  – Wind/Cold or Wind/Heat (tense- cold, rapid- heat). Floating at superficial level but empty at deep level it is due to Yin deficiency.

Deep Pulse can only be felt with heavy pressure, near the bone.

This pulse signifies – Zang disease. Weak- Qi Yang deficiency, full- Qi or blood stagnation, or interior Cold or Heat.

An Empty Pulse feels big but soft (green onion stalk)        

significance of a empty pulse – Qi deficiency

A Full Pulls feels full, hard, and long.      

significance of a full pulse – excess Heat or excess Cold

The Slippery Pulse feels  smooth, rounded, slippery or oily as it slides under the fingers         significance of a slippery pulse – Phlegm, retention of food, pre-menstrual, or pregnant

Choppy (Uneven) Pulse feels  rough like it has a jagged edge

significance of a choppy pulse – Blood deficiency, possibly Heart Blood, exhaustion of body fluids

A Long Pulse extends beyond the normal pulse position 

this signifies Heat

The Short Pulse does not run under all fingers

significance of a short pulse– severe Qi deficiency, usually appears in the front positions. Shows Stomach Qi deficiency

An Overflowing feeling to the pulse – big and long, superficial and feels too large for the vessel like a river flooding

significance of an overflowing pulse – extreme Heat, empty- deficient Heat

A Thin pulse – thin significance – Blood or Yin deficiency, may also show Damp with severe Qi deficiency

The Minute pulses feels extremely thin like thread, difficult to feel    

significance of a minute pulse – severe Qi and blood deficiency

Tight Pulses feel  like a tightly strung twisted rope     

significance of the tight pulse– internal or external Cold, pain

A Wiry Pulse feels  like a guitar string, thinner, more taut and harder than tight pulse. Hits fingers.      

significance of wiry pulse– Liver disharmony, pain, Phlegm

A Bow String Pulse is the same as a Wiry pulse and can be used interchangeably.

Hollow Pulses feel similar to a green onion stalk but not as big as an empty pulse, can feel at superficial and deep levels, middle is empty

significance of the hollow pulse – post hemorrhage, if rapid and slightly hollow- impending hemorrhage

The LeatherPulse feels like the skin of a stretched drum, empty at deep level, large significance of a leather pulse – severe Kidney Yin or Essence deficiency

A Firm feeling pulse is similar to wiry and deep but only at deep level, hard and wiry A firm pulse signifies – internal Cold if it is slow, stagnation, pain

Soft pulses disappear when strong pressure is applied, may be slightly floating, similar to floating empty

significance of a soft pulse – Dampness, Yin and Essence deficiency

A Weak Pulse feel – only felt at deep level, soft

This weak pulse signifies – Yang deficiency

The Scattered Pulse feels – broken like a dotted line, usually deep

significance of a scattered pulse – severe Qi and Blood deficiency

A Hidden Pulse feels – hiding behind the bone, extremely deep and hard to feel

significance of the hidden pulse – extreme Yang deficiency

Moving Pulse feels – round and short like a bean, trembles under the fingers, no definite shape, slippery

significance of a moving pulse– shock, anxiety, fright, extreme pain, deep rooted emotional fears

A Hasty Pulse feels – rapid and stops at irregular intervals

significance of a hasty pulse – extreme Heat and deficiency of Heart Qi, may show with Heart Fire

The Knotted Pulse feels – slow and stops at irregular intervals

significance of a knotted pulse – Heart Qi or Heart Yang deficiency, Cold

Intermittent Pulse feels – stops at regular intervals

significance of an intermittent pulse – serious problem of one or more Zang organ, stops every 4 beats or less- very severe. Serious Physical Heart problem

A Hurried Pulse feels – very rapid, agitated and urgent

significance of a hurried pulse– Yang excess with Fire consuming the Yin

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