11.

PULSE DIAGNOSIS Qualities of Pulse that we are

looking for • Force • Movement • Rate • Rhythm •
Shape • Presence of Shen
12. PULSE DIAGNOSIS What is a Normal Pulse? • Has
Stomach-Qi • Feels “gentle”, “calm” and relatively
slow (4 beats per respiratory cycle / breath) • Has
Spirit • Soft but with strength; neither big or small •
Regulated – should not change type very easily • Has
root • Deep level is clearly felt along with rear position
• Kidneys are felt strong
13. PULSE DIAGNOSIS Factors that affect the Pulse •
Seasons • Pulse is deeper in wintertime; superficial in
summertime • Gender • Male pulse is naturally
stronger than women’s • Men have stronger left pulse;
women, the right pulse • Men have stronger front
pulse; women, the rear • Occupation • People who
perform strong physical labor should have a stronger
pulse than those who do not
14. PULSE DIAGNOSIS Factors that affect the Pulse •
Body build • Pulse will be stronger, larger and longer in
robust, large people; weaker, smaller and shorter in
small, frail people • Menstruation • Becomes slippery
the week before the onset, especially on the right rear
position; then it becomes weak and slower •
Pregnancy • Becomes slippery, therefore it is
considered normal • Fan Guan Mai and Xie Fei Mai •
These are abnormalities on the pulse
15. PULSE DIAGNOSIS Fan Guan Mai is a radial artery
displacement that is present in about 5% of people.
The radial artery lies in the dorsal aspect of the arm
instead of the inner aspect. In these cases, the pulses
on the nine regions of the head, hand and feet are
recommended.
16. DEEP PULSE Chinese Name • Chen Mai, a.k.a.
Sinking Description • Can only be felt with heavy
pressure; felt near the bone Clinical Significance •
Indicates an interior condition • Indicates the Yin
organs to be the problem Indications • Deep and
Weak: Yang and Qi deficiency • Deep and Full: a) Stasis
of Qi; b) Blood in the Interior; c) Interior Cold or Heat
17. FLOATING PULSE Chinese Name • Fu Mai
Description • Can be felt with a light pressure, resting
fingers on artery Clinical Significance • Indicates
presence of exterior pattern from pathogen
Indications • Floating and Tight: Wind-Cold • Floating
and Rapid: Wind-Heat • Floating Superficial / Empty
Deep: Yin deficiency
18. SLOW PULSE Chinese Name • Chi Mai Description •
Three beats per respiration cycle (breath) of
practicioner • Can also be counted using a watch
Clinical Significance • Indicates a Cold pattern
Indications • Slow and Empty – Empty-Cold from Yang
Deficiency • Slow and Full – Full Cold
19. SLOW PULSE Typical Slow Pulse Speeds (estimated)
Age (Year) Rate (beat/min) 1–4 90 or more 4 – 10 84
10 – 16 78 / 80 16 – 35 76 35 – 50 70 / 72 50+ 68
20. RAPID PULSE Chinese Name • Shu Mai Description
• 5 or more beats per cycle (or higher than slow chart)
Clinical Significance • Indicates a Heat pattern
Indications • Rapid and Empty – Empty-Heat from Yin
Deficiency • Rapid and Full – Full Heat or Excessive
Heat
21. EMPTY PULSE Chinese Name • Xu Mai (a.k.a.
Vacuous, Deficiency) Description • Feels rather big, but
soft; feels empty with more pressure Clinical
Significance • Indicates Qi or Qi AND Blood deficiency
22. FULL PULSE Chinese Name • Shi Mai (a.k.a. Excess
type, Replete) Description • Feels full; rather hard and
long Clinical Significance • Indicates a Full pattern
Indications • Full and Rapid – Full-Heat • Full and Slow
– Full-Cold
23. SLIPPERY PULSE Chinese Name • Hua Mai
Description • Feels smooth, round, oily to the touch;
rolls under fingers • Feels like “rolling pearls in a
porcelain bowl” Clinical Significance • Indicates
Phlegm, Dampness, Food retention, Pregnancy
Indications • It’s full by definition, but can be weak as
well • It can be weak, indicating Phlegm, Dampness
and Qi deficiency