Question | Answer |
Superficial pulse DESCRIPTION | EASILY FELT WITH GENTLE TOUCH (CAM) or FELT WITH A LIGHT PRESSURE OF THE
FINGERS, JUST RESTING THE FINGERS ON THE
ARTERY |
Superficial pulse | EXTERIOR SYNDROMES
PRESENT AT EARLY STAGE OF EXOGENOUS DISEASE (CAM) or EXTERIOR PATTERN FROM AN INVASION BY AN EXTERIOR PATHOGENIC FACTOR (GM) |
superficial & tense | WIND-COLD |
Superficial & rapid | WIND-HEAT |
Superficial, large & weak | • PROLONGED ENDOGENOUS DISEASE
• OUTWARD FLOATING OF YANG QI
• CRITICAL SIGN |
Superficial and deficient | • INTERIOR CONDITIONS
RARE: CANCER, ANEMIA |
Deep DESCRIPTION | FELT ONLY ON HEAVY PRESSURE (GM + Near the bone) |
Deep | Interior syndromes/conditions
Problem is in the yin organs (GM) |
Deep & Forceful | Interior syndromes of the excess type |
Deep & Excess | • STASIS OF QI OR BLOOD IN THE INTERIOR
• INTERIOR COLD
• INTERIOR HEAT |
Deep & Weak | INTERIOR SYNDROMES OF THE DEFICIENT TYPE (CAM)
or
DEFICIENCY OF QI AND YANG (GM) |
Slow DESCRIPTION | SLOW, WITH LESS THAN FOUR BEATS
PER BREATH, LESS THAN 60 BEATS
PER MINUTE |
Slow | Cold Patterns/Syndromes |
Slow & Forceful (or Slow & Full in GM) | • INTERIOR SYNDROMES OF THE EXCESS TYPE
CAUSED BY RETENTION OF YIN COLD IN THE
INTERIOR (CAM)
or
FULL-COLD (GM) |
Slow & Weak | CAM: INTERIOR SYNDROME OF THE DEFICIENT TYPE DUE
TO DEFICIENCY OF YANG QI (GM: EMPTY-COLD FROM DEFICIENCY OF YANG) |
Rapid DESCRIPTION | QUICK, MORE THAN 5 BEATS PER
BREATH; MORE THAN 90 BEATS PER
MINUTE |
Rapid | Heat Pattern/Syndrome |
Rapid & Forceful | EXCESS HEAT RETAINED IN THE INTERIOR &
ANTIPATHOGENIC QI IS STILL STRONG (CAM)
or
Full Heat (GM) |
Rapid and Weak | DEFICIENCY OF YIN IN PROLONGED ILLNESS |
Rapid, Superficial, & Deficient | EMPTY HEAT FROM YIN DEFICIENCY |
Rapid, Large, Weak & Empty | OUTWARD FLOATING OF DEFICIENT YANG |
DEFICIENCY TYPE PULSE DESCRIPTION | GENERAL TERM FOR ALL THE FORCELESS PULSES FELT ON THE THREE REGIONS AND THREE
LEVELS OF PRESSURE (CAM) or FEELS RATHER BIG BUT FEELS EMPTY ON A
SLIGHTLY STRONG PRESSURE AND IS SOFT (GM) |
Deficient pulse | DEFICIENCY OF QI AND BLOOD CAUSING DEFICIENCY
TYPE SYNDROMES (CAM) or Qi Deficiency (GM) |
Excess pulse DESCRIPTION | GENERAL TERM FOR ALL THE FORCEFUL PULSES FELT ON THE THREE REGIONS AND THREE LEVELS OF PRESSURE (CAM) or
Feels full, rather hard and rather long (GM) |
Excess | EXCESSIVE QI AND BLOOD CAUSED BY STRONG
ANTIPATHOGENIC QI AGAINST THE HYPERACTIVE
PATHOGENIC FACTOR (CAM)
or
Full Pattern (GM) |
Surging DESCRIPTION | BROAD, LARGE, AND FORCEFUL LIKE ROARING WAVES WHICH COME ON POWERFULLY AND FADE AWAY (CAM) or
Feels big, like it overflows (GM) |
Surging | Excessive heat (CAM)
or
• EXTREME HEAT
• FREQUENTLY APPEARS DURING FEVER
• FELT IN CHRONIC DISEASES CHARACTERIZED BY
INTERIOR HEAT (GM) |
Surging & Rapid | Excessive heat |
Large pulse DESCRIPTION | SURGING PULSE THAT LACKS THE MOMENTUM OF ROARING WAVES |
Large pulse | Excessive heat |
Surging but deficient | EMPTY-HEAT FROM YIN DEFICIENCY |
Thready DESCRIPTION | FEELS LIKE A FINE THREAD BUT IS
VERY DISTINCT AND CLEAR (CAM) or
Thinner than normal (GM) |
Thready | • DEFICIENCY DUE TO OVERSTRAIN AND STRESS
• DEFICIENCY OF QI & BLOOD
• YIN XU AND BLOOD XU (in weak patient/consitution w/ prolonged illness) (CAM) or • DEFICIENCY OF BLOOD
• May indicate internal dampness w/ severe qi xu |
Rolling DESCRIPTION | FEELS SMOOTH AND FLOWING LIKE
PEARLS ROLLING ON A DISH (CAM) or FEELS SMOOTH, ROUNDED & SLIPPERY TO THE TOUCH, AS IF IT WERE OILY. IT SLIDES UNDER THE FINGERS |
Rolling | Phlegm, Retained Fluid/Dampness, Retention of Food, Pregnancy (Meaning sufficient & harmonious qi & blood) & Excessive Heat (CAM only) |
Rolling & Weak | Phlegm or dampness with a background of qi xu |
Hesitant DESCRIPTION | Feels rough & uneven (CAM) or Feels rough under the finger; Has a jagged edge to it
(GM) |
Hesitant & Forceful | Qi & Blood Stag |
Hesitant | CAM: 1)Qi & Blood Stag; 2) Essence is impaired 3) Insufficient blood or GM: 1) Blood xu 2) Exhaustion of fluids 3) May occur after profuse/prolonged sweating/vomiting |
Hesitant & Weak | Essence is impaired; Insufficient blood |
String-taut DESCRIPTION | CAM: Feels taut, straight & long, giving the feeling of a string of a violin or GM: Feels taut like a guitar string |
String taut pulse | 1)Liver & GB disorders/disharmony
2)Pain
3)Phlegm & retained fluids |
Tense DESCRIPTION | CAM: Feels tight & forceful like a stretched rope ----GM: Feels twisted like a thick rope |
Tense, Weak & Deep | Interior Empty Cold |
Soft DESCRIPTION | CAM: Is superficial & thready, & hits the fingers without strength. GM: Felt only on superficial level. Very soft & only slightly floating. Disappears when a stronger pressure is applied to feel the deep level. |
Soft | Damp disorders (GM: Dampness with a background of qi deficiency.) |
Weak DESCRIPTION | CAM: Deep & thready & hits the fingers without strength. GM: Can't be felt on superficial level, but only at the deep level |
Weak | CAM: Various syndromes due to both qi & blood xu. GM: Yang deficiency. Sometimes blood deficiency. |
Abrupt DESCRIPTION | Hurried & rapid with irregularly missed beats (GM: Rapid; Stops at irreg. intervals |
Abrupt | •Extreme heat (CAM: Specific - Excessive yang heat.)
•Qi & Blood Stag (CAM)
• Food or phlegm retention (CAM)
• Heart Qi Xu (GM)
• Conditions of Heart Fire |
Abrupt & Forceful | Excess heat syndromes from:
•Qi & Blood Stag
•Phlegm or food retention
•Pain & Swelling |
Abrupt & Weak | Sign of prostration (extreme exhaustion) |
Knotted DESCRIPTION | Slow with irregular missed beats (or slow; stops irreg intervals [GM]) |
Knotted | From CAM:
• Excessive Yin
• Accum of Qi
• Retention of Cold Phlegm
• Stagnant Blood
From GM:
• Cold
• Heart Yang Deficiency |
Regularly Intermittent DESCRIPTION | Slow & weak with missed beats at regular intervals (GM: Stops at regular intervals) |
Regularly Intermittent | CAM:
• Decline in Zang Qi
• Wind syndromes
• Painful syndromes of fear & fright
• Traumatic contusions & Sprains
From GM:
• Serious internal problems of 1 or more yin organs
• Serious heart prob
• Stops every 4 beats: Serious condition |
Tense | CAM: **Cold **Pain **Retention of Food ---GM: **Cold; **Frequently felt in asthma from cold in Lu; **Or in Stomach conditions from cold; **Indicates pain from an interior condition |