Pulse

Question 1

Name the pulse qualities and significance related to depth

Answer 1

1. Floating (Superficial) fu
   Nature: ‘Higher’ than normal. Distinct with very light pressure.
   Clinical Significance: Invasion of external Wind OR Yin Deficiency (if without strength or empty at a deeper
   level).
2. Deep (Sinking) chen
   Nature: Distinct only at a deep level, near the bone, felt only with heavy pressure.
   Clinical Significance: If weak: Qi and Yang Deficiency. If full: Stagnation of Qi and Blood or Interior Cold or
   Heat.

Question 2

Name the pulse qualities and significance related to width

Answer 2

1. Thin (Thready, Fine) xi
   Nature: Like a fine thread and is distinct.
   Clinical Significance: Blood Deficiency.
2. Overflowing (Big) hong
   Nature: Broad in diameter, extends beyond pulse position, like a river overflowing its banks.
   Clinical Significance: Heat.

Question 3

Name the pulse qualities and significance related to strength

Answer 3

1. Deficient (Empty, Weak) Xu
   Nature: Soft, without strength or force.
   Clinical Significance: Qi Deficiency. (If the pulse is Deficient and Floating – big and soft like a balloon partly
   filled with water – it is called an Empty pulse. If the pulse is Deficient and Deep it is called a Weak pulse.)
2. Full (Strong) shi
   Nature: Big, strong and pounds at finger at all depths.
   Clinical Significance: Full Heat or Full Cold.

Question 4

Name the pulse qualities and significance related to shape

Answer 4

1. Slippery (Rolling) hua
   Nature: Like mucus or oily ball bearing or pearl in a porcelain dish. Slides under the fingers.
   Clinical Significance: Damp, Phlegm or Stagnant Food. Pregnancy.
2. Choppy se
   Nature: Uneven, rough and with a jagged edge. Sometimes irregular in strength and rhythm (3 & 5 not
   adjusted). Can seem faster than it is.
   Clinical Significance: Blood Deficiency. Body Fluids deficient. If strong: Blood Stagnation.
3. Wiry xian
   Nature: Taut like a guitar string. Rebounds against pressure at all levels. Not fluid or wave-like.
   Clinical Significance: Liver disharmony; Pain; Phlegm.
4. Tight jin
   Nature: Strong and bounces side to side like a taut rope. Fuller and more elastic than a Wiry pulse.
   Clinical Significance: Interior or Exterior Cold.

Question 5

Name the pulse qualities and significance related to Rhythm

Answer 5

1. Intermittent dai
   Nature: Skips beats regularly.
   Clinical Significance: Exhaustion of Heart Yin and possibly Yin of other organs
2. Hasty (Hurried) ji
   Nature: Rapid pulse skipping beats irregularly
   Clinical Significance: Excess Heat and exhaustion of Yin
3. Knotted jie
   Nature: Slow pulse skipping beats irregularly
   Clinical Significance: Cold and deficiency of Heart Yang

Question 6

Name the pulse qualities and significance related to Rate

Answer 6

1. Slow
   Nature: Less than 4 beats per patient’s breath or slower than normal, where normal is age 1-4 90+ bpm; 4-
   10 84; 10-35 76-80; 35-50 70-72; 50+ 68.
   Clinical Significance: Cold pattern. If Empty: Yang Deficiency. If Full: Full Cold
2. Rapid (Fast) Shu
   Nature: More than 5 beats per patient’s breath or faster than normal bpm (see ‘normal’ under Slow above).
   Clinical Significance: Heat pattern. If Empty: Yin Deficiency. If Full: Full Heat