pulse indications Flashcards
‘normal’ slippery pulse
normal for pregnant women- indicates sufficient and harmonious qi & blood
in the absence of any pathogenic changes the slippery pulse can be found in a healthy person
consistently irregular, forceless
qi and/or blood deficiency
zang fu organ qi deficiency
‘normal’ thin pulse
in those of smaller constitution, a thin pulse is not considered pathological
also thin pulse is more commonly encountered in females than in males
wide and forceful
excess heat
confined pulse
interior excess cold (hernia, lumps, masses)
‘normal’ moving pulse
the moving pulse may be seen in pregnant women in their 1st trimester, at which time this is considered a normal pulse
fan guan mai
radial artery is found on the dorsal side of the radius
slow irregular
excess: stagnation, cold, tumor mass
deficiency: heart qi deficiency
decreased length
qi deficiency which fails to activate the flow of blood
or a pathogenic factor that has obstructed the vessels and prevented the qi and blood from filling the pulse to its normal length
‘normal’ long pulse
when moderate in strength can be a sign of health
hollow
this is a yang pulse but becasue it is not rooted, it is a sign of severe deficiency
the pulse shows a solitary yang without yin
after loss of blood, the yin and blood cannot fill up the vessel and contain the yang qi
the yang looses its anchor and floats to the superficial layers
short and forceless
qi deficiency
short pulse can also be seen in cases where there is profuse sweating but little intake of fluid
!
changes of pulse shape due to
excess pathogenic factors obstructing the flow within the vessel
excess qi and blood fails to flow smoothly
severe qi, blood or jing deficiency which fails to fill the vessel and causes the shape of the vessel to change
deficient pulse
wide without strength, forceless in all 3 positions, sense of emptiness in pulse or… may be at any position or depth may be rapid or slow it is also a group of pulses that beat without strength and indicate deficiency exa: frail, soggy and faint
rapid, forceful
excess heat
floating, forceless
yang deficiency yang floating to the surface
normal shape of the pulse
smooth and gentle, reflecting smooth flow of qi and blood inside the vessel
moving pulse
pain
fright
hidden pulse
pathogens obstructing the interior
yang deficiency
(yang & qi obstructed or too weak to push qi & blood to flow outward to exterior of body)
choppy and forceless
blood deficiency
jing deficiency
threatened miscarriage
seminal emission
A pulse that is slack or loose indicates
qi and blood deficiency
floating, forceless, thin
yin deficiency (yang floating to surface)
blood deficiency
hollow and rapid
yin depletion
rapid, thin
yin deficiency
scattered pulse
this pulse indicates a critical condition
if in third trimester of pregnancy, labor is imminent
if in second trimester of pregnancy, it indicates a potential miscarriage
liu yang mai
all six pulse positions are evenly forceful and wide but there is no illness
thin width
insufficiency of yin and blood
insufficient yin and blood fails to fill the blood vessels
faint pulse
yin deficiency
yang deficiency
qi deficiency
blood deficiency
severe vomiting, profuse sweating, blood loss
‘normal’ rapid
physical or emotional activities can temporarily increase pulse rate
A pulse that is taut or has tension indicates
qi and blood stagnation
blood vessel constriction
decreased rate
obstruction of the yang qi by pathogenic cold or deficiency of yang may prevent it from promoting the normal circulation of qi and blood
deficiency, slow
yang deficiency
racing and forceful
hyperactivity of yang and excessive heat
heart conditions
‘normal’ submerged pulse
wintertime or in a heavy person
submerged, forceless
interior deficiency
yin and yang of pulses
yang:
- forceful strength
- superficial depth
- rapid speed
- long length
yin:
- forceless
- deep
- slow
- short
thin
deficiency of qi, blood, yin
or excess dampness
superficial depth
the qi and blood are moving outward toward the superficial layers
- exterior pattern
- hyperactivity of yang due to insufficient yin/blood
slippery pulse
food stagnation
phlegm
dampness
excess heat
‘normal’ rapid irregular
in cases of congenital variation, this pulse could prove normal for some individuals
floating and forceful
exterior excess (exterior wind)
increased rate
yang governs movement, and yang hyperactivity or the relative hyperactivity of yang qi may cause the qi and blood to circulate more quickly inside the vessels.
long pulse
excess syndrome
liver yang rising
excess interior heat
hollow and forceless
loss of blood
racing and forceless
yin exhaustion
zheng qi collapse
heart conditions
soggy pulse
dampness or deficiency syndrome
(qi, yin or blood are deficient)
leather pulse
blood loss
jing exhaustion
miscarriage/abortion
metrorrhagia
metrostaxis
increased length
excessive qi and blood filling the vessels
tight
cold pattern
food stagnation
pain
deficiency, submerged
internal deficiency
short and forceful
qi stagnation
forceless
deficiency of qi and blood
esp deficiency of qi which fails to fill and move the blood in the vessels
slow, forceless
deficiency cold qi deficiency
excessive pulse
long, wide forceful at all 3 positions, at all three depths any excess syndrome:
pathogenic cold
food stagnation
phlegm
retention qi or blood stagnation
hyperactivity of pathogenic factors - strong zheng qi (antipathogenic qi)
rapid irregular, forceless
yin and yang disharmony
slow, forceful
cold accumulation qi deficiency
arrhythmic pulse
heart yang qi fails to keep the blood moving constantly in the vessels
or qi exhaustion in other organs affects the heart yang qi
rapid, hollow
blood deficiency
moderate pulse
dampness
ST/SP deficiency
submerged, forceful
interior excess
scattered pulse
exhaustion of qi
functional failure of zang fu organs
if yin and blood are deficient…
the vessel will not fill up
flooding pulse
excess heat on the qi level
‘normal’ consistently irregular
in cases of congenital variation, this pulse could prove to be the normal pulse for some individuals
this pulse can also be found during the second and third month of pregnancy at which time it is again considered normal
deep depth
failure of qi and blood to flow outward from the interior of the body due to internal pathogens obstructing the flow of qi and blood
or a deficiency of qi and blood whihc inhibits their ability to flow outward from the interior
‘normal’ moderate pulse
this pulse may indicate a normal physiological pulse
if the moderate pulse if found in a patient who is suffering from a prolonged or cirtical disease, it is a sign of the restoration of zheng qi. although the pulse indicates a pathology, compared to critical disease, it is still apositive sign
soggy pulse
if this pulse is present in a young or otherwise strong patient, the prognosis is not good
excessive diseases with deficient pulses do not suggest a good prognosis
taut tension
the blood vessels feels tight and hard under the fingers due to
qi stagnation or blood vessel constriction
deficient, floating
qi deficiency
wide width
hyperactivity of yang:
excessive heat in the body which raises and moves the qi and blood to expand the blood vessels
hyperactivity of ynag due to yin deficiency:
outward floating of yang due to depleted yin failing to control the yang
‘normal’ flooding pulse
canbe a normal pulse in the summer
“normal” floating pulse
arrives in the autumn or in thin individuals or in patient taking vasodilating pharmaceuticals
choppy and forceful
qi stagnation
blood stagnation
food stagnation
phlegm retention
‘normal’ wiry
wiry is a normal pulse during the springtime
if yang and qi are deficienct the pulse will be…
forceless
forceful
strong qi and blood fighting off an invasion of pathogenic factors
or stagnation of qi and blood
‘normal’ slow
seen in some healthy persons specifically athletes or those who engage in daily physical labor
‘normal’ hidden pulse
during pregnancy, a woman may have a hidden pulse
in the absence of other signs and symptoms this pusle would not indicate any pathological changes
‘normal’ racing pulse
this is a critical pulse,
however it is considered normal for a healthy infant
frail
yin deficiency
yang deficiency
qi deficiency
blood deficiency
severe vomiting, profuse sweating, blood loss
floating and moderate
exterior deficiency (exterior wind)
consistently irregular and rapid
pain, emotional shock
or pathogenic factor (wind syndrome)
all causing causing qi stagnation
deficiency, rapid
yin deficiency
slack vessels
the blood vessel feels soft and loose due to qi and blood deficiency failing to fill up the vessels
deficiency, choppy
blood deficiency
xie fei mai
radial artery isn’t found where it is expected to be. deviated angle pulse
wide and forceless
deficiency
‘normal’ slow irregular pulse
in cases of congenital variation, this pulse could prove to be normal for some individuals
rapid irregular, forceful
excess heat
stagnation
wiry
liver/gallbladder
phlegm
pain
malaria
