Pulses

Question 1

“higher” than normal, less perceptible at middle and deep levels

Answer 1

floating

Question 2

distinct only at third level with heavy pressure

Answer 2

sinking or deep

Question 3

a slow pulse has fewer than how many beats per respiration?

Answer 3

slow

Question 4

a rapid pulse has more than how many beats per respiration?

Answer 4

five

Question 5

what does a floating pulse signify?

Answer 5

an external pernicious influence, classified as yang

Question 6

if a floating pulse also has no strength what does that indicate?

Answer 6

deficient yin

Question 7

what does a sinking pulse indicate?

Answer 7

an internal disharmony or obstruction, yin

Question 8

what does a slow pulse indicate?

Answer 8

sign of cold or insufficient qi, yin

Question 9

what does a rapid pulse indicate?

Answer 9

heat is accelerating the movement of blood, yang

Question 10

fine thread very distinct and clear

Answer 10

thin pulse

Question 11

what does a thin pulse indicate?

Answer 11

blood is deficient +/- deficient qi, yin

Question 12

broad in diameter and very distinct

Answer 12

big pulse

Question 13

what does a big pulse suggest?

Answer 13

excess

Question 14

when is a big pulse commonly felt?

Answer 14

when heat is present in the stomach or intestines, yang

Question 15

big without strength, feels weak and soft like a balloon partially filled with water

Answer 15

empty pulse

Question 16

what does an empty pulse signify?

Answer 16

deficient qi and blood, yin

Question 17

big, strong, pounding and hard

Answer 17

full pulse

Question 18

what is a full pulse a sign of?

Answer 18

excess, yang

Question 19

extremely fluid, smooth

Answer 19

slippery pulse

Question 20

what does a slippery pulse indicate?

Answer 20

excess, usually dampness or mucus

Question 21

uneven and rough, sometimes irregular in strength and fullness

Answer 21

choppy pulse

Question 22

what is a choppy pulse a sign of?

Answer 22

deficient blood, deficient jing, or congealed blood

Question 23

taut feeling, strong, rebounds against pressure at all levels

Answer 23

wiry

Question 24

what does a wiry pulse indicate?

Answer 24

stagnation in the body, usually related to liver and gallbladder, yang

Question 25

strong, seems to bounce from side to side, fuller and more elastic, vibrating and urgent, seems faster than it is

Answer 25

tight pulse

Question 26

what does a tight pulse indicate?

Answer 26

excess, cold, stagnation

Question 27

what does a short pulse indicate?

Answer 27

often deficient qi, yin

Question 28

what does a long pulse indicate?

Answer 28

excess, yang

Question 29

slow, IRREGULAR pulse, skips beats irregularly

Answer 29

knotted pulse

Question 30

what does a knotted pulse indicate?

Answer 30

deficient qi, blood, or jing, cold obstructing qi and blood, often sign of heart not ruling blood properly

Question 31

what is the difference between a hurried and knotted pulse?

Answer 31

the speed! hurried pulses are irregular and rapid

Question 32

what does a hurried pulse indicate?

Answer 32

heat agitating the qi and blood

Question 33

usually skips more beats than the previous two pulses, REGULAR pattern

Answer 33

intermittent pulse

Question 34

what pulses are sometimes congenital and may not be considered signs of disharmony?

Answer 34

knotted, hurried, and intermittent

Question 35

what does an intermittent pulse indicate?

Answer 35

usually associated with the heart (serious disharmony) or signal exhausted state of all organs

Question 36

surges with strength of big pulse, leaves fingers with less strength

Answer 36

flooded pulse

Question 37

what does a flooded pulse indicate?

Answer 37

heat has injured fluids and yin of the body

Question 38

extremely fine and soft, lacks clarity of thin pulse, barely perceptible, seems to about disappear

Answer 38

minute pulse

Question 39

what does a minute pulse indicate?

Answer 39

extreme deficiency, yin

Question 40

soft, weak, somewhat thin

Answer 40

frail pulse

Question 41

what does a frail pulse indicate?

Answer 41

more extreme deficient qi condition (qi can’t raise pulse), yin

Question 42

combination of thin, empty, and floating pulses, extremely soft, less clear than thin pulse, perceptible only in superficial position

Answer 42

soggy pulse

Question 43

what does a soggy pulse indicate?

Answer 43

sign of deficient blood or jing, sometimes dampness, yin

Question 44

combination of wiry and floating pulse with aspects of empty pulse

Answer 44

leather pulse

Question 45

what does a leather pulse indicate?

Answer 45

sign of deficient blood or jing, yin

Question 46

extreme form of sinking pulse, must apply intense pressure to feel

Answer 46

hidden pulse

Question 47

if a hidden pulse is strong what does that indicate?

Answer 47

cold obstructing the meridians

Question 48

if a hidden pulse is weak what does that indicate?

Answer 48

deficient yang (can’t raise pulse)

Question 49

opposite of leather pulse, form of hidden pulse, very deep and wiry, usually long and strong

Answer 49

confined pulse

Question 50

what does a confined pulse indicate?

Answer 50

obstruction due to cold

Question 51

combination of short, tight, slippery and rapid pulses, felt only in one position

Answer 51

spinning bean or moving pulse

Question 52

what does a spinning bean pulse indicate?

Answer 52

extreme condition, usually occurs with heart palpitations, intense fright, fever, or pain

Question 53

solid on outside but completely empty within, also often floating

Answer 53

hollow pulse

Question 54

what does a hollow pulse indicate?

Answer 54

deficient blood, seen after great loss of blood

Question 55

floating, big, weak, larger and more distinct than empty pulse, tends to be felt primarily as it recedes

Answer 55

scattered pulse

Question 56

what does a scattered pulse indicate?

Answer 56

serious disharmony- kidney yang exhausted and “floating away”