Pulses - Floating, Sinking, Slow and Rapid Flashcards
What is the Commander of Blood?
Qi
What governs Qi?
The Lungs govern Qi
Where is the meeting place of 100 vessels?
Lung
Which pulse level deals with interaction with environment; peripheral nervous system; and conscious emotion?
Wei-Qi (superficial)
Which pulse level deals with how organs respond to external environment and how organs are in communication with each other?
Ying Qi and Blood (moderate)
Which pulse level deals with organ function, and unconscious emotions?
Yuan-Qi (Deep)
What is the sensation of a Floating Pulse?
Feels like wood floating on water, soft and level
What does a Floating Pulse mean?
In autumn, this is the ideal pulse
If felt when there is chronic disease, poor prognosis
Generally indicates disease of Exterior origin
What does a strong floating pulse or a floating pulse with strength indicate?
Wind-heat
What does a weak floating pulse or a forceless floating pulse indicate?
Blood deficiency
What does a slow floating pulse indicate?
Wind
What does a rapid floating pulse indicate?
Heat
What does a tight floating pulse indicate?
Cold
What does a floating pulse in the cun position indicate?
Wind causing vertigo and headache or
Wind phlegm gathering in the chest
What does a floating pulse in the guan position indicate?
Weak Earth element with Wood invading Earth
What does a floating pulse in the chi position indicate?
Difficult urination and/or defecation?
What is the sensation of a sinking pulse?
A sinking pulse is felt with heavy pressure at the level of the sinews down to the bone
It feels soft with lighter pressure, and firm with heavier pressure
What does a sinking pulse mean?
Normal for women at the cun position
Normal for men at the chi position
Normal if the size and number of beats is moderate and consistent throughout the 4 seasons
What does a fine sunken pulse indicate?
Weak pulse
What does a wiry pulse that is long and forceful indicate?
Firm/Confined pulse
What does a sunken pulse indicate?
Hidden water accumulation; Yin channel disease
What does a rapid sunken pulse indicate?
Heat
What does a slow sunken pulse indicate?
Cold
What does a sunken-slippery pulse indicate?
Phlegm
What does a sunken-forceless pulse indicate?
Vacuity of Qi
What does a sunken-forceful pulse indicate?
Accumulation of Cold
What does a sinking pulse in the cun position mean?
Water collecting in the chest or Phlegm obstructing the chest
What does a sinking pulse in the guan position indicate?
Cold causing accumulation, stagnation and pain in the Middle Jiao.
What does a sinking pulse in the chi position indicate?
Injured Yuan Qi (Ming Men) causing leakages at the lower orifices or Kidney deficiency with lumbago
What is the sensation of a slow pulse?
3 pulsations per respiration
What is the meaning of a slow pulse?
Yang Qi deficiency
Disease at Zang Fu
Profuse Phlegm
What is a slow pulse that is very thin and difficult to palpate with rough and uneven beats?
Choppy Pulse
What is a slow pulse that is floating, soft and with big beats?
Empty pulse
What is a slow forceful pulse indicate?
Pain due to Cold accumulation
What is a slow forceless pulse indicate?
Yang Deficiency and Vacuity Cold
What does a slow pulse in the cun position indicate?
Cold at the Upper Jiao
What does a slow pulse in the guan position indicate?
Excruciating pain due to cold accumulation at the Middle Jiao
What does a slow pulse in the chi position indicate?
Kidney Deficiency
Low back and leg pain with heaviness
Incontinence and/or difficult defecation
Scrotal hernia
What is the sensation of a rapid pulse?
6 pulsations per respiration
What is the meaning of a rapid pulse?
This is a normal pulse for infants
Damaged Yin Fluids with excessive Yang Heat
Mental restlessness, confusion or delirium
What is a rapid pulse that sometimes misses a beat?
Hasty Pulse
What is a rapid pulse that is palpable only at the guan?
Moving pulse
What does a rapid floating pulse indicate?
Exterior Heat
What does a rapid sunken pulse indicate?
Interior Heat
What does a strong rapid pulse indicate?
Excess Heat
What does a forceless rapid pulse indicate?
Deficiency Heat
What does a rapid sunken pulse with lung disease presentation in autumn indicate?
Poor prognosis
Excess internal fire injuring Lung Yin
Autumn is a dry time and can aggravate Lung diseases through injury to Lung fluids
What does a rapid pulse in the cun position indicate?
Left: Heart Fire Blazing – sore throat and mouth/tongue ulcers
Right: Dry Heat in the Lung – Lung Abscesses and coughing/vomiting blood
What does a rapid pulse in guan position indicate?
Left: Liver Fire
Right: Stomach Fire
What does a rapid pulse in the chi position indicate?
Fire in the lower jiao blazing upwards
You can control this by nourishing Yin and depressing Fire
