Pulses - indications

Question 1

Scattered

Answer 1

severe xu of Qi/Blood or KD qi

serious condition

Question 2

Wiry (string-taut)

Answer 2

Liver disharmony
pain
phlegm

Question 3

Hollow (scallion)

Answer 3

hemorrhage
forthcoming hemorrhage (if rapid)

Question 4

Moving (spinning bean)

Answer 4

shock
anxiety
fright
pain

Question 5

Intermittent

Answer 5

serious problem in internal organs
HT problem (in western med)
(also extreme fear/fright, wind)

Question 6

Slow (3)

Answer 6

Cold
full cold (if full)
empty cold (if weak)

Question 7

Minute (faint)

Answer 7

severe xu of qi and blood

Question 8

Slippery (rolling)

Answer 8

• accumulation of Damp, Phlegm, or Food (if full)
• Phlegm or Damp with Qi xu (if weak)
• normal in pregnancy

Question 9

Hidden

Answer 9

severe Yang xu

Question 10

Long

Answer 10

Heat pattern

Question 11

Weak (frail)

Answer 11

yang xu
blood xu
(WEB says extreme qi xu)

Question 12

Soggy (soft)

Answer 12

damp with qi xu
yin xu
essence xu
(WEB says Damp OR blood or jing xu)

Question 13

Confined (prison, firm)

Answer 13

blood stasis
interior cold (if slow)
pain

Question 14

Short

Answer 14

severe qi xu

Stomach qi xu

Question 15

Tight (tense)

Answer 15

COLD
exterior cold (if floating)
interior Full cold (if full-deep)
interior Empty cold (if weak-deep)
PAIN
(WEB + CAM say food accumulation + stagnation, too)

Question 16

Empty (deficient, vacuous)

Answer 16

Qi xu

cold be qi/blood xu

Question 17

Full (excess, replete)

Answer 17

Excess
full heat (if rapid)
full cold (if slow)

Question 18

Rapid

Answer 18

Heat
full heat (if full)
empty heat (if weak)

Question 19

Choppy (hesitant, rough)

Answer 19

• blood or jing xu (if weak)
• body fluid exhaustion (i.e. following profuse sweating or vomiting)
• qi or blood stasis (if strong)

Question 20

Hasty (abrupt, hurried)

Answer 20

severe Heat
Heart qi xu
Heart Fire
(CAM says qi/blood stagnation, accumulation of food/phlegm, collapse syndrome if weak too)

Question 21

Surging (flooding)

Answer 21

Full Heat
empty heat (if empty)
WEB - heat has injured the Fluids and Yin

Question 22

Moderate (slow-down)

Answer 22

generally a healthy pulse

Question 23

Knotted (bound)

Answer 23

Cold
Heart qi xu
Heart yang xu
(also retention of cold phlegm, HT not ruling the blood properly - the more interruptions the more severe)

Question 24

Thin (fine, thready)

Answer 24

blood xu
Damp with severe qi xu
(some say yin xu, too)

Question 25

Floating (4 - interior and exterior (superficial)

Answer 25

exterior wind-cold (if tight)
exterior W-H (if rapid)
yin xu (if weak)
severe interior Qi xu (ie anemia, cancer)

Question 26

Leather (drumskin)

Answer 26

severe xu of KD essence or KD yin

WEB says blood or jing xu

Question 27

Deep (3) (sinking)

Answer 27

interior
Qi/Blood stasis (if full)
Yang xu (if weak)