wk2 - pulses - 5 shape & 5 superficial

Question 1

5 pulses defined by shape

Answer 1

1. long
2. short
3. large
4. small
5. wiry

Question 2

long pulse – description

Answer 2

• extends beyond the cun/guan/chi positions

- don’t know anything about its depth or rate or anything else

Question 3

long pulse – pathology

Answer 3

• if tall person: could be non-pathological

- if pathology: probably excess

Question 4

short pulse – description

Answer 4

• shorter in length than the cun/guan/chi positions

- sole defining characteristic is that it does NOT fill the 3 pulse positions

Question 5

short pulse – pathology

Answer 5

• if short person: could be normal

- if pathology: probably deficiency

Question 6

large pulse – description

Answer 6

• really wide diameter (from medial to lateral wrist)

- defined as being 2x size of normal

Question 7

large pulse – pathology

Answer 7

• primarily assoc. with excess pathologies

- if person is large: not much to worry about (but at certain point, being large maybe of concern)

Question 8

small pulse – description

Answer 8

• narrow diameter

- defined as being 1/2 the size of normal

Question 9

small pulse – pathology

Answer 9

• primarily assoc. with deficiencies

Question 10

wiry / string-like pulse – description

Answer 10

• long length
• tight / taught / straight (lacks contour + and is string-like)
• stiff
• hard + forceful (you won’t find a weak wiry pulse)
• “comes up to all 3 fingers at the same time” (bc it’s not contoured)

Question 11

wiry / string-like pulse – pathology

Answer 11

• non-pathological in Spring season
• LV/GB pathologies
• pain

Question 12

5 pulses defined by superficial depth

Answer 12

1. floating
2. scallion
3. soggy / soft
4. drumskin / leather
5. scattered

Question 13

floating pulse – description

Answer 13

• felt with light touch directly below skin’s surface
• primary presence is superficial (the more I press, the less presence or intensity)
• maybe either forceful or forceless (depending upon whether excess or deficient condition)

Question 14

floating pulse – pathology

Answer 14

• exterior pathogen
• Yin vacuity
• forceful pulse reflects excess: wind-cold excess or wind-heat excess
• forceless pulse reflects deficiency: wind-cold deficiency or Yin deficiency

Question 15

scallion pulse – description

Answer 15

• hollow, like green part of scallion
• large pulse (wide diameter, fills up whole space)
• forceless (not a lot of substance)
• felt primarily at superficial level with light touch; with more pressure it’s empty (then before reaching middle level you can feel it slightly)
• defining characteristic of scallion pulse is vacuousness with pressure (this is how to distinguish it from floating pulse, which is NOT empty with pressure)
• “has a top and bottom and sides”

Question 16

scallion pulse – pathology

Answer 16

1. blood vacuity (on more extreme side; not just menstrual blood vacuity)
2. blood loss (trauma, hemorrhage)
3. essence vacuity (either born this way or have used it up at end of life)
4. heat disease that damages fluids (e.g. heat dries or steams fluid, leading to Yin vacuity)

Question 17

soggy / soft pulse – description

Answer 17

• found at superficial level, directly below surface with light touch; with pressure, it becomes indistinct (not empty)
• has almost nothing below superficial level (you may need to vary pressure to distinguish this pulse)
• small pulse
• forceless
• feels soft + mushy (like a wet sponge)

Question 18

soggy / soft pulse – pathology

Answer 18

• Qi + Blood vacuity (primarily)

- Damp (bc damp mutes everything)

Question 19

drumskin / leather pulse – description

Answer 19

• found at superficial level, directly below surface with light touch; even with pressure, there is still some substance; but empty underneath
• this pulse has a false presentation: seemingly hard surface with no bottom
• tight, hard surface (Yang surface, like the top of a drum)
• no bottom
• straight, taut, no contour
• large pulse
• urgency (has an urgent quality to it)

Question 20

drumskin / leather pulse – pathology

Answer 20

• collapse (Qi Collapse)
• might see it as last radiance of the setting sun (at end of one’s life)
• KD Yang vacuity (severe condition where it’s an anomalous presentation: the last of Yang appears at the surface as heat signs, so you may think it’s Yin vacuity but it’s really severe Yang vacuity)

Question 21

scattered pulse – description

Answer 21

• found at superficial level, directly below surface with light touch; with pressure, it disappears + scatters (like a dandelion’s seedlings scatter)
• large
• forceless
• disordered rhythm (it’s not in the irregular rhythm category, but has an irregular quality to it)
• lacks root
• feels like there’s barely a vessel (can’t tolerate any pressure)
• (when drawing this pulse, don’t give it any sides bc there’s not enough substance to give it sides)

Question 22

scattered pulse – pathology

Answer 22

• Qi + Blood DEBILITY (not just Vacuity, but Vacuity++)
• Heart Yang Vacuity

(less impt: late-stage heat diseases – e.g. heat toxins like Ebola virus)