TCM Pulse Diagnosis

Question 1

Floating Pulse

Answer 1

Pronounced at surface, deficient at lower depth
External Pattern

Question 2

Floating & Tight

Answer 2

Wind Cold
Tai Yang External Excess Pattern

Question 3

Floating & Rapid

Answer 3

Wind Heat

Question 4

Floating, Empty, & Rootless

Answer 4

Chronic disease
Major blood loss
Severe Deficiency of Right Qi

Question 5

Deep Pulse

Answer 5

Felt only at deep level
Interior disease

Question 6

Weak Pulse

Answer 6

Deep, forceless, thin & small
Qi & Blood Deficiency
Yang Deficiency

Question 7

Deep, Wiry and/or Full Pulse

Answer 7

Deep, forceful & tense; feels as though “tied” to the bone
Inner body stagnation
-Qi stagnation
-Interior excess heat
-Severe constipation
-Food stagnation
-Cold pain
-Phlegm retention

Question 8

Rapid/Fast Pulse

Answer 8

6 beats per breath / 90-139 bpm
Heat (generally)

Question 9

Fast & Forceful

Answer 9

Excess Heat

Question 10

Fast & Thin

Answer 10

Deficiency Heat

Question 11

Fast, Forceless & Large

Answer 11

Qi Deficiency

Question 12

Slow Pulse

Answer 12

3 or less beats per breath / 40-60 bpm
Cold (generally)

Question 13

Slow & Weak Pulse

Answer 13

Yang Qi Deficiency

Question 14

Slow & Forceful

Answer 14

Obstruction of qi dynamic due to:
-cold
-phlegm turbidity
-blood stasis

Question 15

Slow in Pregnancy

Answer 15

Uterine Deficiency Cold (insecurity of fetal qi)

Question 16

Moderate Pulse

Answer 16

Slightly slower than normal (relaxed)
Smooth, flowing & resilient
No disease indications in absence of other s/s

Question 17

Moderate, Slightly Less Forceful

Answer 17

Qi Deficiency

Question 18

Moderate, Slightly more Forceful

Answer 18

Dampness

Question 19

Slippery Pulse

Answer 19

Smooth, flowing, resilient; “like pearls in a dish”
Phlegm
Food Stagnation
Damp
Normal in pregnancy & athletes

Question 20

Slippery & Fast

Answer 20

Damp Heat

Question 21

Slippery & Large

Answer 21

Internal Excess Heat

Question 22

Rough or Choppy Pulse

Answer 22

Opposite of slippery; “like a knife scraping bamboo”
Thin, slow, short & rough; beating w/ difficulty

Question 23

Rough & Forceful

Answer 23

Blood Stasis

Question 24

Rough & Forceless

Answer 24

Qi & Blood Deficiency maybe w/ Blood Stagnation

Question 25

Wiry Pulse

Answer 25

Long, straight & tense, like a guitar string; usually somewhat forceful Stagnation (generally) Liver Patterns Phlegm Cold / Phlegm Rheum Pain Cold Shan, ST Deficiency Cold, Acute Tetany, Ascites, Shao Yang Disease, Chest Bi, etc

Question 26

Wiry and Empty

Answer 26

Ascending Yang due to Yin Deficiency Spleen Stomach Deficiency Cold LIV/SP or LIV/ST Disharmony

Question 27

Tight Pulse

Answer 27

Like a twisted rope drawn tight Similar to wiry but w/ marked forcefulness Stagnation; more likely when there's Cold or Pain

Question 28

Empty or Deficient Pulse

Answer 28

Large & Forceless; slightly floating; palpable on surface but empty on firm pressure Qi Deficiency Qi & Blood Deficiency Summerheat Damage

Question 29

Empty & Fast

Answer 29

Yin Deficiency

Question 30

Soggy or Soft Pulse

Answer 30

Similar to empty but thin rather than large; main feature is softness Dampness Qi Deficiency Qi & Blood Deficiency Loss of Blood due to collapse Taxation Detriment w/ damage to Essence Blood

Question 31

Full or Excess Pulse

Answer 31

Forceful, large, long, slightly wiry, palpable at all 3 depths Food Stagnation or excess in bowels w/ bound stool Normal in healthy/robust patients w/o disease signs

Question 32

Surging or Flooding Pulse

Answer 32

Similar to full but stronger coming than going; like waves beating against rocks Yang Ming Channel Disease In Deficiency Patterns: serious damage to Right Qi w/ risk of suddent worsening of condition Normal in healthy patients during summer

Question 33

Thin Pulse

Answer 33

Thin & straight like a thread but palpable w/ moderate pressure; middle depth Qi & Blood Deficiency

Question 34

Thin & Fast

Answer 34

Yin Deficiency

Question 35

Thin & Faint

Answer 35

Yang Deficiency

Question 36

Thin & Wiry

Answer 36

Liver Yin Deficiency

Question 37

Faint Pulse

Answer 37

Barely perceptible Severe Acute Deficiency: -loss of blood -loss of fluids through profuse sweat, diarrhea, etc -Collapse of Yang

Question 38

Long Pulse

Answer 38

Extends beyond pulse positions Long & resilient: no disease indications; abundant qi & blood Long & wiry: similar to wiry indications (stagnation)

Question 39

Short Pulse

Answer 39

Only felt at one position Forceless: Qi & Blood Deficiency; Yang Qi Deficiency; Hemorrage Forceful: Phlegm accumulation; Food Stagnation; Impaired flow of Qi & Blood

Question 40

Irregular Pulse

Answer 40

Pulse skips beat w/in 50-beat intervals Regular skips: Debilitation of the Qi of the Zang organs, particularly the Heart Heart Bi patterns w/ Blood Stasis & Phlegm Turbidity obstructing the qi of the chest