Weak pulse; strong pulse

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A weak pulse is one that can only be felt with difficulty at one of 3 levels

of pressure. If you increase or decrease the pressure on the wrist a weak

pulse disappears. A weak pulse may be floating (felt with the lightest

pressure) or sinking (felt only with a lot of pressure on the wrist). A

floating pulse most often is associated with External problems; a sinking

pulse signifies an Interior condition. An Interior condition is one in

which the imbalance is deep within the body. It's not just at the level of

the meridians and muscles, arms and legs and head, it's in the trunk of the

body and in the Organs.

 

A strong pulse is one that is stronger than normal. It can be felt at any of

the 3 levels of pressure though it may be felt stronger at one. A floating

strong pulse will be felt strongest with light pressure. A sinking strong

pulse will be felt most easily at the deeper levels of pressure.

 

When you take your pulse or those of family members and friends you

shouldn't have any problems identifying a weak pulse because you will have

trouble finding it, and it will disappear with any increase or decrease of

pressure. Identifying what is meant by a strong pulse is a bit more

difficult because normal pulses are fairly strong. At present because you

don't know what normal is, recognizing a strong pulse may be difficult

unless it's really pounding.

 

The diagnostic significance of a weak pulse is it's associated with

Deficiency conditions. Deficiency conditions are imbalances that cause

problems because there's not enough of something. Not enough Qi, Blood,

Yang, and/or Yin. If a pulse is floating and weak, this can signify

External Deficiency Cold or Heat (yes, these do occur though not very

often), or it can signify Yin or Blood Deficiency.

 

This quality of weakness that is associated with Deficiency (Qi, Blood,

Yang, and/or Yin Deficiency) doesn't only show up in the pulse. The

movements and speech of a person with Deficiency will tend to be weak. Weak

voice, weak movements.

 

In contrast, a strong pulse signifies Excess. Imbalances due to Excess

create problems because there is too much of something. Too much Cold, too

much Heat, too much Dampness, too much Yin, too much Yang, Qi Stagnation and

Blood Stasis and Phlegm. (Any Qi Stagnation, Blood Stasis, or Phlegm is too

much of something, and these conditions automatically are classified as

Excess conditions.) Sometimes Deficiency can cause Excess. Like when the

Spleen is Qi Deficient and not doing it's job of moving and transforming

fluids which in turn allows Dampness to accumulate and even turn to Phlegm

(Excess). This is where TCM pulse diagnosis gets more complicated than

Western pulse taking. In these cases the pulse may be weak in the Spleen

position but strong in another position. Or the overall quality of the

pulse in all positions may be " slippery " . Quite a bit of variation is

possible in mixed patterns. But don't worry about this. For now, just

learn the basics. Floating often indicates Exterior, sinking indicates

Interior, weak indicates Deficiency, and strong indicates Excess.

 

Heat and Cold in the body can slow up in the pulse too. A slow pulse

usually indicates Cold. A rapid pulse almost always indicates Heat. Think

of how cold slows things down. When water molecules slow down enough, they

freeze into ice. Think of the expression " as slow as molasses in January. "

 

This slow quality of Cold shows up not only in the pulse but in the movments

and speech of people suffering from Cold. These people will tend to move

slowly and speak slowly in addition to the pulse being slow.

 

In contrast, Heat speeds things up. The pulse, movements, and speech of

someone suffering from a Heat imbalance will tend to be rapid.

 

One of the exceptions to a slow pulse meaning Cold is well-conditioned

athletes. Their pulses will be slower than normal without Cold being

present.

 

Victoria

 

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