Pulse Diagnosis Beyond Chinese Medicine
To diagnose effectively, we must recognise patterns of imbalance.
The easiest methodology is analysing both heat vs cold and dryness vs damp.
Heat vs. Cold –
Their Pathological Influence
Heat and cold relate not just to temperature sensations but reflect how imbalance is manifesting internally.
Excessive heat represents a dominance of yang:
Inflammation, fever, redness, restlessness, rapid pulse, and hyperactivity of physiological functions.
It manifests in conditions like infections, hypertension, acid reflux and even emotional agitation.
Heat makes the pulse expand, the artery to rise towards the surface, pound stronger and/or faster - all to try to release heat.
Excessive cold represents a dominance of yin:
Stagnation, poor circulation, fatigue, slow digestion, cold extremities, chronic pain.
It underlies conditions like hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue, arthritis, and depression.
Cold makes the pulse contracted and thin, retreat from the surface (deep) and the pulse to become slow, thin (either strong or weak, depending on how much it has invaded that area of the body) - all to try to retain heat.
Dryness vs. Dampness –
Their Pathological Inflence
Dryness and damp relate not just to hydration levels and internal humidity, but the function of fluids (such as blood, phlegm and lymph), digestion and metabolism.
Excessive dryness represents a dominance of depletion:
Dryness depletes fluids, leading to dry skin, constipation, thirst, dry cough, brittle hair, and a thin pulse.
It can be caused by excessive heat, dehydration, aging or environmental factors like dry climates or environments.
Dryness makes the pulse thin and much weaker than cold, and often wiry - all to preserve blood flow. It can also thicken the blood and make the pulse beat irregular.
Excessive damp represents a dominance of accumulation:
Dampness is the accumulation of excess moisture, presenting as oedema (fluid retention), phlegm, sluggish digestion, gut dysbiosis, bloating (in some instances), brain fog, lymphatic stagnation and fatigue.
It is often linked to poor diet, weakened digestion, internal stagnation and cold.
Damp can make the pulse deep, slippery, the blood thick, the fascia around the pulse puffy.
In summary:
Heat can widen, strengthen and speed up the pulse, and bring it to the surface.
Cold can thin and slow the pulse and send it deeper into the forearm.
Dryness can thin and weaken the pulse. In some cases it can thicken (dry) the blood.
Damp can sink the pulse and widen the artery as fluids fail to move efficiently.
Now we’ve covered all you need to know about Chinese medicine for this course. So let’s move on the the 4P process of Medical Pulsology.