Why Do Acupuncturists … Take Your Pulse?

If you’ve been to an acupuncturist, you probably had your pulse taken. That’s because the pulse provides a lot of information about your body: the state of your organs, your Qi, blood, yin, yang and overall constitution. 

And, of course, those things are all interconnected. Here’s what we’re looking for. 

Your organs are assigned to various positions on your pulse. For example, on your left arm, an acupuncturist can feel the state of your heart, liver and gallbladder, as well as your kidney yin. Likewise, your lungs, large intestine, stomach, spleen and kidney yang are located on your right arm. 

When we take your pulse, we’re feeling its depth and strength at each of three positions on your arms. By feeling the pulses on both arms at once, we can also compare the overall strength of your circulation. If one side is markedly weaker than the other, it can mean a referral to a cardiologist for a possible blocked artery.

Two more things stand out when an acupuncturist takes your pulse: the level at which it’s found and the speed. 

Your pulse level can be superficial, middle or deep. When it’s located at the superficial level in all positions, you might be beginning to fight a cold. When it’s very deep but too strong, it can indicate a problem with the organs, such as cancer. 

A slow pulse of less than 60 beats per minute can indicate too much cold in the body, while a pulse over 80 beats per minute reveals too much heat.

But the overall feel of your pulse in each position is probably the most important. A pulse that feels smooth and rounded (often described as “pearls rolling in a dish”) is considered “slippery,” indicating dampness in the body. A pulse that feels like a guitar string is called “stringlike” and indicates a problem with the liver. 

You probably thought we were just checking your heart rate, right? Now you know that your pulse can tell you acupuncturist a lot about your body, your health and where to focus your treatment. And from there, we can help get you on the right track.

Give us a call or click here to schedule your appointment today!