The Three Basic Components of A Pulse: Shape, Jump, and Level

eLOTUS UPDATE
January 2010
eLOTUS UPDATE January 2010
HOME The Three Basic Components of a Pulse:

LIVE SEMINARS Shape, Jump, and Level
DISTANCE LEARNING by Jimmy Wei-Yen Chang, L.Ac.
WEBINAR If a picture is worth a thousand words, then regarding pulse diagnosis, it may be said,
A touch is worth a thousand pictures.
R E G I S T R AT I O N
LOTUS SPEAKERS Pulse diagnosis is perhaps the least understood diagnostic constituent of Chinese Medicine
partly due to the difficulty in disseminating its intricacies, as well as the fact that access to reliable
DRUG-HERB SET clinical information regarding pulse diagnosis is almost non-existentuntil now.
BOOKS & NOTES
Jimmy Wei-Yen Chang is one of the very few, if not the only pulse master, who knows and is
FA Q
willing to spread the invaluable knowledge of effectively utilizing pulse taking to its full diagnostic
potential. Through his book, Pulsynergy, and his Pulsynergy Made Easy seminar series,
FORUM Master Chang simplifies the art of pulse taking.
DOWNLOADS One of the fundamental understandings of Master Changs pulse taking theory is that a pulse
consists of three basic components shape, jump, and level. The shape of a pulse describes its
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structural topography; the jump of a pulse describes its pulsation aspect; and the level of a pulse
C O N TA C T U S describes the depth in which the pulse is felt.
Shape
Upcoming Events Short, turtle, guitar string, concave, and scattered all describe the shape
structural topography of a pulse. Shapes of pulses can be grouped into four categories:
Mix & Match 30 1) Convex-shaped, 2) Straight-wiry, 3) Concave-shaped, and 4) Shapeless.
Formulas for Clinical
Success Convex-shaped pulses are pulses that bulge upward and/or outward. The lengths of these pulses
vary from 0.1-2.0 cm. Convex-shaped pulses are usually indicative of pathology in the vessels
by Alex Chen
(stagnation) of the organs, or growth or mass reflected by the position of the pulse. Examples of
Location & Time: convex-shaped pulses include birds beak (aka pen tip), short, turtle, rainbow, and bump.
LotusWEBINAR Only
1/23/10 9 am to 6 pm PST
Straight-wiry pulses, as the name indicates, are pulses that are straight, with no curvature,
Pulsynergy Made Easy and wiry, indicating the tension or tightness of the pulse. The diameter of these pulses can be
Part I from less then 0.1 mm (hairline thin) to about 0.5 cm. The thin, straight pulses are taut, with the
tautness of the pulses dependent on their diameters the thinner the pulse, the more taut the
by Jimmy Chang pulse. They are usually indicative of constriction in the part of the body reflected by the position
Location & Time:
of the pulse. Thin, straight pulses include roof and guitar string (aka steel wire).
LotusWEBINAR Only
1/24/10 9 am to 6 pm PST The thick, straight pulses may or may not be taut, and are usually indicative of excess heat or
inflammation; such pulses are taiyang pulse, big pulse, and brachial pulse.
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The next category of pulse shapes is concave-shaped pulses. Concave-shaped pulses dip and curve downward. The curves
on the sides of these pulses can be felt, almost as if the vessel walls are thinner so that when it is pressed, it sinks down. Since
concave-shaped pulses curve downward, these pulses are mostly found on the deep level.
Shapeless pulse is the last category of pulse shapes. The arterial borders and cylindrical shape of these pulses cannot be felt;
it feels like there is no distinct pulse with a distinguishable border. It feels almost like wiggling jello. The diagnosis of shapeless
pulses is blood stasis, damp accumulation, or high cholesterol. Examples of shapeless pulses include scattered pulse,
dispersing pulse, and greasy pulse.
It is important to remember that convex-shaped, straight-wiry, concave-shaped, and shapeless pulses describe only the
shape aspect of pulses; the jump (i.e., forceful or weak / fast or slow) and level (superficial or deep) of these pulses must also be
determined in order to create a complete pulse picture and reach a diagnosis.
Jump
The jump of a pulse refers to the pulsation aspects of a pulse and the force of the pulse pressing up against your fingers. There
are four attributes of jump: 1) Velocity, 2) Strength, 3) Resistance, and 4) Amplitude. The velocity of a pulse describes the rate of
the pulse, whether the pulse is fast (>80 beats per minute) or slow (<60 beats per minute). Strength describes the rebound of
a pulse against your fingers. When a pulse is forceful, the pulse has a strong rebound and does not disappear upon pressure;
whereas a weak pulse disappears upon pressure and has little or no rebound. The resistance of a pulse describes the flow of
a pulse, whether it flows smoothly and consistently, or feels tight and obstructed. The last attribute of jump is amplitude, which
describes the magnitude at which the blood vessel expands.
As with shapes of pulses, it is important to remember that the jump of a pulse describes only one aspect of pulses; in order to
create a complete pulse picture and to reach a diagnosis, the shape and level of these pulses must also be determined.
Level
Level refers to the depth at which the pulse can be felt. Normally, the cun is most superficial (right below the skin), guan is mid
level, and chi is the deepest. Evaluating the relative level of the three positions gives an idea of which organ is out of balance.
In general, a floating (aka superficial) pulse indicates dryness while a deep (aka sunken) pulse indicates damp; however, as
mentioned above, in order to create a complete pulse picture and reach a diagnosis, the level of a pulse must be combined with
its shape and jump.
Conclusion
A complete pulse picture can be broken down to its three basic components shape, jump, and level. Knowing and understanding
the descriptions and indications of these different shapes, jumps, and levels of pulses are the fundamental pieces needed to paint
a complete pulse picture.
About the Author

Master Jimmy Wei-Yen Chang has over 25 years of concentrated clinical experience applying his expertise in differential
diagnosis and herbal prescription. The author of a pulse diagnosis manual, Pulsynergy, Master Chang currently pursues his
specialties in private practice in Hacienda Heights, California, and is widely recognized for his skills in correlating expert pulse
taking and herbal prescription.
To learn more about pulses and herbs, Jimmy Chang is speaking on the following topics for Lotus Institute. All classes are
approved for 8 CEUs/PDAs by the CA and IL Acupuncture Boards and NCCAOM; pending approval for FL and TX Acupuncture
Boards.
Copyright 2010 Lotus Institute of Integrative Medicine. All Rights Reserved.

Classes by the Author
Pulsynergy Made Easy Part I

- 1/24/10 LotusWEBINAR Rebroadcast (Register before 1/20/10 and Watch if FREE!)
Pulsynergy Made Easy Part II

- 2/14/10 LotusWEBINAR Rebroadcast
Pulsynergy Made Easy Part III

Pulsynergy Made Easy Part IV

- 9/12/10 LotusSEMINAR @ Denver, CO and Live-streaming LotusWEBINAR
Fang Jia Fang: The Art & Science of Herbal Combinations Part I
Fang Jia Fang: The Art & Science of Herbal Combinations Part II
Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Disorders: Pulse Diagnosis and Herbal Treatment

Dermatological, Endocrine, and Genitourinary Disorders: Pulse Diagnosis and Herbal Treatment
- 8/29/10 Live-streaming LotusWEBINAR
Case Studies: Live Discussion on Pulse Diagnosis and Herbal Prescriptions

- 10/17/10 LotusSEMINAR @ Los Angeles, CA and Live-streaming LotusWEBINAR
Hands-On Pulse Taking Workshop (30 people max)

- 9/26/10 LotusSEMINAR @ Rowland Heights, CA
- 11/21/10 LotusSEMINAR @ Rowland Heights, CA
Lotus Live Seminar

New Topics and New Speakers for 2010 - Come and Join Us!
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What are the three basic components of a pulse according to the article?

What are the three basic components of a pulse according to the article?

What are the four categories that pulse shapes can be grouped into?

What are the four categories that pulse shapes can be grouped into?

eLOTUS UPDATE

eLOTUS UPDATE January 2010

HOME The Three Basic Components of a Pulse:

Newsletters | Useful Links | Copyright | Policy | Employment Opportunity

About the Author

Copyright 2010 Lotus Institute of Integrative Medicine. All Rights Reserved.

Classes by the Author

Pulsynergy Made Easy Part I

Pulsynergy Made Easy Part II

Pulsynergy Made Easy Part III

Pulsynergy Made Easy Part IV

Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Disorders: Pulse Diagnosis and Herbal Treatment

Case Studies: Live Discussion on Pulse Diagnosis and Herbal Prescriptions

Hands-On Pulse Taking Workshop (30 people max)

Lotus Live Seminar

Lotus Online Forum

Lotus Institute of Integrative Medicine

Copyright 2010 Lotus Institute of Integrative Medicine. All Rights Reserved.

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