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The palpitating method is one of four methods which the practitioner of Chinese medicine will use in order to determine a correct diagnosis, the other three are observation, smelling and listening and questioning. Palpitation or touching is performed by feeling or tapping local areas of the patient’s body in order to determine the following:

• Any areas that are painful.
• The temperature of the skin.
• Any swollen areas.
• Perspiration.
• Colour of the skin.

Using the pulse for diagnosis

The pulse diagnosis is the most important part of the palpitation method in traditional Chinese medicine and is very different from the examination of the pulse that western Doctors perform.

In Chinese medicine, the practitioner places the index, middle and ring fingers on the radial artery when performing the pulse palpitation and there are three varying degrees of pressure that the practitioner can use these are a light touch, medium touch and a heavy touch.

The touch is applied to the region and corresponds to the upper, middle and lower areas of the body, the pulse pressure can be described in 28 ways and this relates to how the pulse feels underneath the fingertips. Some examples of this are:

• Slippery – the pulse has a very fluid and full movement.
• Choppy – the pulse is irregular and has no strength.
• Full – the pulse feels large and can be felt at all levels.
• Empty – the pulse is hardly noticeable and hard to detect when pressure is applied.
• Slow – this is much slower than the normal pulse rate of 3 to 4 beats per minute.
• Rapid – the pulse beats a lot faster than the normal, around 7 to 8 beats per minute.
• Superficial – the pulse is easily felt on the skins surface.
• Deep – the pulse is only felt with a very heavy touch.

These are just a few of the descriptions which the practitioner will use to describe the patients pulse during the pulse diagnosis. It is a method which requires great skill on the practitioner’s part and a great deal of practice.

However when it is used properly it is an essential part of the diagnosis and one which the practitioner often relies on to help pinpoint a condition. The pulse test and the tongue test are to be considered by many the pillars of the four examinations in the practice of traditional Chinese medicine.