BOver2000yearstheexaminationofthepulsehasbeenamysteriousskillinTraditionalChineseMedicine.Althoughmanywesternersmayhaveknownsomethingaboutmethodslikeinspectinglisteningandenquiringpulsereadingasatoolto

　　B

　　Over2000yearstheexaminationofthepulsehasbeenamysteriousskillinTraditionalChineseMedicine.Althoughmanywesternersmayhaveknownsomethingaboutmethodslikeinspectinglisteningandenquiringpulsereadingasatooltodeterminephysicalconditionisnotcommonknowledge.Itisthereforeworthourefforttotakeacloserlookatit.

　　Therearethreepositionsoneachwristwhichareusedforanalysis:thefrontmiddleandbackpartandanalyzedatthreedifferentlevels:superficialmiddleanddeep.

　　Ontheleftwristthefrontpositionfocusesontheconditionoftheheartandsmallintestine(小肠)themiddlepositionconcentratesonthefunctionsoftheliverandgallbladderandthebackpositionisconnectedwiththekidney.Thelungsandlargeintestinearethecentreofattentioninthefrontpositionontherightwristwiththemiddlepositionfocusingonthespleenandstomachandthebacktakingnoteofthe“GateofVitalityFire’.Thisistheheatproviderforallbodilyfunctions.

　　InregardstothevariouslevelsthesuperficiallevelreflectsthestateofenergythemiddlelevelshowsthestateofbloodflowandthedeeplevelisanindicationofthestateoftheYinorgans.Supposethatthepulseintheleftmiddlepositionwassoftandsmoothneithersuperficialnordeepitwouldsuggestthattheliverandgallbladderareinagoodstateofhealth.

　　Checkingthepulseisactuallyfarmorecomplex.Doctorsneedtobeabletorecognize26differentpulsecategories.Forexampleascatteredpulsewhichisirregularandhardlynoticeableisasignthatapatientiscriticallyillandnearingdeath.Othercategoriesincludetherapidpulseprobablyasignofafever;orthetensepulsewhichmaysuggestthatthepatientissufferingfrompain.Manypulsesonlyhavesubtledifferences;thuspulseexaminationisoftenseenasbeingmorethanjustaskillbutanactualartform.

　　Thiskindofmedicaldiagnosiscanbeaffectedbymanyfactorssobeforeanyexaminationitisimportantthatpatientsareinarelaxedphysicalandmentalstatesotheycangetthemostaccuratereading.Themorningisoftenthebesttimetotakesuchareadingasabusydayintheofficeorvigorousexercisebeforeseeingthedoctorcaninfluencethequalityofthepulse.Therightamountofpressuremust