Past, Present, and Future of the Pulse Examination (脈診 mài zhěn)

Abstract

The pulse examination (脈診 mài zhěn) is a unique diagnostic approach of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The description of pulse examination in the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine is full of amazement and mythology. After researching in hemodynamics and investigating in clinical application for three decades, this article describes the development and the merits and demerits of pulse examination. The experiences of the ancients are tried to be illustrated with modern knowledge and language. As the theory of resonant blood circulation is discovered, Traditional Chinese Medicine could be on the shoulder of Newton and then lead the development of modern medicine. Hope the tool of pulse examination constructed according to eigen-vector with specific time domain and position can bring the running water for Traditional Chinese Medicine. Quantitative research could overcome the plight of analog logic qualitative research, and therefore bring new health revolution.

Different Harmonic Characteristics Were Found at Each Location on TCM Radial Pulse Diagnosis by Spectrum Analysis

“…Pulse diagnosis at the wrist radial artery in TCM uses the pulse beat status that is generated by vascular pressure fluctuations at different locations to assess the physiological and pathological states of various organs [ 1 , 30 ]. The pulsation condition depends on the matching condition formed by the driving force generated by the heart and the natural frequency of the resonance of the heartbeat and arterial system [ 2 ].…”

“…From the perspective of medical engineering, Wang et al proposed the organ-artery coupled resonance theory [ 24 ], which argues that each harmonic that is derived from the breakdown of the pulse wave obtained by measurement at individual locations can correspond to the resonance condition of different organs in the heart-artery system [ 1 , 2 ]. On the other hand, according to the idea of “three positions and nine indicators” of the TCM pulse diagnosis, different locations correspond to different organs [ 30 ].…”

“…The “pulse diagnosis” of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) refers to the physician's use of three fingers (index finger, middle finger, and ring finger) on three “positions”, i.e., inch (寸), bar (關), and cubit (尺) of the patient to perceive the pulse by pressing on three “indicators”, i.e., superficial (浮), medium (中), and deep (沈), to observe the states of different organs [ 1 , 2 ]. This method is derived from the positioning method of “three positions and nine indicators” and has been widely used in clinical field [ 1 ]. The clinical situation of pulse diagnosis of TCM is shown in Figure 1 .…”

“…On the other hand, according to the “resonance theory” proposed by Wang et al that the pulse wave resonates with the heartbeat and the pulse wave can also be broken into a number of harmonics that match the natural frequency of the resonance [ 21 ], these harmonics may also correspond to different organs. Combining resonance theory and pulse spectrum analysis, harmonics analysis has been widely used in pulse diagnosis researches of TCM in recent years [ 1 , 2 , 22 , 23 ].…”

Pulse Wave Harmony: Ancient Wisdoms for Modern Age

“…Traditional Tibetan Medicine [1], like most Traditional Medicine systems such as Chinese [2,3] and Indian Ayurvedic [4], have developed an empirical knowledge of the body-mind complex since thousands of years and is still alive today. Of particular interest for this research is one of their diagnosis systems based on blood pulse wave finger sensing: using several fingers placed on certain parts of the body, the traditional physician is able to identify the type of disorder the patient is suffering from.…”