Hi Kateri -

How do we distinguish between a constitutional pulse vs. pathological pulse? 

 

Pulses that do not change during treatment and other life changes may be constitutional. Also - the very weakest or the very strongest pulse may be representative oaf a constitutional focus from an organ/vessel perspective.

 

 

 In the classics, Li Shi Zhen describes males to having a normally stronger pulse at the cun positions and left side whereas women have a stronger pulse on the right and chi positions.  It was suggested by a classmate in our pulse class that perhaps it was historical?  Maybe she is right.  Maybe men were more active and had a more yang tendencies whereas women were not so OR perhaps culturally, during Li Shi Zhen's time, it was illness if a woman showed yang tendencies and vice versa.  OR maybe as people evolved over the years and most of us do not toil the earth but rather move only our wrists and fingers at best, maybe constitional pulses are different today than yesterday.   At what point does constitutional become pathology?

 

Even though this thought is found in many basic texts on pulse diagnosis, I have never been able to verify this assertion about sex and sidedness. Lacking verification, I do not use this thinking in my practice.

 

I view constitution from a number of perspectives:

 

1. the constitution is the fundamental and essential identity

2. constitution correlates with developmental stages

3. constitution refers to the innate strengths and weaknesses of the bodily condition

4. acquired constitution is the body/mind state in response to traumatic events

 

Will