Twelve Pulses

Twelve Pulses

Chinese medicine
A set of six functional zones on the right and left wrists (12 in all) located over the radial artery. According to the traditional Chinese construct, the radial pulse has a number of qualities which allow the practitioner to evaluate the state of any of the 12 vital organs:
the “deep pulse” of the left hand corresponds to (from the ends of the hands, inward) the heart, liver and kidney; the “superficial pulse” of the left hand corresponds to the small intestine, gallbladder and bladder; the “deep pulse” of the right hand corresponds to the lung, spleen and heart constrictor; the “superficial pulse” of the right hand corresponds to the large intestine, stomach and triple warmer.