Many people think that traditional Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis is a method of pressing the patient's arterial pulse with fingers to explore the pulse condition and understand the illness. In fact, this method is not complete, and the transmission of traditional Chinese medical diagnosis has been lost, which is an undeniable fact.
Three fingers are used simultaneously for pulse diagnosis, applying balanced pressure, from light to heavy, divided into three types of pressure: superficial, medium, and deep. The pulse diagnosis time should be no less than 1 minute; this is generally how pulse diagnosis is performed.
What exactly is being diagnosed through pulse?
Under normal circumstances, the pulse rate and heart rate of the human body are consistent, meaning the number of beats per minute is the same. Through pulse and heart rate detection, some issues within the body can be observed.
Some people have pacemakers installed in their hearts, which affects the pulse, and in some cases, the pulse cannot even be detected. What should be done then?
Pulse diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine is not that simple; it is truly an underestimation of the profound depth of traditional medicine!
The "Secret Transmission of Heavenly Medicine" comes from the tomb of the Chu state during the Warring States period, which clearly states: "When cutting the pulse at the wrist, if it is extremely hot, it is rapid; if extremely cold, it is slow." This shows that pulse diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine is not just about monitoring pulse and heart rate; there are deeper reasons.
The fundamental technical means of pulse diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine is to replace high-precision equipment such as thermometers, dynamic electrocardiogram detectors, blood flow velocity detectors, and skin humidity detectors used in modern medicine.
It relies entirely on the three fingers of the practitioner, equivalent to three artificially trained sensing chips. Therefore, ancient learners of traditional Chinese medicine placed great emphasis on finger training from a young age.
To train the fingers for extreme sensitivity, practitioners would hold a hot water bottle throughout the year, practicing with three fingers resting on it, judging the water temperature from low to high, with no room for error—both measuring the temperature and avoiding burning their fingers is no small challenge. The elimination rate for this method is extremely high, with countless practitioners failing. It can be said that ancient Chinese medical experts are harder to find than immortals.
Additionally, there are other methods to train finger dexterity, some techniques flowed from the Qin Dynasty through Xu Fu to Japan, reportedly learned by the Kato family, who treasured it and unexpectedly promoted it in their domain.
The remaining texts of the "Huangdi Neijing" state: "Those who study medicine should align their three fingers, lightly press the patient's wrist, and perceive the constant changes of cold and heat in the pulse, predicting the progress of the disease. A warm pulse can be nurtured, while a cold pulse should be treated quickly; this measurement also reveals the major aspects of the illness."
The Yellow Emperor would not speak carelessly, indicating that the core technique of pulse diagnosis is to perceive the body's temperature. Higher than normal temperature indicates internal heat or fever; lower than normal indicates internal deficiency or multiple ailments of the spleen and stomach.
Sensitive fingertips touching the skin allow experienced practitioners to discern the subtle state of vital signs from the patient's skin temperature, dryness, and moisture levels.
Ancient lost medical texts unearthed by archaeology all record similar information. The "Medical Mirror" states, "A weak and rough pulse indicates cold; a strong pulse indicates heat; a coarse texture indicates fullness, while a fine texture indicates emptiness. Through repeated analysis, the principles of the pulse become clear. Once the crux is resolved, pulse diagnosis becomes intuitive, a fundamental principle for physicians."
Traditional Chinese medicine has passed from ancient times to the present. Logically, with centuries of accumulated knowledge and scientific training, traditional Chinese medicine should have planted its flag worldwide. Why, then, does traditional Chinese medicine have no achievements beyond researching a thousand types of Chinese patent medicines that are a hundred times more expensive but far less effective than Western medicine?
The reason is obvious: the true techniques have long been lost. It is no wonder that experienced traditional Chinese doctors shake their heads and speak in hushed tones when discussing pulse diagnosis. Without inherited skills to diagnose and determine the cause of illness, there is no way to discuss how to prescribe treatment. It is said that traditional Chinese medicine now only has two prescriptions: cold and heat, or yin and yang, where yang is drained, and yin is supplemented.
Therefore, the profound and intricate pulse diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine is a skill that must be trained from a young age, requiring both talent and rigorous practice. Even though our country is vast and rich in talent, throughout history, only a few have truly mastered it.
Due to the overly profound nature of this pulse diagnosis technique, few have learned it while many have failed, leading to constant modifications and distortions. As a result, modern learners of traditional Chinese medicine mistakenly believe that pulse diagnosis is merely counting the pulse for a minute, which is utterly ridiculous!