Diagnostic Tools

Pulse Diagnosis:

Qi energy moves from each of the 12 organs in your torso to specific positions on the radial artery, on the wrist below your thumb. The function and strength of each organ is evaluated by the quality and strength of the blood flow in those specific positions. The acupuncturist will place his/her fingers over the pulse on your wrist.

• A normal, healthy pulse has moderate speed and strength and feels just like blood.
• It is not fast or slow.
• It is not excessive, pushing the fingers off the pulse, or deficient, difficult to feel.
• Most importantly, the pulse does not have a quality other than that of blood.

Normal and healthy blood is viscous; it’s thicker than water, but not as thick as motor oil, for example. In Oriental Medicine, there are 28 pulse qualities. One is normal, and 27 indicate problems.

Tongue Diagnosis:

The organs, energy, and blood are represented on the tongue.

A normal, healthy tongue has four qualities:

1. The color is a lustrous, healthy red, not purple, bright red, pale, pink, etc..
2. The coat is very thin and white. It covers the tongue’s entire top surface [not clear, yellow, black, thick, etc.
3. The size is average and appropriate to the mouth size, not long, short, flabby, thin.
4. The shape is smooth without bumps, cracks, toothmarks, depressions, pointedness, swelling, or anything else unusual.

Every deviation from this perfect tongue description indicates corresponding imbalance exist in your body.

Ear Diagnosis & Auricular Acupuncture:

The ear is a also a microsystem, or model of the entire body. Important clues to imbalances may be derived from the color, texture, shape and size of specific areas and locations on the outside of the ear/auricle. When very fine, short acupuncture needles are inserted into these points, the corresponding areas can be rebalanced. Auricular acupuncture is the preferred method of treatment for anxiety, depression, and extreme emotional trauma, including Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. A famous 5-point protocol has provided relief to rescue workers at: the Twin Towers on 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Tsunami relief, and refugee camps all across the African continent and the world.