Which pulse indicates Excess, Cold, or Stagnation?

The tight pulse is indicative of conditions such as excess, cold, or stagnation. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, a tight pulse typically feels taut and strong, resembling the sensation of a tightly drawn string. This quality signifies an underlying condition where there is increased tension, such as an accumulation of pathogenic factors like cold or excess.

When the body is experiencing excess or stagnation, the flow of Qi and blood may be inhibited, leading to a tight pulse sensation. This can often be associated with cold conditions as well, where the internal environment of the body becomes constricted and less flexible. A tight pulse can indicate that the body's natural processes are obstructed, reinforcing the idea of stagnation or excess tension within the system.

In contrast, other types of pulses like wiry, knotted, or confined have their own distinct meanings, typically pointing to different imbalances such as liver Qi stagnation (wiry), heart-related issues (knotted), or blood stagnation (confined), which do not primarily indicate a state of excess, cold, or general stagnation in the same way that the tight pulse does.