How to measure pulse
The human heart rhythmically pumps blood throughout the body. Rhythms and beats can be felt in specific parts of the limbs, and their movements can be measured. If one can feel the pulse and know that the heart is beating, it means that the patient is still alive (see Figure 13). If we can calculate the number of heartbeats, we can calculate the heart rate and the intensity of the heart beat.
Although the pulse can be palpated in many areas, the most common areas for most people are the carotid artery in the neck and the radial artery in the wrist. At the initial touch of the pulse, it may not be palpable. Therefore, it is necessary to train oneself and family members to touch the pulse for emergency medical use (see Figure 14).
In emergency medical care, do not ignore the detection of the patient’s pulse rate to determine whether the pulse is strong or completely stopped. If the patient is not breathing and does not touch the pulse within 10 seconds, cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be started immediately.
Touching the radial artery pulse with the wrist
Place your index and middle fingers on the inner groove of the wrist joint and above the bottom of the thumb bone (approximately 2 centimeters above the connection between the hand and wrist joint). Gently move your fingers to feel the intermittent beats.
Neck pulse
Gently lift your chin and use the fingertips of the middle three fingers on the inner and outer sides of the chin and below the earlobe, near the Adam’s apple, to feel the pulse.
Calculate heart rate
Once you touch the pulse, gently press down and keep the position unchanged, then calculate the number of heartbeats for 10 seconds, and multiply the number by six to obtain the patient’s heart rate per minute.