Editing Pulse (section)

== Common palpable sites ==
{{anchor|Sites|Pulse sites}}

Sites can be divided into peripheral pulses and central pulses. Central pulses include the carotid and femoral pulses.<ref name="Berg2006">{{cite book |last1=Berg |first1=Dale |last2=Worzala |first2=Katherine |title=Atlas of Adult Physical Diagnosis |date=2006 |publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |isbn=9780781741903 |page=80 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B0MQhbQsd-IC&pg=PA80 |language=en |access-date=2020-10-03 |archive-date=2023-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703125858/https://books.google.com/books?id=B0MQhbQsd-IC&pg=PA80 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Upper limb===
[[Image:Gray1235.png|thumb|Front of right upper extremity]]
*'''Axillary pulse''': located inferiorly of the lateral wall of the [[axilla]]
*'''Brachial pulse''': located on the inside of the upper arm near the elbow, frequently used in place of carotid pulse in infants ([[brachial artery]])
*'''Radial pulse''': located on the lateral of the wrist ([[radial artery]]). It can also be found in the [[anatomical snuff box]]. Commonly, the radial pulse is measured with three fingers. The finger closest to the heart is used to occlude the [[pulse pressure]], the middle finger is used get a crude estimate of the [[blood pressure]], and the finger most distal to the heart (usually the ring finger)  is used to nullify the effect of the [[Ulnar artery|ulnar pulse]] as the two arteries are connected via the palmar arches ([[Superficial palmar arch|superficial]] and [[Deep palmar arch|deep]]).{{cn|date=October 2024}} 
*'''Ulnar pulse''': located on the medial of the wrist ([[ulnar artery]]).

===Lower limb===
*'''[[Femoral pulse]]''': located in the inner thigh, at the [[mid-inguinal point]], halfway between the pubic symphysis and anterior superior iliac spine ([[femoral artery]]).
*'''Popliteal pulse''': Above the knee in the popliteal fossa, found by holding the bent knee. The patient bends the knee at approximately 124°, and the health care provider holds it in both hands to find the popliteal artery in the pit behind the knee ([[popliteal artery]]).
*'''Dorsalis pedis pulse''': located on top of the foot, immediately lateral to the extensor of hallucis longus ([[dorsalis pedis artery]]).
*'''Tibialis posterior pulse''': located on the medial side of the ankle, 2&nbsp;cm inferior and 2&nbsp;cm posterior to the medial malleolus ([[posterior tibial artery]]). It is easily palpable over [[Pimenta's Point]].

===Head and neck===
[[Image:Gray513.png|thumb|Arteries of the neck.]]
*'''[[Carotid pulse]]''': located in the neck ([[carotid artery]]). The carotid artery should be palpated gently and while the patient is sitting or lying down. Stimulating its baroreceptors with low palpitation can provoke severe [[bradycardia]] or even stop the heart in some sensitive persons. Also, a person's two carotid arteries should not be palpated at the same time. Doing so may limit the flow of blood to the head, possibly leading to [[fainting]] or brain [[ischemia]].  It can be felt between the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, above the hyoid bone and lateral to the thyroid cartilage.
*'''Facial pulse''': located on the mandible (lower jawbone) on a line with the corners of the mouth ([[facial artery]]).
*'''Temporal pulse''': located on the [[Temple (anatomy)|temple]] directly in front of the ear ([[superficial temporal artery]]).

Although the pulse can be felt in multiple places in the head, people should not normally hear their heartbeats within the head.  This is called [[pulsatile tinnitus]], and it can indicate several medical disorders.

===Torso===
*'''Apical pulse''': located in the 5th left intercostal space, 1.25&nbsp;cm lateral to the [[mid-clavicular line]]. In contrast with other pulse sites, the apical pulse site is unilateral, and measured not under an artery, but below the [[heart]] itself (more specifically, the apex of the heart). See also [[apex beat]].