What is the pulse and how do I

check it?
By Markus MacGill | Last updated Thu 26 October 2017

Reviewed by Carissa Stephens, RN, CCRN, CPN

What is the pulse? Finding the pulse Recording the pulse Normal readings
Heart rate monitors

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'Pulse' is one of the most well-known medical terms. It is

widely familiar as a measure of the heartbeat.
The pulse is a crucial measure of the heart rate. An extremely slow pulse combined with
dizziness can indicate shock and help identify internal bleeding.

A pulse that is too quick, on the other hand, points to high blood pressure and cardiovascular
problems.

With practice, it is easy to take your own pulse and those of other people.

But what is the pulse, why is it important, and what is the best way to find and measure the
pulse? This article gives straightforward guidance.
Fast facts on checking your pulse

Here are some key points about checking your pulse. More detail and supporting information
is in the main article.

• As the heart pumps, the arteries expand and contract. This is the pulse.

• The pulse is easiest to find on the wrist or neck.

• A healthy pulse is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm).

What is the pulse?

The pulse is the expansion of the arteries. This expansion is caused by an increase in blood
pressure pushing against the elastic walls of the arteries each time the heart beats.

These expansions rise and fall in time with the heart as it pumps the blood and then rests as it
refills. The pulsations are felt at certain points on the body where larger arteries run closer to
the skin.

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Finding the pulse

Arteries run closely to the surface of the skin at the
wrist and neck, making the pulse particularly easy to Take the wrist pulse for an easy way to monitor heart rate.

find at these points.

Here are the simple steps needed to take a pulse at the wrist. This is known as the radial
pulse:

1. Turn one hand over, so it is palm-side up.

2. Use the other hand to place two fingertips gently in the groove on the forearm, down
from the fold of the wrist and about an inch along from the base of the thumb.

3. When the position is right, you should feel the pulsation of your heart beat.

The pulse can also be found on the neck using two fingers in a similar way. Gently press into
the soft groove on either side of the windpipe.

This is the pulse running through one of the carotid arteries. These are the main arteries that
run from the heart to the head.

Less easy places to find a pulse are:

• behind the knees

• on the inside of an elbow when the arm is outstretched

• in the groin

• at the temple on the side of the head

• on the top or the inner side of the foot

The video below, presented by a nurse, explains how to take a pulse:

Recording the pulse

Once the pulse has been found by following the steps above, hold still and carry out the
following steps:

1. Use a timepiece or watch with a second hand, or look at a clock with a second hand.

2. Over the course of a minute or 30 seconds, count the number of beats felt.

3. The number of pulses over a minute is the standard heart rate measurement. This can
also be calculated by doubling the number of pulses felt over 30 seconds.
 4. The pulse should be between 60 and 100 bpm.

Normal readings
The heart should beat steadily, with a regular gap between each contraction, so the pulse
should also be steady.

As a general rule, adults will have a resting heart rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). In
general, people with better physical fitness will have slower heart rates than pepole who
exercise less. Athletes, for instance, may have a resting heart rate of just 40 to 60 bpm.

However, it is normal for the heart rate to vary in response to movement, activity, exercise,
anxiety, excitement, and fear.

If you feel that your heart is beating out of rhythm or at an unhealthy speed of under 40 bpm
or over 120 bpm, and this can be felt when taking a pulse, discuss this with a doctor.

You might also feel that your heart has missed or "skipped" a beat, or there has been an extra
beat. An extra beat is called an ectopic beat. Ectopic beats are very common, are usually
harmless, and do not need any treatment.

If there are concerns about palpitations or ectopic beats, however, visit a doctor.

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Heart rate monitors

Hospitals use monitors that can check the heart rate and the pulse. Heart rate monitors are
available for home use and are also available online.
If you use a home monitor, you should:

• check with your doctor that is has been validated

• take your blood pressure at the same time every day

• take several readings and record the results

A clinical development of recent years is the wide range of products now available on the
consumer market for personal health monitoring

Numerous devices can be connected to

software apps for mobile phones, and there Cardiac monitors are used in hospital settings to track the vital signs
of patients.
are a number of health monitoring wearables
available that combine the hardware and
software in one device.

The United State (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a page listing a number of
the apps cleared by the health product regulator. This might be a good place to start.

Devices are now available that connect to software apps for mobile phones. Some devices for
home use include both hardware and software. Some provide readings equivalent to those of
an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine.

It is easy to measure a pulse and it can give a useful indication of your state of health.

If you have any concerns regarding your heart rate, speak to a doctor.

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Additional information

Article last updated by Adam Felman on Thu 26 October 2017.

Visit our Arrhythmia category page for the latest news on this subject, or sign up to our newsletter to receive
 the latest updates on Arrhythmia.

All references are available in the References tab.

References

Citations

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