What is a pulse? The pulse is the rhythmic expanding and contracting of the arteries (heart) caused by blood moving through them. It’s also called as a heartbeat. Everyone has heartbeat. Then how to take a pulse or heartbeat?
Normally pulse ranges from 60 to 90 beats per minute in adult, 80 to 160 beats per minute in young children, and up to 120 beats per minute in babies. A rapid pulse can be sign of shock or severe strain on the heart.
There are several ways to take a pulse / heart beat. Every time you can’t feel a pulse at one location, you should tray another location on the individual’s body. Here are the steps:
- Place your index and middle finger on the inside of the person’s wrist
- If you can’t feel it at the wrist then try the carotid artery at the neck. It is located below the ear on the side of the neck directly below the jaw. This way is the best when you have to give victim mouth-to-mouth ventilation
- If you still fail to feel a pulse, use the same two fingers on either side of Adam’s apple at the throat, the femoral pulse at the groin, or in between the muscle on the inner side of the upper arm
- When you feel a pulse, count it for 15 seconds
- Multiply the number you get by four, you will find the individual’s heartbeats per minute
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