# How common is a clearly visible wrist pulse? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 4, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050 "2005-12-04T17:44:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/1 "2005-12-04T17:44:00Z")
In the thread about [telling when someone is dead](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=347675), there is a discussion of (human blood vessel) pulses which reminded me of a question I’ve been meaning to ask. My pulse is clearly visible in each of my wrists. You don’t have to put your finger on and feel to count it, you can just look, and there it is, pulsing away. I know that this is unusual, because every time I show it to someone, they freak out. But how unusual is it? And what causes it? Are my arteries just unusually close to the surface? I have normal-sized wrists. Can anyone else count their pulse visually? ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/2 "2005-12-04T18:50:43Z")
Are you particularly thin? My completely uneducated suspicion is that maybe you have a bit less fat under the skin of your wrist, and thus the pulse isn’t “cushioned” as well by the time it hits the surface. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/3 "2005-12-04T19:19:10Z")
I dunno about the OP but I and many people I know are unusually thin and none of us can see _our_ pulse. The pulsy artery sits under a “tent” created by your wrist tendons. Maybe she has _more_ fat than usual underneath her artery or something. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/4 "2005-12-04T20:30:22Z")
I’m overweight rather than underweight, but none of the extra weight seems to be in my wrists (they measure about 6 1/2" around, which is pretty standard). I was hoping that a bunch of people would jump in to say that they could also see their pulse, but I guess this is one time when I _am_ the only one. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/5 "2005-12-04T20:56:54Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > I was hoping that a bunch of people would jump in to say that they could also see their pulse, but I guess this is one time when I _am_ the only one. I can’t. I think it’s clear that you’re some sort of sick mutant freak. Enjoy! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/6 "2005-12-04T20:59:28Z")
I’ve seen Percy Pulse in someone’s wrist before. I’ve got one in my right ankle. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/7 "2005-12-04T21:37:19Z")
I have a BMI of 30, and I can clearly see my pulse in my left wrist. ---
**Author:** ![ryobserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/8 "2005-12-04T23:43:41Z")
I can see the pulse in my right wrist; it’s not terribly obvious but it’s there. It’s probably just one of those anatomical quirks; if you have an artery or arteriole running close to the skin you can see the pulse, if you don’t, you can’t. Unless you make a habit of sticking your hand in barrels of knives or some such, there’s probably no hazard in it. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/9 "2005-12-05T00:26:14Z")
I can see it in both wrists in very oblique light. That makes the gently moving skin cast longer shadows. Since it depends so much on the angle of the light for me, I’ll trust the hands-on method if there is doubt. ---
**Author:** ![au\_maun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@au\_maun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/au_maun)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/10 "2014-05-24T12:35:16Z")
I, too, have visible pulse. Actually, when I was little, both of my wrists have visible pulses, but when I got a little older (teenager), the only visible one which is left was the right wrist. Yes, same goes for me, I got the immediate reaction of other people who see it. Either they are amazed or they freak out. Actually, I have this one friend who is afraid of touching it, even the slightest touch, whenever I hand something to her, and she accidentally bump it. She’s afraid that the skin of my right wrist might tear off (she’s just over reacting). She thinks that it’s too dainty- which is somehow true, but with a little bit exaggeration. It’s nothing to worry about, but just make sure don’t accidentally prick it with a pen or a knife. hahaha. just kidding 😛 ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/11 "2014-05-24T12:46:25Z")
Zombies have a pulse? Welcome aboard **au\_maun** , expect jokes on a thread that finished 9 years ago. we call them zombies. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/12 "2014-05-24T16:16:28Z")
54 not overweight…I can see it on both wrists on the thumb side, palms up. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/13 "2014-05-24T20:27:24Z")
I dunno, but I remember my mom getting like 17 of them on her forehead when she got mad. ---
**Author:** ![au\_maun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@au\_maun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/au_maun)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/14 "2014-05-25T06:00:58Z")
Oh I see, **rsat3acr** thanks for letting me know right away. I’m new here. 😉 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/15 "2014-05-25T22:02:51Z")
I can see my pulse in my left, but not my right, wrist. I can also see every vein in both hands and forearms. Many of them actually stand out over the skin. I have had a lot of blood taken throughout my life and they still go for the inner elbow. Um Nurse, there are veins literally (and I mean literally) poking out of my skin, and you choose the inner elbow? ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2014, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/16 "2014-05-26T04:20:13Z")
Hmm, I can see mine on both wrists, but they’re very faint. ---
**Author:** ![MsBatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@MsBatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsBatt)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/17 "2014-05-27T00:45:09Z")
A few years back, I lost 100 pounds in 6 months, and it freaked me out that I could see my pulse in my wrists. ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/18 "2014-05-27T12:18:04Z")
Visible pulse on left wrist only. Heh, never noticed it before. Kind of ironic as nurses almost always miss veins when taking blood from my arms couple of inches higher. I hate needles. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/19 "2014-05-27T13:30:18Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > I can see my pulse in my left, but not my right, wrist. I can also see every vein in both hands and forearms. Many of them actually stand out over the skin. I have had a lot of blood taken throughout my life and they still go for the inner elbow. Um Nurse, there are veins literally (and I mean literally) poking out of my skin, and you choose the inner elbow? In most people - perhaps not you - veins that poke out make bad IV or blood draw sites. They lack connective tissue pinning them down, so they roll, or they’re varicose and I can’t get a needle in there without it blowing out the stretched vessel wall. They also tend to be twisty, or have extra valves, so the catheter will advance, but not far enough, and we’ve got to start over. When I learned to place an IV, the first thing my teacher (my husband, a retired paramedic instructor) did was put a blindfold on me. You can’t see a good vein, you have to feel it. Getting distracted by a good \*looking \*vein is a rookie mistake. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050/20 "2014-05-27T14:24:24Z")
I can clearly see my pulse on my left wrist. It’s a terrific feature, if I’m are uncertain, with a glance down to the left, I know what time it is _and_ I know that I’m alive. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-a-clearly-visible-wrist-pulse/334050.md?page=2)