Pulse artery

synonym

Radial artery

definition

The pulse artery is an arterial vessel. So she carries oxygen-rich blood.
It runs along the forearm and branches into a delicate network of arteries in the palm of the hand.

Anatomy of the pulse artery

In the area of ​​the elbow, the branches A. brachialis (Arm artery) into two vessels.

• The Radial artery and the
• Ulnar artery.

Both serve to supply the forearm and the hand with blood.

The Radial artery runs along the thumb side of the arm. It runs here on the front side of the arm and is accompanied a little by the eponymous annoy. In the area of Wrist pulls them to the back of the forearm and then removes some of the ones located there Muscles to pull through and end in the palm of the hand.
Here it branches into Arterial plexus on. It is used as a deep palm arch (Arcus palmaris profundus) designated. The arteries of this plexus have connections (anastomoses) to the arteries of the superficial palm arch (Arcus palmaris superficialis) which is the final stretch of the Ulnar artery forms. The two vessels run separately from one another, but still have numerous connections.

Clinical significance

The Radial artery is the most common for Heart rate measurement used artery.
Here you usually put the index finger or the index finger and middle finger just below the thumb-side Wrist up and look for one Pulsation. Now you count the individual pulses.
The pulse is displayed as Beats per minute specified. Actually, the heartbeats would be counted over a minute. For the sake of practicality, however, in everyday clinical practice one usually only counts the beats within 15 seconds and then multiplies the result by four.
The pulse artery also often serves as an extraction point for an arterial one Blood gas analysis (BGA). This is used to measure the proportion of different gases such as

• oxygen and
• carbon dioxide in blood.

Pulse artery pain

Pulse artery pain (Radial artery), despite their location, often have nothing at all to do with the artery. Sudden drawing, stabbing pains on the outside of the forearm are usually more indicative Muscle aches. Muscle pain can often occur in the context of stress and lead to a temporary restriction in movement or strength. On the outside of the forearm there are two extensor muscles (the long finger extensor and the hand extensor), a flexor (the elbow flexor) and the hand flexor muscle. Depending on which muscle is affected, the pain can manifest itself in very different movements.

Pain when bending the hand or finger indicates excessive tension in the tendons of the hand or finger extensor muscles. This tension usually arises when you work incorrectly on the computer and exert pressure on the wrist, but also when carrying heavy objects (for example when a waiter carries many full beer mugs). The Carrying heavy loads can also lead to discomfort when stretching the elbow joint. Carrying heavy objects on your forearms (e.g. books or full cardboard boxes) can cause tension in the Supinators (Turning muscle) lead.

Pain when bending the fingers or when carrying heavy objects occurs when the finger extensors are tense. Such pain can often radiate into the whole arm up to the shoulder. In the case of acute symptoms, a light massage of the affected area can alleviate the pain. Avoiding painful movements can temporarily help, but immobilization can have negative effects on the muscles in the long run. In general: One should avoid wrong postures and movements and use the right movement patterns that do not lead to tension. If the pain persists, a doctor should be visited. physical therapy can help alleviate the symptoms.

You may also be interested in the following article: Pain in the forearm