Bounding Pulse

A bounding pulse is a strong pulse that has a lot of force. You can feel the force of blood moving through your arteries and expanding them when you touch certain vessels. You may feel an artery throb under your skin.

When a healthcare provider takes your pulse, they grade it by how strong it is. A bounding pulse is at the highest level of the grading scale. It’s a strong pulse that you can’t cover up or block by pressing on it like you could with a weaker pulse. Providers check this more often in your neck, but it can also occur at your wrists or feet.

Some bounding pulse causes involve conditions or times when your heart pumps more blood than usual, like during pregnancy. Other causes happen when your arteries aren’t as flexible because of age or disease.

Your provider won’t treat the bounding pulse itself. Instead, they’ll find the cause of the bounding pulse and treat that cause.

What does a bounding pulse feel like?

If you saw this pulse as a wave on paper, you’d see a tall, pointy peak instead of the typical shorter, rounded peak. Like a stock market surge, a strong pulse creates a higher peak.

With a bounding pulse, you may experience:

• Strong pulsing: You feel like the blood is moving with a lot of power.
• Visible pulsing: You can see your artery expand and collapse.

What are the most common causes of this symptom?

A bounding pulse could mean you have a medical condition. Any condition that leads to a high amount of blood pushed out of your heart, or that leaks back into your heart with each beat, can potentially lead to this finding.

Causes of a bounding pulse include:

• Anxiety
• Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
• Fever
• Red blood cell shortage (anemia)
• Septic shock
• Heart failure
• Leaky aortic valve (aortic regurgitation)
• Physical exertion
• Caffeine
• Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
• Pregnancy

How is this symptom treated?

Treatments vary widely based on the cause of a bounding pulse. You may need to avoid caffeine, bring down a fever or get some rest. With other conditions that give you a strong pulse, you may need treatments like:

• Medication: Manages your heart rate, heart rhythm, blood pressure or thyroid hormone
• Procedure: Maintains a regular heart rhythm
• Surgery: Repairs or replaces a heart valve or removes your thyroid
• Medical device: Helps your heart beat or helps you breathe

What are the possible complications or risks of not treating it?

If a serious illness is causing the bounding pulse, not treating it can be life-threatening. A leaky aortic valve could lead to a heart attack or stroke. Septic shock can cause organ damage and be fatal. Hyperthyroidism can cause heart failure or a stroke.

Can this symptom be prevented?

You may be able to prevent or lower your risk of a bounding pulse. It depends on the cause. Your best bet is to have regular check-ups with a healthcare provider. They can diagnose illnesses early and treat them before they get worse.

When should this symptom be treated by a doctor or healthcare provider?

Seek medical care when:

• Your pulse suddenly gets stronger or faster and rest doesn’t help.
• You also have chest pain, shortness of breath or feel faint.
• You have a known heart problem.