Korean Medicine employs all five senses of the practitioner in diagnosis. Touch is of special importance among the five. It involves both taking the pulse and palpation of the trunk and the whole body. Palpation is first mentioned in the <Neijing>(內徑), and <Shanghanlun>(傷寒論) described many aspects of palpation and placed importance on it. The abdomen is the usual target of palpation because most of the organs can be palpated from the abdomen.

- Basic position of the patient

The patient lies in a comfortable supine position with the abdomen exposed from the xyphoid process to the groins. The patient should be rested and relaxed enough for the tension, temperature, and moistness of the skin to be at normal level. The arms may be folded over the chest or stretched on the floor. Placing the arms above head level increases tension of the rectus abdominis muscle and should be avoided. The legs should be outstretched except when listening for stagnant fluids inside the body, when the legs should be flexed.

- Pressure level of palpation

Palpation can be divided into three stages according to the pressing force. The doctor looks for different symptoms at each stage.

Chok(觸); touching the surface - Touching the skin slightly is called Chok(觸). The practitioner is checking the warmth and moistness of the skin during this stage.

A person with much Yang Ki would be warm to the touch, and the skin of a relatively Eum person would feel cold.

Mo(摸); pressing lightly - Pressing lightly is called Mo(摸). The doctor is looking for pain upon palpation and the tension level of the skin.

Pain upon touch, hardness and a full sensation under the pressed region is considered a sign of Excess, since excess Ki or Blood stored under the skin would cause such symptoms. Similarly, Deficiency would be manifested as softness and little resistance of the skin.

An(按); pressing hard - Similar to Mo(摸), but An presses deeper and feels for mass deeper inside the body.

Such masses felt during this stage is frequently associated with disorders described in shanghan theory. Shanghan theory matches masses in a particular region of the body(usually related with anatomical organs and the GI tract) with according prescriptions.

The doctor proceeds deeper into the skin during the three processes, checking for characteristic symptoms as well as balance between Eum and Yang.

- General signs

Palpation of the abdominal region in KM differs from that of Western Medicine. Examining the tension level of the abdominal wall is essential in KM palpation. This is because the tension level shows whether the patient is in an Excessive or Deficient state. General signs to examine include:

1. tension level of the abdominal wall

A tense wall, or fullness and pain on touch indicates Excess, while a flexible wall in a patient who likes pressure applied indicates Deficiency.

2. pain upon pressure

Pain on pressure indicates Excess.

3. moisture and warmth of skin

A warm skin generally indicates that Yang has more influence on the body than Eum, and a cold skin means the opposite. However, this may be what is called 'false' Yang or Eum, which means that although the surface may show Eum or Yang signs, the other is dominant on the interior. Therefore, other signs must be considered and interpreted as a whole.

4. presence of masses

This shows the presence of inflammation and/or corporeal masses such as stagnant excrements and gas. This has a close relation with anatomical organs.

5. pulsation of the abdominal aorta

The abdominal aorta is located at the dorsal part of the trunk, and its pulsations cannot be felt under healthy circumstances. But under pathological situations, the beats can be found near the umbilicus, and can be seen optically on the surface in severe cases. Such palpitancy is usually attributed to stagnancy or Eum deficiency, but has many possible causes.

6. presence of pathological fluids, distention noises, or edema.

- order of palpation

Palpation of the trunk focuses on these regions, moving from the xyphoid process to the pubic region in order.

1. below the xyphoid process

The lower part of the esophagus, the upper part of the stomach and the lower border of the liver are located here. This region includes the costal borders leading downward from the xyphoid. The doctor should push the fingers deep underneath the ribs. If there is an unusual fullness under the costal borders or if the patient complains of pain, it is an indication of inflammation inside the abdominal cavity.

2. left lateral abdominal region

The left kidney and ureter, and the descending colon are located here. Pain in this region may indicate pancreatitis, splenic inflammation, urinary lithiasis, or colitis.

3. right lateral abdominal region

The right kidney and ureter, the ascending colon, cecum, and the vermiform appendix are located here. Pain in this region may indicate cholelithiasis, hepatic cirrhosis, appendicitis, or urinary lithiasis.

4. umbilicus

The transverse colon and parts of the ileum and jejunum are located here. The pulsation of the abdominal aorta may be found here in pathological cases.

5. pubic region

The urinary bladder, uterus, and sigmoid colon are located here. Pain in this region may indicate uterine disorders or inflammations of the according organs.

In practice, patients show different signs even at their healthy states, according to their sex, age, and personal dispositions. And even in a single patient, signs pointing in different directions will often be seen together. Therefore, careful consideration and knowledge of the basic theories that KM is based on are essential for application of such techniques.