Electroacupuncture according to Voll

Electroacupuncture according to Voll (EAV), also known as electrodermal screening (EDS), bioelectric functions diagnosis (BFD), bioresonance therapy (BRT), meridian stress assessment (MSA), or bio-energy regulatory technique (BER), is a controversial alternative medicine method of using electrodiagnostic devices to diagnose and treat "energy imbalance" often using homeopathic products [http://books.google.com/books?id=3-bZt8YoRNoC&pg=PA182&dq=electroacupuncture+according+to+voll&sig=xvsRnaJlt2SKu1d8h-zutaQWut8] , first used by Reinhold Voll by combining acupuncture with a galvanometer in 1958. It is not used in conventional medical treatments and has no scientific basis.

Functioning

The EAV diagnostic device measures electrical conductance (other says that electric potential) of the human body through the skin by emitting a small nearly constant positive direct current (about 10μA) from a thin metal probe having spherical contact surface at its tip to a conductive cylinder held in the subject's hand. The voltage drop on the patient is converted into indication using electronic amplifyer circuit, which operates as nonlinear amplifier in principle. The measurement device is calibrated such that a reading of 50% of the full scale corresponds to the conductance of 10 microSiemens, and the 100% reading corresponds to infinite conductance (short circuit).

The probe is applied to various acupuncture points, and the measured conductance is assumed to have correlation with the functioning of the organ associated with the meridian being probed. The reading 50% of the full scale (achieved at 10 microSiemens conductance), is assumed to correspond to the state of no dysfunction, while higher ratings (bigger conductance values) are assumed to indicate inflammation and lower readings (lower conductance values) should indicate stagnation.

As the procedure measures electrical conductance, readings slightly depend also on skin moisture and probe pressure, as well as on the positioning of the probe at the characteristic point.

Once an imbalance is established, remedies (often homeotherapeutic remedies) can be inserted into the procedure of EAV to bring a person's rating within the normal range.

These devices carry some pretty serious warnings. In addition to FDA warnings, there have been civil actions, lawsuits, professional board actions, and criminal prosecutions. The FDA has not approved the device for diagnosis, even though it continues to be promoted as a diagnostic tool.

Related devices

* Computron
* Electropsychometer
* Oberon

Related methods

* acupressure
* acupuncture
* bioresonance therapy (BRT)
* electricity therapy
* electroacupuncture
* galvanic skin response (GSR)
* homeopathy
* iridology

Inventors of related devices and methods

* Albert Abrams
* Royal Raymond Rife

Notes

External links

* [http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/electro.html Quack "Electrodiagnostic" Devices] article by Stephen Barrett, M.D.