What is electrodermal screening?

Everyone has heard of the term acupuncture.  In a very simplistic sense these points on the skin correspond to specific tissues and organs inside the body.  So there’s a point for the liver, a point for the stomach, one for the lungs and other organ points all over the body.

Electro-dermal screening was originated by Dr. Reinhold Voll, a German MD who plotted these points with their corresponding tissues.  He found that with the instrument he designed the energy of each point could be determined.  This gives useful information about the energetics and function of all the tissues of the body and allows a deeper understanding of why a person is feeling the way they do.

A person is tested by them holding a brass cylinder known as the ground while the practitioner presses a brass tipped probe onto each acupuncture point to get a reading. A loop or circuit is formed between this ground and the probe by electrical wires that interface with the instrument.

 There is a normal reading which is mid range.  A high reading on a point, say the stomach point, could mean that the stomach is irritated or inflamed or that an infection exists.  If the person is complaining of indigestion and burning it is prudent to then check for stomach or duodenal ulcers and the possibility of an infection such as Helicobacter pylori, a common bacteria that causes ulcers.

If the reading is below normal it could be due to weakened digestion from low output of stomach enzymes.  If this corresponds with symptoms then a trial of digestive enzymes may be warranted. 

This is an oversimplification of the use of this instrument but it gives an idea of how it can be used in a clinical setting.   Electro-dermal screening must always be correlated with lab tests and the proper medical workup.  Never should it be used as a stand-alone medical diagnostic tool.

The electro-dermal testing is done by Dr. Haskell who first started using this in his practice about 21 years ago.  It is done on the first visit and is included in the consultation time at no extra charge.  The testing takes about 10-15 minutes and is correlated with the lab work that will have already been done.