Proposal: Using diagnostic Electro-Acupuncture as a tool to understand the relationship between homeopathic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine: specifically, the importance of indicator drops and causal chains of reaction in demonstrating the human system of energetic controls of health.
I would like to throw this subject out for discussion among the Members of Occidental Institute. I am proposing that diagnostic Electro-Acupuncture offers us the best opportunity to observe the workings of our energetic physiology. The human being appears to have two distinct systems of physiology: one biochemical and one energetic.
Human biochemical physiology has been extensively studied by the allopathic and reductionist schools of medicine. Biochemical physiology lends itself well to understanding the concept of homeostasis in determining our state of health. Biochemical controls over health give us some constancy and predictability in health that allows for comfort and “ease”. Our biochemical responses to health challenges – “disease” – are deliberate and predictable. In the face of potentially great changes in our environment and the variety of circumstances in which we might find ourselves, the adaptive changes in our biochemical health proceed at a tolerable speed. This provides for safety and comfort.
The human system of energetic physiology is concerned with an entirely different level of control. Whereas our biochemical system provides stability, the energetic system provides capability. My understanding of energetic physiology leads me to think that it is an immensely capable system – almost beyond the imagination. I suspect that we have one integrated system of energetic communication that can respond to all types of energy. The energies we contact in our environment vary primarily in frequency and amplitude. The specific frequencies of the energetic influences on our bodies give them their individual characteristics (heat, sound, light, X-ray, thoughts, etc.). We have developed specialized organs for certain frequency ranges (eyes, ears, etc.). The meridian system of acupuncture points is an equally specialized system that seems to be able to encompass a response to all energetic inputs and translate them into biochemical or physical realities.
The work of Dr. Voll has enabled us to make subjective measurements of the workings of our energetic physiology in health and disease. He learned that the most important finding upon testing is the indicator drop (ID). The ID has been interpreted to be a measure of meridian organ system failure in the resistance to an electric current applied to the body.
The measured value of the patient’s electrical resistance to applied current is termed inflammatory or degenerative based upon it being above or below 95 KOhms (“50” on the EAV test meter). Depending upon where the patient is in the developmental stage of their disease, a value may be obtained either above or below 95 KOhms. The measured value may even be measured in the normal range during that time of transition from a predominantly inflammatory reaction in the disease process towards a degenerative state. The presence of an ID has the extra significance of indicating that the organ system is able to initially respond to a stress, but is in a weakened condition that the response quickly deteriorates. The magnitude of the drop parallels the severity of the developing dysfunction in the organ system being measured.
This system of Electro-Acupuncture has served us well for a long time, but it may be time to look for a more direct measure of energetic physiology. EAV measures the reaction of the energetic system to a challenge – a stress test. The newer measuring equipment (Performance 2001) allows a direct measure of the functioning of the meridian organ system. Unless the patient is experiencing an applied stress to their organ at the moment of testing, there is no reason to expect to see an ID – or no basis to understand what that would physiologically represent. An organ meridian system can be assumed to be responding to influences at all times that result in its net measurement. Repeat measures will not result in the exact same measurement. Even the testing and stimulation of an acupuncture point will affect the measurement. It may even be that repeat stimulation or testing of a point can represent the same type of stimulus that evokes an indicator drop.
The challenge is now in front of Electro-Acupuncture practitioners to evaluate the findings of “primary” energetic measurements and relate them to the findings of “reactive” measurements. With the loss of the most significant finding – the ID – what will now be the most significant finding?
The causal chains as outlined in Dr. Schimmel’s book on Functional Medicine will likely remain, as they are consistent with 3000 years of traditional Chinese medicine. I feel this is the information that can be used with our new Electro-Acupuncture measurements to be able to know the significance of the findings we receive from our patients.
In summary, we have now received a new tool for our use in evaluating and treating patients. Time and experience will give us the full understanding of how to use this knowledge. Dr. Voll set up a process [within the German EAV Society] to gain meaning from the measurements he was seeing, as well as from all of his colleagues. This new system needs both an organizing force and the participation of many Members to advance quickly. The Occidental Institute is positioned well to participate in that process and I would recommend a sharing dialogue among its Members to mimic the process that Dr. Voll used.
I encourage you to “feedback” your comments to either Carolyn Winsor at Occidental Institute or directly to myself.
An exclusive article for Affiliates
From THE BRIDGE Newsletter of OIRF
Published September 02, 2004
© Copyright 2004, Dr. Leonard J. Torok, Ohio USA
