Electroacupuncture According to Voll
Electroacupuncture according to Voll is one of the most well-known methods utilized by professionals specializing in this area. It combines modern electronics with initial case history and integrates:
- Traditional Chinese acupuncture
- Homeopathy
- Allopathic medicine
- Orthomolecular medicine
The method emerged as a fusion of traditional Chinese acupuncture and the technological advancements of the 20th century.
Chinese acupuncture has been practiced for over 3,000 years. The term "acupuncture" originates from the Latin words “acu” (needle) and “puncture” (point). While traditional acupuncture involves using needles, electropuncture uses specific electrodes to read data or provide therapeutic treatment. This method is both diagnostic and therapeutic, utilizing acupuncture points without the need for needles.
In the West, traditional Chinese acupuncture gained popularity in France, where it became an officially recognized therapeutic method taught in universities. France is also considered the birthplace of electropuncture, with Dr. De La Fui designing the first device for this method. Though the device did not achieve widespread use, his work was further developed by researchers like Nyobe, who discovered that acupuncture points had lower resistance to direct current, and Schmidt, who linked electrical conductivity to pathological changes in associated organs.
In 1953, Schmidt presented his findings at an experimental medicine conference. His work laid the groundwork for future advancements in electroacupuncture, particularly in Germany, where Reinhold Voll developed his own method. Voll’s approach, often referred to as electroacupuncture, differs from traditional electropuncture, where a small electric current is passed through needles for anesthesia during surgeries.
Between 1930 and 1935, Reinhold Voll studied at the University of Tübingen, later earning his degree in tropical medicine. In 1939, he began using electropuncture in his practice. By 1953, together with engineer F. Werner, Voll developed a specialized device for his method, initially called the “electropuncteur” and later renamed the “KuF Universal Diatherapuncteur.” In 1955, Voll founded the International Society of Electroacupuncture.
Dr. R. Voll
Dr. Voll’s contemporaries, Dr. Schmidt and Dr. Fil, took a different approach, founding the Experimental Association for Bioelectrical Functional Diagnosis and Therapy (BFD) in 1968. BFD emphasized the dynamic changes in measurement results rather than absolute values. Both methods have since developed independently.
One of Voll’s major contributions was the discovery of electropuncture testing in 1954. Together with Dr. M. Glazer-Turk, he observed that medications placed near acupuncture points could alter their electrical parameters. This insight led to a new therapeutic approach involving the individual selection of medications based on their effects on biologically active points (BAP).
R. Voll’s work earned him numerous prestigious awards, including:
- The Vatican’s Gold Medal “For Outstanding Achievements to the Suffering Mankind and the Development of a New Method” (1966)
- The Hufeland Medal from the German Democratic Republic (1974)
- The Order of Achievements for the Federal Republic of Germany (1979)
Despite his passing in 1989, Voll’s method continues to grow in popularity, with the International Society of Electroacupuncture expanding globally. Today, the organization includes over 50,000 practitioners dedicated to advancing his work.
Applications of Electroacupuncture According to Voll
Electroacupuncture according to Voll can be used to diagnose:
- Interfering fields (e.g., teeth, scars, inflammation)
- Food intolerances
- Metal allergies
- Candidiasis
- Parasitosis
- Viral infections
- Geopathic stress
- Tissue poisoning
- Deficiencies in vitamins, amino acids, trace elements, and fatty acids
Electroacupuncture remains a valuable diagnostic and therapeutic tool, continuing to evolve as practitioners build on Voll’s legacy.