In the practice of conventional medicine, until today, functional disturbances are simply presumed whenever all of the possible clinical-morphologic alterations were diagnostieally excluded. Any complaints or symptoms that cannot be confirmed by clinical and laboratory tests are summarily declared to be functional by the diagnosticians of academic medicine.

Conventional diagnostic procedures are very costly and time-consuming. Frustration is frequently the outcome, not to mention the considerable side effects and the traumatic experiences of invasive diagnostic methods that the patient had to endure.

In contrast, Functional Medicine has developed special diagnostic methods in the last 20-30 years that allow us to better comprehend and diagnose the so-called functional disturbances.

Objective Methods

The Computerized Segmental Electrography (Comp. S.E.G.) is one of the new diagnostic methods. Impulses of 13 Hz are guided from an electrograph through electrodes that are aimed at the desired segments of the dermis. An alternating charge to the tissues with weak negative and positive 13 Hz impulses is then displayed graphically in negative and positive impulse packets. An adjoining graphic tracing shows the response reaction as reverse currents.

The diagnostic and prognostic conclusions that can be drawn are based on the known relationship between the dermis and the underlying organs and tissues. Standardized and fully computerized, this method can readily be delegated to and performed by auxiliary personnel. The Comp. S.E.G. is particularly well suited for the following indications:

A survey of the overall energetic condition of the organism, of the available energy reserves and of its regulatory capability Assessment of the resistance capacity and defence preparedness of the organism:

1. Discovery of the weakness of individual organs
2. Determination of acute or chronic overstressing of organs
3. Pathophysiologic and functional-physiologic relationships between organs and organ systems meaningful for the unravelling of causal chains and causal nets
4. Comparison between right side and left side stresses
5. Diagnostic documentation
6. Evaluation of therapeutic progress
7. Assessment of the effectiveness of the therapies for malignancies whether chemotherapeutics or alternative treatments
8. Prognostication of the course of the disease process and of the progress of therapy
9. Evaluation of the patient's healing capacity

With this scientific breakthrough it is possible not only to elicit important diagnostic information on individual segments of the body (for instance, an abnormality in the left abdomen may hint at a pancreatic dysfunction or pathology) but also to clue us to the so-called fields of disturbance. (* Chronic inflammations, adhesions, other energy blockages.)

Intensively investigated by scientific researchers, the Comp. S.E.G. has been found to be exact and reliable.

Other similarly non-invasive diagnostic methods are:

1. Regulation Thermo-Graphy [4] Electro-Pulso-Graphy (E.P.G.)
2. Electro-Kardio-Graphy (E.K.G.) Electro-Encephalo-Graphy (E.E.G.)
3. Electro-Myo-Graphy (E.M.G.) Ultrasound Diagnostics Impulse
4. Dermography. Decoder Dermography

Subjective Methods

1. The classical Chinese pulse diagnosis. Pulse diagnosis is also employed in Ayurvedic Medicine. Proficiency in pulse diagnosis requires many years of training and experience.
2. The Vascular Autonomic Signal (V.A.S) or the Reflex Auriculo Cardiale (R.A.C.) according to Paul Nogier
3. Applied Kinesiology (developed by George Goodheart) and similar Muscular Tests that followed the A.K.
4. The Reflex Zones on the foot, hand, ear, lung, face etc.
5. Electro-Acupuncture according to Voll (E.A.V.)
6. Bioelectronic Functions Diagnostics (B.F.D.)
7. Vegetative Reflex Test (V.R.T.)

The V.R.T. is the most recent development in the field of Electro-dermal Diagnostics. It is patterned after the so-called Medicament Test by Reinhold Voll which is done as follows:

Reciprocal resistance of the tissues is measured between two electrodes. A cylindrical, metallic hand-held passive reference electrode and an active pen-like electrode through which direct or alternating current (up to 3 V and ca. 1 kHz) is applied to certain [8,9] predetermined and well-defined acupuncture points on the skin surface. The intermittently flowing current between the elec"trodes, measured in microamperes, shows up as the diagnostic value for each acupuncture point examined. Any subsequent deviation from the initial reading offers a clue to the functional condition of the corresponding organs.

By inserting a medicament into the circuit its impact is extrapolated from the «before and after» discrepancy. Testing the impact of medications in advance of clinical administration, or before prescribing, allows the clinician to determine the degree of effectiveness or ineffectiveness, potential side effects or other contraindications.

For an explanation on how the medicament testing works, a simple causal model would be insufficient. It is through the process of sequential potentization in the highly compartmentalized system of communication utilizing the advanced knowledge of the laws of modern chemistry, physics, biochemistry and physiology that the energetic signal emanating from the tested medicament leads to the alteration of the indicator position of the measuring gauge.

The impact of the medication tested on the organ and organ-related functions that correspond to the acupuncture control point investigated can be predicted. The Vegetative Reflex Test is sensitive in this respect and offers several decisive advantages:

1. Discovery of pathophysiologic processes that escape the standard clinical examination
2. Determination of the existence of focal infections
3. Determination of subclinical infections
4. Pathological conditions in different quadrants of the body
5. Energetic-functional condition of different organs
6. Condition of the immune system and of the immune-related tissues (spleen, thymus, etc.)
7. Quantity of available energy: weak, strong, average
8. Overall health condition
9. Constitutional factors
10. Emotional stress and disturbances
11. Insight into the basic pathogenetic patterns as well as causal rela"tionships in form of causal chains and nets
12. Monitoring of therapeutic progress with quick review of indica"tions for medication
13. Uncovering of potentially refractory side effects (for instance allergic reactions)

The Vegetative Reflex Test is an enrichment and enlargement of clinical diagnosis. It has the potential to uncover previously unsus"pected dysregulations in advance of the clinical manifestation of disease so that preventive measures can be effectively implemented.

We emphasize that the V.R.T. cannot nor will replace the standard clinical examination, rather the test expands clinical diagnostics into a previously unreachable range of functional disturbances. The method is eminently suited for Functional Medicine. It is simple and cost-effective. It can be mastered quickly. The method should be practiced by properly qualified clinicians. Therefore, a comprehensive instructional curriculum is requisite.