is there a way you can tell if you have electrical wiring going through the wall from floor to ceiling without tearing out the drywall

No.

Tracing the wiring from other rooms or the basement may give you indications of where it goes, but you can't be sure.

go to techtoolsupply.com they have a neat little gadget that you drill a tiny hole in the wall put it in and it works kinda like a periscope.
so you can see whats inside.