acupuncture
noun
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In Latin, acus means "needle", and the English word acupuncture was coined way back in the 17th century to describe a technique the Chinese had already been using for 2,000 years. An acupuncturist may insert many extremely fine needles at a time; the treatment is usually uncomfortable but not truly painful. In China today, even major surgery is often carried out using only acupuncture to kill the pain; it's also used for many other conditions, including insomnia, depression, smoking, and overweight. Acupuncture is based on ancient theories of bodily energy that few Western doctors have ever accepted; but even though attempts to explain its effects by Western science have been unsuccessful, it's now widely recognized by doctors as effective for pain reduction.
Examples of acupuncture in a Sentence
Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 7 May 2024
And those positive outcomes were greater than those associated with nonpharmacological treatments (exercise therapy, yoga, massage therapy, spinal manipulation, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy), opioid therapy, and lumbar spine surgery.
—Deborah Balthazar, STAT, 12 Apr. 2024
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“Acupuncture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acupuncture. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
acupuncture
noun
Latin acus "needle" and English puncture
Medical Definition
acupuncture
noun
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