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
Deborah Balthazar, STAT, 12 Apr. 2024
Amenities will include indoor/outdoor treatment rooms, water therapy, float tank, acupuncture, skincare, body therapies, fitness classes, yoga, and more.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2024
Guests who step into the urban oasis, inside a 1930s Craftsman on Abbot Kinney, get to experience various modalities, from Japanese acupuncture to Ayurvedic bodywork and Nordic bathing.
—Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 29 Jan. 2024
Waddingham decided to turn to Eastern medicine, receiving acupuncture and Reiki as part of a holistic approach.
—Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024
Earlier iterations of the event hosted some of the first panels on the use of crystals for healing and helped popularize ancient Eastern practices like acupuncture and tai chi in the West.
—Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024
There is a range of holistic spa treatments with origins around the globe, including acupuncture and a range of Bhutanese massage with a master therapist from Bhutan.
—Rona Berg, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
Alternative therapies like acupuncture and magnetic pulse therapy, though more research is needed to prove these methods' effectiveness.
—Lauren Del Turco, Health, 6 Feb. 2024
During the acupuncture treatment, fine needles are placed on prescribed points.
—USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acupuncture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Acupuncture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acupuncture. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
acupuncture
noun
Latin acus "needle" and English puncture
Medical Definition
acupuncture
noun
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