Definition

1. Noun:
   • A medical treatment involving the insertion of thin needles into the skin at specific points: Acupuncture is a traditional and complementary therapy used to relieve pain, treat various ailments, or promote general wellness.

Usage

• Acupuncture is typically administered by a trained practitioner.
• It is often used for pain management, stress relief, and to treat conditions like nausea or headaches.
• The term is used as a non-count noun when referring to the practice or treatment in general.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Many people find acupuncture helpful for chronic back pain.
  • She studied the principles of traditional Chinese acupuncture.
  • The doctor suggested trying acupuncture as a complementary therapy.

Advanced Usage

• "To undergo acupuncture": to receive acupuncture treatment.
  • He decided to undergo acupuncture for his migraine relief.
• "Acupuncture point": a specific location on the body where a needle is inserted.
  • The practitioner targeted a key acupuncture point on the hand.

Variants and Related Words

• Acupuncturist (n): a practitioner who performs acupuncture.
  • The acupuncturist was very skilled and gentle.
• Acupressure (n): a related therapy applying pressure, not needles, to specific points.
  • Acupressure uses finger pressure instead of needles on the same points.

Synonyms

• Needle therapy: A less common synonym describing the treatment method.
• Dry needling: A related modern therapeutic technique, often distinguished from traditional acupuncture in some medical contexts.

Related Phrases

• "A course of acupuncture": a series of acupuncture treatments.
  • Her doctor recommended a six-week course of acupuncture.
• "Acupuncture treatment": an instance or session of receiving acupuncture.
  • He felt very relaxed after his acupuncture treatment.

Idioms

(No common idioms are directly formed from the word "acupuncture".)

Noun

1. treatment of pain or disease by inserting the tips of needles at specific points on the skin