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Glite Dictionary
electrotherapy

electrotherapy

6.3
A medical treatment that uses small electric currents on the body to help heal injuries
  • noun
  • /ɪˌlɛk.trəʊˈθɛr.ə.pi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : electroterapia
  • The doctor recommended electrotherapy as a treatment option for my chronic back pain.
  • electrotherapy group

Examples

  • However, electrotherapy may be useful as an additional mode of treatment for patients who want to avoid endonasal surgical intervention or external nasal supports.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Follow-up ranged from 10 to 12 months for patients in the electrotherapy group.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Forty patients were divided into an electrotherapy group (n = 20) and a placebo group (n = 20).

    Academic text (2004)

  • It is possible that electrotherapy can provide longer-term benefits if combined with other methods of treatment, such as biofeedback training.

    Academic text (2004)

  • In the electrotherapy group, follow-up visits showed a rapid decline of positive results when treatment was discontinued (tables 1 and 2).

    Academic text (2004)

  • Thus, electric stimulation had significant benefits for patients in the electrotherapy group in comparison to patients in the placebo group (p < 0.001).

    Academic text (2004)

  • Twelve patients in the electrotherapy group (60%) exhibited subjective improvement; in 8 cases (40%), the improvement was proved objectively.

    Academic text (2004)

  • We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind pilot study of patients presenting with symptoms of obstructed nasal breathing to determine whether electrotherapy could provide nonsurgical symptom relief

    Academic text (2004)

  • After several sessions of electrotherapy, she noticed a significant reduction in her muscle tension.

  • Many patients report feeling relaxed after their electrotherapy treatments at the clinic.

Synonyms

galvanism
vselectrotherapy
  • Archaic
1 9.5

Electricity used to treat people by stimulating muscles or nerves

focuses broadly on treating diseases or injuries with applied currents
electrical healing
vselectrotherapy
  • Specialized
6.3

To use small electric currents on the body to help heal injuries or nerve problems

is the medical treatment applying currents to diseases and injuries
electric healing
vselectrotherapy
  • Specialized
7.6

A medical treatment that uses electricity to help injured nerves and muscles

is the medical practice using currents to treat diseases and injuries

Surface Forms

electrotherapy singular
electrotherapies plural

Morphology

electrotherapy = therapy (semi-transparent) = electro + therapy

The word is clearly built from 'electro' and 'therapy', but the specialized medical sense is somewhat more specific than the sum of the parts.

Etymology

Electrotherapy joins electro-, from a Greek word for 'amber' because rubbing amber makes electricity, and -therapy, which means 'healing' or 'treatment'. So, electrotherapy literally means 'healing with electricity', which is why doctors use controlled electric currents to help the body recover.