How to Cite the IDNETAG Definition of Dry Needling

How to Cite the IDNETAG Definition of Dry Needling

IDNETAG has adopted the following consensus definition of dry needling:

“Dry needling is the therapeutic insertion of a needle into somatic tissue without injecting or aspirating fluid.”

The consultation process and reasoning behind the definition are described in our announcement of the IDNETAG consensus definition.

This page provides guidance for citing the definition in journal articles, research papers, presentations, educational resources, policy documents and other professional publications.

Please use IDNETAG as the organisational author and reproduce the definition exactly as written.

Vancouver

IDNETAG. IDNETAG definition of dry needling [Internet]. 2026 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available from: https://idnetag.org/how-to-cite-the-idnetag-definition-of-dry-needling/

In-text citation:
Use the reference number assigned to the source, for example: (1)

APA 7th edition

IDNETAG. (2026). IDNETAG definition of dry needling. https://idnetag.org/how-to-cite-the-idnetag-definition-of-dry-needling/

In-text citation:
(IDNETAG, 2026)

Harvard

IDNETAG (2026) IDNETAG definition of dry needling. Available at: https://idnetag.org/how-to-cite-the-idnetag-definition-of-dry-needling/ (Accessed: 4 September 2026).

In-text citation:
(IDNETAG, 2026)

AMA

IDNETAG. IDNETAG definition of dry needling. Published 2026. Accessed September 4, 2026. https://idnetag.org/how-to-cite-the-idnetag-definition-of-dry-needling/

In-text citation:
Use the corresponding superscript reference number, for example: ¹

Chicago author-date

IDNETAG. 2026. “IDNETAG Definition of Dry Needling.” https://idnetag.org/how-to-cite-the-idnetag-definition-of-dry-needling/.

In-text citation:
(IDNETAG 2026)

MLA 9th edition

IDNETAG. “IDNETAG Definition of Dry Needling.” IDNETAG, 2026, https://idnetag.org/how-to-cite-the-idnetag-definition-of-dry-needling/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2026.

In-text citation:
(IDNETAG)

Quoting the Definition Directly

When reproducing the definition in full, please use the exact wording:

“Dry needling is the therapeutic insertion of a needle into somatic tissue without injecting or aspirating fluid.”

Please cite IDNETAG using the referencing style required by your journal, institution or publication. The access date should be changed to the date on which the webpage was consulted.

Recommended Citation

For healthcare and medical publications using a numbered referencing system, IDNETAG recommends the Vancouver format:

IDNETAG. IDNETAG definition of dry needling [Internet]. 2026 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available from: https://idnetag.org/how-to-cite-the-idnetag-definition-of-dry-needling/