USE OF DRY NEEDLING

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3560

Introduced 2/5/2026, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

225 ILCS 5/4.5
225 ILCS 75/3.7
225 ILCS 90/1.5

Amends the Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act, the Illinois
Occupational Therapy Practice Act, and the Illinois Physical Therapy Act.
In provisions concerning the use of dry needling, provides that "dry
needling", also known as intramuscular therapy, means an advanced needling
skill or technique limited to the treatment of myofascial pain, using a
single use, single insertion, sterile filiform needle (rather than a
single use, single insertion, sterile filiform needle without the use of
heat, cold, or any other added modality or medication), that is inserted
into the skin or underlying tissues to stimulate trigger points. Provides
that "dry needling" does not include the teaching or application of
acupuncture in accordance with traditional and modern practices of East
Asian medical theory (rather than the teaching or application of
acupuncture described by the stimulation of auricular points, utilization
of distal points or non-local points, needle retention, application of
retained electric stimulation leads, or other acupuncture theory).
LRB104 18054 AAS 31493 b

A BILL FOR

SB3560
LRB104 18054 AAS 31493 b
1

AN ACT concerning regulation.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act is
5
amended by changing Section 4.5 as follows:

6

(225 ILCS 5/4.5)
7

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2031)
8

Sec. 4.5.
Use of dry needling.
9

(a) For the purpose of this Act, "dry needling", also
10
known as intramuscular therapy, means an advanced needling
11
skill or technique limited to the treatment of myofascial
12
pain, using a single use, single insertion, sterile filiform
13
needle
(without the use of heat, cold, or any other added
14
modality or medication),
that is inserted into the skin or
15
underlying tissues to stimulate trigger points. Dry needling
16
may apply theory based only upon Western medical concepts,
17
requires an examination and diagnosis, and treats specific
18
anatomic entities selected according to physical signs. "Dry
19
needling" does not include the teaching or application of
20
acupuncture
in accordance with traditional and modern
21
practices of East Asian medical theory

described by the
22
stimulation of auricular points, utilization of distal points
23
or non-local points, needle retention, application of retained

SB3560
- 2 -
LRB104 18054 AAS 31493 b
1
electric stimulation leads, or other acupuncture theory
.
2

(b) An athletic trainer licensed under this Act may only
3
perform dry needling after completion of requirements, as
4
determined by the Department by rule, that meet or exceed the
5
following: (1) 50 hours of instructional courses that include,
6
but are not limited to, studies in the musculoskeletal and
7
neuromuscular system, the anatomical basis of pain mechanisms,
8
chronic pain, and referred pain, myofascial trigger point
9
theory, and universal precautions; (2) completion of at least
10
30 hours of didactic course work specific to dry needling; (3)
11
successful completion of at least 54 practicum hours in dry
12
needling course work; (4) completion of at least 200
13
supervised patient treatment sessions; and (5) successful
14
completion of a competency examination. Dry needling shall
15
only be performed by a licensed athletic trainer upon
16
referral.
17
(Source: P.A. 102-307, eff. 1-1-22
.)

18

Section 10.
The Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act
19
is amended by changing Section 3.7 as follows:

20

(225 ILCS 75/3.7)
21

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2029)
22

Sec. 3.7.
Use of dry needling.
23

(a) For the purpose of this Act, "dry needling", also
24
known as intramuscular therapy, means an advanced needling

SB3560
- 3 -
LRB104 18054 AAS 31493 b
1
skill or technique limited to the treatment of myofascial
2
pain, using a single use, single insertion, sterile filiform
3
needle
(without the use of heat, cold, or any other added
4
modality or medication),
that is inserted into the skin or
5
underlying tissues to stimulate trigger points. Dry needling
6
may apply theory based only upon Western medical concepts,
7
requires an examination and diagnosis, and treats specific
8
anatomic entities selected according to physical signs. "Dry
9
needling" does not include the teaching or application of
10
acupuncture
in accordance with traditional and modern
11
practices of East Asian medical theory

described by the
12
stimulation of auricular points, utilization of distal points
13
or non-local points, needle retention, application of retained
14
electric stimulation leads, or other acupuncture theory
.
15

(b) An occupational therapist or occupational therapy
16
assistant licensed under this Act may only perform dry
17
needling after completion of requirements, as determined by
18
the Department by rule, that meet or exceed the following: (1)
19
50 hours of instructional courses that include, but are not
20
limited to, studies in the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular
21
system, the anatomical basis of pain mechanisms, chronic pain,
22
and referred pain, myofascial trigger point theory, and
23
universal precautions; (2) completion of at least 30 hours of
24
didactic course work specific to dry needling; (3) successful
25
completion of at least 54 practicum hours in dry needling
26
course work; (4) completion of at least 200 supervised patient

SB3560
- 4 -
LRB104 18054 AAS 31493 b
1
treatment sessions; and (5) successful completion of a
2
competency examination. Dry needling shall only be performed
3
by a licensed occupational therapist or licensed occupational
4
therapy assistant upon referral.
5
(Source: P.A. 102-307, eff. 1-1-22
.)

6

Section 15.
The Illinois Physical Therapy Act is amended
7
by changing Section 1.5 as follows:

8

(225 ILCS 90/1.5)
9

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2031)
10

Sec. 1.5.
Dry needling.
11

(a) For the purpose of this Act, "dry needling", also
12
known as intramuscular manual therapy, means an advanced
13
needling skill or technique limited to the treatment of
14
myofascial pain, using a single use, single insertion, sterile
15
filiform needle
(without the use of heat, cold, or any other
16
added modality or medication),
that is inserted into the skin
17
or underlying tissues to stimulate trigger points. Dry
18
needling may apply theory based only upon Western medical
19
concepts, requires an examination and diagnosis, and treats
20
specific anatomic entities selected according to physical
21
signs. Dry needling does not include the teaching or
22
application of acupuncture
in accordance with traditional and
23
modern practices of East Asian medical theory

described by the
24
stimulation of auricular points, utilization of distal points

SB3560
- 5 -
LRB104 18054 AAS 31493 b
1
or non-local points, needle retention, application of retained
2
electric stimulation leads, or other acupuncture theory
.
3

(b) A physical therapist or physical therapist assistant
4
licensed under this Act may only perform dry needling after
5
completion of requirements, as determined by the Department by
6
rule, that meet or exceed the following: (1) 50 hours of
7
instructional courses that include, but are not limited to,
8
studies in the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular system, the
9
anatomical basis of pain mechanisms, chronic and referred
10
pain, myofascial trigger point theory, and universal
11
precautions; (2) completion of at least 30 hours of didactic
12
course work specific to dry needling; (3) successful
13
completion of at least 54 practicum hours in dry needling
14
course work; (4) completion of at least 200 supervised patient
15
treatment sessions; and (5) successful completion of a
16
competency examination. Dry needling shall only be performed
17
by a licensed physical therapist or licensed physical
18
therapist assistant.
19

(c) (Blank).
20

(d) (Blank).
21

(e) (Blank).
22
(Source: P.A. 104-154, eff. 1-1-26
.)

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