Massage will reportedly cause irritation (6)

I believe the answer is:

needle

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'cause irritation' is the definition.
(to needle is to annoy or irritate)

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

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(Other definitions for needle that I've seen before include "spur" , "Item for sewer" , "Gramophone record stylus" , "Annoy - syringe" , "Annoy by continuous criticism; stylus" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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