What is the purpose of using sterile needles in dry needling?

Using sterile needles in dry needling primarily aims to minimize the risk of infection. Sterility is crucial in any invasive procedure to prevent bacteria and other pathogens from entering the body through the skin. Since dry needling involves inserting needles into muscle tissue, non-sterile needles could introduce pathogens that could lead to infections, complications, or adverse effects for the patient.

The other choices, while related to the quality of treatment, do not specifically address the fundamental reason for using sterile equipment. While enhancing treatment effectiveness, ensuring patient comfort, and reducing treatment duration are important aspects of care, they do not directly pertain to the immediate concern of infection control that sterile needle usage addresses. Therefore, the emphasis on sterile needles is rooted in maintaining patient safety and preventing potential healthcare-associated infections.