The answer is YES! And acupuncture has been proven to influence the same microRNA cited in this new study published in the journal Science Advances, cartilage in our joints can repair itself through a process similar to that used by highly regenerative animals such as axolotl, zebrafish, and bichir.
"We've been telling patients that even if these injections don't relieve your pain, they're not going to hurt you. But now we suspect that this is not necessarily the case...these injections can be very harmful to the joints with serious complications." - Dr Ali Guermazi, of Boston University School of Medicine
