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Knee Arthritis Treatment in Bristol

Arthritis care for the knee, hand, shoulder and other joints can include PRP and SVF cell therapy, always after a doctor checks your case and tests

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Knee joint: regenerative treatment without surgery
Joint treatment without surgery. Free consultation and review of your scans

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What it is

What is arthritis
and when does this treatment fit?

Put simply, arthritis is joint inflammation. The joint may hurt at rest and at night, feel stiff each morning for more than half an hour, swell, redden and feel warm. Causes include autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, as well as gout, infection or an old injury.

  • No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
  • Own tissue — your blood and adipose tissue
  • Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Knee joint: an injection under ultrasound guidance

Who the treatment suits

After an examination and a look at your scans, a doctor decides if the treatment is right for you

Suitable

A doctor reviews knee X-rays with a patient
  • Pain, crunching or stiffness in a joint
  • Painkillers only help for a short time
  • Recovery after injuries and surgery
  • You need a second opinion on your scans
  • You want to avoid or postpone joint replacement
  • Early or moderate arthrosis or arthritis
  • High load on the joints — sport or physical work

Not suitable

A doctor examines a patient's knee
  • Cancer
  • Pregnancy
  • Blood clotting disorders
  • Acute infections, including infection in or near the joint
  • Flare-up of a serious chronic illness
  • Temporary contraindications: flu, a cold or fever, and skin inflammation over the joint to be treated

Not sure the treatment is right for you?

Leave your number — the coordinator will ask for your scans (X-ray, MRI or ultrasound), and the doctor will tell you whether treatment without surgery suits you.

Find out if it suits me

What we treat

Conditions we treat

How it works

How the procedure goes: step by step

Consultation and scan review1

Consultation and scan review

Your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound are reviewed and the joint is examined, after which the doctor decides whether this procedure suits you. Already have scans? You can send them in advance.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

A vein provides a small amount of blood, which is later used to prepare platelet-rich plasma rich in growth factors.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

No stitches are needed: a small portion of adipose tissue (about 30 ml) is taken under local anaesthetic through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

The sample is placed in a centrifuge, where it splits into layers. From these the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and combined with the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

The affected joint receives the prepared material by direct injection under ultrasound guidance, for precise placement.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

You need neither crutches nor a hospital stay. The doctor stays in contact after the procedure and watches the joint's response.

Book a consultation

Call or message us — our coordinator will contact you shortly and book your consultation

A doctor talks with a patient about joint treatment
Book a consultation
A doctor talks with a patient about joint treatment

Results

After the procedure

  • Doctor talking warmly with a patient after the procedure

    1 week

    The joint may ache a little more — this is an expected reaction.

  • Doctor consulting an older patient one month after treatment

    1 month

    The pain usually eases.

  • Doctor explaining progress to a patient using a knee joint model

    ~3 months

    Mobility and activity improve.

  • Doctor and patient walking together at a follow-up visit

    ~6 months

    The full effect develops.

How long it lasts differs from person to person and depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors — no one can promise a fixed result.

Comparison

Methods we use

Everything used comes from you — your blood and adipose tissue — with no synthetic or donor material

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

The affected joint receives an injection of the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) — a set of cells involved in tissue repair, isolated from a small sample of your adipose tissue — combined with your own plasma.

A doctor explains SVF cell therapy for the knee to a patient on a tablet

Its effect on local inflammation and tissue repair is why it is used in inflammatory arthritis, after the acute flare has settled.

Material
Your adipose tissue and plasma
How it is given
Into the joint, under ultrasound
Duration
The whole procedure is done in one day.

PRP — platelet-rich plasma from your own blood

It helps calm inflammation and improves conditions for tissue repair: plasma rich in platelets and growth factors, separated from a small amount of your blood and injected into the joint.

A doctor explains PRP therapy for joints to a patient on a monitor

In rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis, the doctor may recommend it as one piece of the overall treatment plan.

Material
Your blood from a vein
How it is given
Into the joint, under ultrasound
Duration
The whole procedure is done in one day.

The benefits and timings shown are averaged and given for guidance: the plan and recovery depend on your joint and individual features, and the doctor confirms them at the consultation.

At the consultation the doctor will review your scans and suggest a treatment plan

Free consultation

Book a consultation

Joints

Joints we treat

After going through your scans, the doctor selects the joint, the method and the number of injections — whether the joint is large or small

  • KneeKneeCartilage that has worn, meniscus trouble, pain after walks and on stairs
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderPain lifting the arm, with wear of the joint and its surrounding tendons
  • ElbowElbowOveruse or sports-strain pain and wearing of the joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsPain and stiffness affecting the small joints of the fingers and wrist
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

Keeping your natural joint rather than having it replaced: treatment without surgery

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

Everything used comes from you — your blood and adipose tissue — with no synthetic or donor material

No crutches

No crutches

Punctures, not incisions; local anaesthetic; and rehabilitation that is not long

Second opinion

Second opinion

An independent assessment from a doctor, free of charge, once you send your X-rays, MRI or reports

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

The result matters to us beyond injection day, so we stay in touch after the procedure

About the clinic

A clinic where you can feel at ease

Modern equipment, comfortable rooms and care for every patient

A doctor and a patient at the clinic

Contact us the way that suits you

We will answer your questions and find a convenient time for a consultation

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Request a free call

Price

Arthritis treatment prices

Because the joint, the type of arthritis and the method all affect the cost, the doctor names it after the consultation

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

Choosing arthritis treatment in Bristol

SVF contains cells that can modulate the local immune response and support the repair of damaged tissue. Research is ongoing, so the doctor discusses realistic expectations with every patient in Bristol.

Pregnancy is a contraindication to joint injections, including PRP and SVF. For patients from Bristol, arthritis treatment during pregnancy is decided only with a rheumatologist and an obstetrician.

Patients from Bristol can start with a free review of their tests and scans: the doctor tells you whether regenerative treatment could suit your type of arthritis and what it would cost.

Inflammation, not wear: how arthritis differs from osteoarthritis

Arthritis, in the narrow sense used here, is an inflammatory disease of the joints. The typical signs are pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, and redness and warmth over the joint. The causes include autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, infections, gout and psoriasis. The NHS uses arthritis as a broader umbrella, describing a condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in one or more joints, with types including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children.

The difference from osteoarthritis matters for treatment. Osteoarthritis is wear of the cartilage, with a dry crunch and aching pain on movement. An inflamed joint hurts even at rest, because the pain receptors are stimulated continuously by inflammation: during movement, at rest and at night. That is why the diagnosis comes first, and why the treatment approach differs. A knee inflamed by an autoimmune reaction, infection or gout is a different problem from a knee worn by years of load, even though both may look similar on a quick glance.

The NHS lists the usual ways of making the diagnosis: a review of your symptoms and history, an examination of the joints, and tests that may include blood tests, X-rays or ultrasound scans, and joint fluid sampling to help confirm gout. You may be referred to a rheumatologist for rheumatoid arthritis or gout. Keep this in mind: what follows assumes that you already have a diagnosis, or are in the process of getting one, from the doctors who look after your general health.

Red flags first: when to call a GP or NHS 111 rather than us

Some situations are not for an online consultation at all. The NHS advises contacting a GP urgently or NHS 111 for severe pain and swelling in one joint that started suddenly, for pain that does not get better with painkillers such as paracetamol, for a hot or red joint, for joint pain with fever or chills, or for joint pain with eye or genital symptoms. A hot, swollen joint with a high temperature can be an infection of the joint, and that needs urgent assessment by a clinician in person.

Non-urgent problems are also worth raising. If you have unexplained pain, swelling or stiffness in your joints that does not go away in a few days, the NHS advises seeing your GP. In many areas, you can refer yourself to NHS community musculoskeletal services, which offer help such as physiotherapy without a GP referral. Do not wait for a consultation with us to start that process; the two can run side by side.

Early diagnosis matters especially for rheumatoid arthritis. The NHS notes that early treatment can prevent it getting worse and reduce the risk of joint damage, and that it makes it possible for many people to go months or years between flares. Without treatment, rheumatoid arthritis can lead to joint deformity, loss of function, osteoporosis and damage to organs such as the heart, lungs and kidneys. If you think this may apply to you, speak to your GP first.

What joint injections can and cannot do alongside your rheumatologist's plan

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that is treated by a rheumatologist, usually with long-term medicine that relieves symptoms and slows the progress of the condition. Joint injections of PRP or SVF do not cure it. Once an acute flare has settled, the doctor can assess whether joint injections may ease local symptoms. PRP, platelet-rich plasma from your own blood, may be used to help lower local inflammation, pain and swelling, because growth factors from platelets act on the immune response and on tissue repair. It supplements the treatment prescribed by your rheumatologist without replacing it.

SVF, the stromal vascular fraction from a small sample of your own adipose tissue, is mixed with your plasma and injected into the joint. In inflammatory arthritis it is applied after the acute flare has calmed, because of its effect on local inflammation and on tissue repair. Research in this field is ongoing: SVF contains cells that can modulate the local immune response and support repair of damaged joint tissue, and the doctor will discuss realistic expectations for your type of arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis cannot currently be completely cured, as it is a chronic disease, and the aim is long remission, with regenerative injections as one possible part of a wider plan.

Everything is done through your own tissue, in one day, with local anaesthetic, no hospital stay and no crutches. The joint may ache a little more afterwards, which is an expected reaction. How long the effect lasts differs from person to person and depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors, and no one can promise a fixed result. The doctor tells you honestly if your type of arthritis is unlikely to benefit.

A flare diary and the right moment to treat

Because the procedure is carried out after an acute flare has calmed, timing is a real question for anyone with an inflammatory condition. Keep a flare diary for a few weeks before the consultation. Record the date, which joints hurt, whether you had morning stiffness and for how long, whether swelling or warmth appeared, what you took and how you slept. Photographs of a swollen joint, taken in the same light, help the doctor understand what you describe.

The NHS notes that symptoms may sometimes suddenly get worse, and that these flare-ups can last several days. A diary lets you and your doctor see patterns, for instance after an infection, a busy week or a change of medicines. Take your diary to every appointment, including those with your rheumatologist, and bring it up when we plan dates. If you are in a flare on the day of the planned procedure, tell the coordinator, who will ask the doctor whether to postpone.

The procedure is not done in the presence of an active joint infection, a severe flare, cancer or a blood clotting disorder, or during pregnancy. Joint injections, including PRP and SVF, are contraindicated in pregnancy, and decisions about treating arthritis while pregnant are made only with a rheumatologist and an obstetrician together. A temperature, a cold or flu, or skin inflammation over the joint are also reasons to wait.

Everyday life in Bristol with inflamed joints

The NHS recommends regular exercise for people with arthritis, favouring low-impact activities such as swimming, walking, pilates and yoga, along with a balanced diet and a healthy weight, since extra weight strains joints. It also advises avoiding smoking, which can worsen symptoms, and limiting alcohol. Add physiotherapy and occupational therapy if your team recommends them, and mobility aids when a bad day makes them useful. None of this competes with injections; it is the base on which any other treatment sits.

Bristol is described by its inhabitants as built on seven hills, and anyone with painful hands, wrists, knees or feet will recognise what that means on a damp morning. Met Office averages for 1991 to 2020 from the Filton station, about 8 km from the city centre, give a mean daily maximum of 8.1 °C in January and 21.7 °C in July, and 135.8 days a year with 1 mm or more of rain. We make no claim that weather causes a flare. It is simply sensible to plan the day, with good shoes, warm gloves for the commute and time to stretch before getting out of bed.

Work matters too. If your joints are stiff for more than half an hour each morning, tell your employer about flexible starting times, and ask whether tasks such as typing, lifting or standing can be changed. Keep a copy of your medicine list in your wallet or phone, and carry it to every appointment. If you are among the people for whom a flare is an unplanned event, a short list of who to call and what to take makes a difficult day easier.

A flare diary to bring to your online consultation from Bristol

The consultation takes place online, and coordinators are available 24/7 on WhatsApp and Telegram. Send your scans, such as an X-ray, an MRI or an ultrasound, and the reports of your blood tests or letters from the rheumatologist, if you have them. A doctor will independently assess your reports free of charge and tell you whether treatment without surgery suits you. If it does not, you will hear that, and you will not be asked to pay for it.

Write down your questions. What is the diagnosis I have been given, and how confident is it? How does the doctor see PRP or SVF in my type of arthritis? What are the realistic expectations? Which joints would be treated, and how many injections? What do I do about my current medicines? When is the right moment after a flare? Because the joint, the stage and the method affect the cost, the doctor names it after the consultation, and it is fixed in the contract.

Bristol's population grew by 10.3 percent between the 2011 and 2021 Census, from about 428,200 to about 472,400, according to the Office for National Statistics, and every one of those people has a calendar of their own. Choose dates that leave you a few quiet days. The 2027 bank holidays in England and Wales fall on 26 March, 29 March, 3 May, 31 May and 30 August. Send the dates you have in mind to the coordinator, and the clinic confirms which are open before anything is booked.

Does PRP or SVF cure rheumatoid arthritis?

No. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease treated by a rheumatologist. Once an acute flare has settled, the doctor can assess whether joint injections may ease local symptoms. They supplement your treatment and do not replace it.

Is arthritis treatment available on the NHS in Bristol?

The NHS offers physiotherapy, medicines for pain, swelling and inflammation, and referral to a rheumatologist, and in many areas you can self-refer to community musculoskeletal services. Regenerative injections at City Medical Centre are arranged privately, and we make no promise about what a health service might fund.

What are the signs of arthritis?

Pain at night or at rest, morning stiffness for longer than 30 minutes, swelling, and redness and warmth over the joint.

When should I call a GP or NHS 111 instead?

For severe pain and swelling in one joint that started suddenly, a hot or red joint, joint pain with fever or chills, or pain that does not get better with painkillers such as paracetamol.

Can I have injections during a flare?

No. The procedure is done after an acute flare has calmed. With an active joint infection, a severe flare, cancer, a blood clotting disorder or pregnancy, it is not done.

How is knee arthritis different from osteoarthritis?

Knee arthritis is inflammation, with redness, warmth, marked swelling and tenderness. Osteoarthritis is cartilage wear, usually noticed as a dry crunch and aching pain when the knee moves.

What happens if rheumatoid arthritis is not treated?

It can lead to permanent joint deformity, loss of function, osteoporosis and damage to organs such as the heart, lungs and kidneys. Timely treatment is needed.

What should I bring to the online consultation?

Scans, blood test results and letters from your rheumatologist, a list of medicines, and a short diary of flares.

Can I have joint injections during pregnancy?

No. Joint injections, including PRP and SVF, are contraindicated in pregnancy.