Regenerative Arthritis Care in Charlotte
First a doctor reviews your tests and history; then PRP and SVF cell therapy may join your arthritis care for the knee, hand, shoulder or other joints
No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
Own tissue — your blood and adipose tissue
Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Free consultation
and review of your scans
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.
These injections — PRP and SVF — can reduce pain and inflammation and support tissue inside the joint, but a systemic disease stays under a rheumatologist's care. During an active infection of the joint or a severe flare the procedure is not done: the doctor first confirms the arthritis type and chooses when to act.
No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Free consultation and review of your scans
Joints we treat
Any size of joint, large or small: your scans are reviewed first, then the doctor settles on the joint, the method and the number of injections
Elbow
Wear of the joint surfaces, and pain after overuse or strain from sport
Hand and wrist joints
Painful, stiff small joints of the wrist and fingers
Knee
Pain on stairs or after walking, cartilage wear and meniscus problems
Hip
Early hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
Ankle
Pain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries
Shoulder
Pain when lifting the arm, and wear affecting the joint and surrounding tendons
Methods we use
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.
Inflammatory arthritis is one use for it, once the acute flare has settled — because it acts on local inflammation and tissue repair.
PRP — platelet-rich plasma from your own blood
From a small amount of your blood, plasma rich in growth factors and platelets is separated and injected into the joint. It helps to calm inflammation and creates better conditions for repairing tissue.
For rheumatoid and other forms of inflammatory arthritis it may be suggested as one component of the overall plan of treatment.
How the procedure goes: step by step
Consultation and scan review
After examining the joint and reviewing your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound, the doctor decides whether the procedure is right for you. Scans you already have can be sent ahead of the visit.
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.
The doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed.
Adipose tissue sample
Under local anaesthetic we take roughly 30 ml of adipose tissue through a single puncture on the abdomen or the inner thigh — no stitches required.
Processing in a centrifuge
The sample goes into a centrifuge and separates into layers; next, the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and combined with the platelet-rich plasma.
The whole procedure is done in one day.
Injection into the joint
Direct injection into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance helps the prepared material land exactly where it is needed.
Follow-up
There are no crutches and no hospital stay. After the procedure the doctor keeps in touch and follows how the joint responds.
Consultation and scan review
After examining the joint and reviewing your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound, the doctor decides whether the procedure is right for you. Scans you already have can be sent ahead of the visit.
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.
The doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed.
Adipose tissue sample
Under local anaesthetic we take roughly 30 ml of adipose tissue through a single puncture on the abdomen or the inner thigh — no stitches required.
Processing in a centrifuge
The sample goes into a centrifuge and separates into layers; next, the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and combined with the platelet-rich plasma.
The whole procedure is done in one day.
Injection into the joint
Direct injection into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance helps the prepared material land exactly where it is needed.
Follow-up
There are no crutches and no hospital stay. After the procedure the doctor keeps in touch and follows how the joint responds.
Follow-up visits
Follow-up visits allow the doctor to track the joint's response and fine-tune the plan: pain generally eases over the first month, mobility improves in about three months, and the full effect develops over roughly six months.
Conditions we treat
Your scans are reviewed and you are examined before a doctor decides whether the treatment suits you
What we work with
Arthritis
Arthrosis
Avascular necrosis
Osteoarthritis
Gonarthrosis (knee osteoarthritis)
Coxarthrosis (hip osteoarthritis)
Meniscus pathology and injury
Rehabilitation after injuries and surgery
Inflammatory joint conditions
Contraindications
Cancer
Pregnancy
Blood clotting disorders
Acute infections, including infection in or near the joint
Flare-up of a serious chronic illness
Cancer
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Serious heart, kidney or liver disease
Temporary contraindications: flu, a cold or fever, and skin inflammation over the joint to be treated
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
After the procedure
Small dressings are placed over the puncture sites, and most people leave the same day, returning to everyday activity within a day or two. A little more aching in the joint during the first week is an expected reaction. Over the first month pain generally eases; mobility and activity improve over about three months; the full effect develops over around six months. The duration differs between people and depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and more, so a fixed result cannot be promised. Under a rheumatologist's care? Keep taking your prescribed medication unless you have discussed stopping it with them.
Why patients choose City Medical Centre
Treatment without surgery that sets out to keep your own joint instead of replacing it
Your own tissue
Your own adipose tissue and blood are the only materials used, never donor or synthetic ones
No crutches
No incisions, only punctures; local anaesthetic; no long rehabilitation
Second opinion
Your X-rays, MRI or reports can be sent for an independent assessment by a doctor, free of charge
Support after the procedure
The result matters to us beyond injection day, so we stay in touch after the procedure
Arthritis treatment prices
The doctor names the cost after the consultation, because it depends on the joint, the type of arthritis and the method
Service
Price
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Joint treatment: frequently asked questions
What is arthritis and what are its symptoms?
Arthritis is a disease in which the joints become inflamed. Its typical signs are pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting over 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. Among the causes are autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, as well as infections, gout and psoriasis.
Can PRP help with rheumatoid arthritis?
In rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis, PRP may be used to help ease local inflammation, pain and swelling. The growth factors that platelets release affect the immune response and tissue repair. It adds to, but does not replace, the treatment your rheumatologist prescribes.
Can psoriatic arthritis be cured?
At present psoriatic arthritis, a chronic disease, cannot be cured completely. Treatment aims at long remission by controlling inflammation and preventing deformity of the joints; regenerative injections may be one part of this plan.
How does SVF work in autoimmune arthritis?
Damaged tissue in the joint can be supported in its repair by the cells in SVF, which also modulate the local immune response. Research continues, so the doctor will set out realistic expectations for your type of arthritis.
When is the treatment not suitable?
The procedure is off the table during an active joint infection, a severe flare or pregnancy, and with cancer or blood clotting disorders — the doctor postpones it or suggests another option instead.
How is knee arthritis different from osteoarthritis?
With knee arthritis, an autoimmune reaction, infection or gout causes inflammation — redness, warmth, marked swelling, tenderness to touch. Osteoarthritis is different: the cartilage wears, and the usual signs are a dry crunch and aching pain during movement.
Why does an arthritic joint hurt even at rest?
Because inflammation keeps the joint's pain receptors stimulated all the time — moving, resting or at night — treatment aimed at reducing it, including PRP and SVF, can ease the pain.
Can joint injections be done during pregnancy?
No. In pregnancy, joint injections such as PRP and SVF are contraindicated, and any arthritis treatment is decided only together with a rheumatologist and an obstetrician.
Can I get a second opinion on my tests and scans?
Yes. Your X-rays, MRI, ultrasound or blood test results are reviewed by a doctor free of charge, and you will hear whether regenerative treatment could suit your type of arthritis.
What happens if rheumatoid arthritis is not treated?
If it is not treated, it may cause permanent deformity of the joint, loss of function, osteoporosis and damage to internal organs — the heart, lungs and kidneys among them. Treating it in time helps prevent these complications.
City Medical Centre licences
Other services at our clinic
Arthritis treatment in Charlotte step by step
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 Charlotte.
Most patients in Charlotte go home the same day and return to normal daily activity within a day or two. During the first week the joint may ache a little more — this is an expected reaction.
Joint inflammation that does not settle? Book a free consultation in Charlotte: the doctor reviews your case and suggests whether PRP or SVF makes sense now. The price is set individually.
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