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Arthritis Treatment in Coventry

As part of arthritis care, PRP and SVF cell therapy for the knee, hand, shoulder and other joints — after a doctor has first reviewed your case and tests

Consultation and review of your scansFree

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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?

Arthritis is inflammation of a joint. Typical signs are pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness that lasts longer than half an hour, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. The causes vary: autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, 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: fever, flu or a cold, or inflamed skin over the joint being 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

Whether the procedure suits you is decided once the doctor has examined your joint and reviewed your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound. If scans already exist, you can send them before visiting.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

Blood is taken from a vein in a small amount, later to be turned into platelet-rich plasma with growth factors.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

Roughly 30 ml of adipose tissue is removed through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh under local anaesthetic, and no stitches are needed afterwards.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

Spinning in a centrifuge divides the sample into layers; the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and blended with the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

Guided by ultrasound for accurate placement, the doctor injects the prepared material directly into the affected joint.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

There are no crutches and no hospital stay. After the procedure the doctor keeps in touch and follows how the joint responds.

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

Just your blood and your adipose tissue; donor and synthetic materials are not used

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

Your adipose tissue, in a small sample, is processed to isolate the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) — a combination of cells engaged in tissue repair. The affected joint then receives it by injection, together with your own plasma.

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

When the acute flare has died down, it can be used in inflammatory arthritis to act on local inflammation and help tissue repair.

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

Plasma rich in platelets and growth factors is separated from a small amount of your blood and injected into the joint. It helps calm inflammation and creates better conditions for tissue repair.

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

Rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis may call for it as one part 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

Large and small joints — the doctor chooses the joint, the method and the number of injections after reviewing your scans

  • KneeKneeMeniscus issues and cartilage wear, with pain after walking or on stairs
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderPain when raising the arm, wear of the joint and surrounding tendons
  • ElbowElbowPain after strain in sport or overuse, and worn surfaces inside the joint
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsStiffness and aching in the wrist and in the small finger joints
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

Your own joint stays: we work on keeping it rather than replacing it — treatment without surgery

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

Just your blood and your adipose tissue; donor and synthetic materials are not used

No crutches

No crutches

Small punctures, not incisions, a local anaesthetic and no lengthy rehabilitation

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

We track the result after the procedure and keep in touch, rather than stopping at injection day

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

Arthritis in Coventry: types, methods and price

Without treatment, rheumatoid arthritis can lead to permanent joint deformity, loss of function and damage to internal organs. Timely treatment matters for every patient in Coventry.

Pain usually eases over the first month, and mobility improves over about three months. For patients from Coventry, the full effect develops over around six months, and its duration differs from person to person.

How much does arthritis treatment cost in Coventry? The doctor names the price after confirming the type of arthritis and choosing PRP, SVF or a combination. Send a request or message us in any messenger.

Rain, cold and low sunshine: what the Coventry calendar does and does not tell you

Coventry's weather records come from the Met Office 1991-2020 averages measured at Coundon, 122 m above sea level. The annual mean temperature is 10.4 °C, with a mean maximum of 14.2 °C and a mean minimum of 6.6 °C. January is the coldest month, with an average high of 7.2 °C and a low of 1.8 °C. February has the same 1.8 °C average low. July is the warmest month, at 22.0 °C by day and 12.6 °C at night.

Rain falls on 123.3 days a year, adding up to 698.3 mm. October is the wettest month (68.7 mm), followed by August (66.2 mm). March is the driest (45.6 mm). Sunshine totals 1,507.2 hours a year, but December gives only 61.0 hours and January 61.4. July reaches 197.6 hours.

Many people with painful joints say that damp, cold or dull weeks feel worse. That is a personal observation, not something the doctor can assume. The numbers above are useful because they give you a calendar to check against. If your joints seem to complain in the wet weeks of October, you can see whether the diary supports it. If your worst weeks fall in a sunny May, the diary shows that too. Either way you bring evidence to the consultation instead of an impression.

It also helps to separate two kinds of change. Weather may alter how a joint feels from day to day. A true inflammatory flare is a different event: the joint is swollen, red and warm, and pain continues at night or at rest. The doctor treats these as different questions, and a good record lets you answer both.

A symptom diary that a rheumatology review can actually use

The signs that point towards inflammation are fairly specific. They are pain at night or when resting, morning stiffness lasting longer than half an hour, swelling, and a joint that looks red and feels warm. The cause can be autoimmune (rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis), gout, infection or an injury from long ago. A diary built around these signs gives the doctor more than "my knee hurts".

Keep it simple and write something every day, even on good days:

- Which joint or joints were affected, and whether it was the left, the right or both.

- How long the morning stiffness lasted. Note whether it passed in about half an hour or took longer.

- Whether pain woke you at night or was there when you were sitting still.

- Whether the joint looked swollen, red or felt warm. A phone photo in the same light each time makes comparison easier.

- What you took for the pain and how long the relief lasted. The service describes painkillers that only help for a short time as one reason people look for other options.

- Unusually long days on your feet, such as a day on the terraces or a long walk round War Memorial Park during a festival weekend. The Godiva Festival is held there, with a carnival parade on its Saturday. Note these days only to see whether heavy load and a bad evening go together.

- A fever, cold or flu, or any skin irritation over the joint. These are temporary reasons to postpone an injection, so the doctor needs to know about them.

After three or four weeks you will see patterns. You can send the diary to the coordinator on WhatsApp or Telegram before the video call, so the doctor reads it while reviewing your scans.

Waiting lists, specialist access and where an online opinion fits

Arthritis is common. Arthritis UK's 2026 State of Musculoskeletal Health report says that over 10 million adults, young people and children in the UK live with it. Osteoarthritis is the most common type, according to the NHS. Risk rises with age, is higher in women than in men, and is higher in people with obesity or a previous joint injury. A GP may suspect it in people aged 45 or older. Inflammatory types such as rheumatoid arthritis are a separate group, and the NHS states plainly that there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment is long-term medicine to relieve symptoms and slow progress, together with physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Operations can correct joint problems that develop.

Access to specialists is a matter of numbers. NHS England's press notice of 10 September 2026 reported 7.3 million treatment pathways waiting to start at the end of July 2026, covering around 6.2 million unique patients. Of these, 111,379 had waited more than 52 weeks. These figures are for England as a whole, and they do not say how long any one person in Coventry will wait for a rheumatology slot. They do explain why some people want an additional, faster opinion on their scans while waiting.

An online consultation with City Medical Centre does not replace a rheumatologist. The service text is clear that PRP and SVF are used alongside a rheumatologist's care for a systemic disease and not instead of it. What the online route offers is a doctor who reviews your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound and tells you whether regenerative treatment could suit your type of arthritis. This second opinion is free, and you are under no obligation to book anything. Your own GP and rheumatology team remain in charge of your medicines, so tell them about any plan you are considering.

Preparing for the video consultation from Coventry

A good first call depends on preparation done in advance. Start by gathering imaging: X-rays, MRI or ultrasound of the joint concerned. The coordinator will ask for these first. Reports are useful, and so are the images themselves. If you have only a printed report, photograph each page clearly.

Then write a short medical summary for the doctor:

1. The type of arthritis, if it has been diagnosed, and when.

2. Current medicines, including anything for pain, and any medicines taken for a systemic condition.

3. Any conditions that matter for this treatment. The service lists cancer, pregnancy, blood clotting disorders, acute infections (including infection in or near the joint) and a flare-up of a serious chronic illness as reasons the procedure is not done.

4. Whether you have had a recent fever, cold, flu or skin inflammation over the joint.

5. Your diary, as described above.

The coordinators answer round the clock on WhatsApp and Telegram, and a reply normally comes within 15 minutes. Because they work 24/7, bank holidays do not slow the conversation on our side. England and Wales have 8 bank holidays in 2026, including Christmas Day on 25 December and the substitute Boxing Day on 28 December. Your pharmacy and GP surgery may be closed on those days, so plan prescription repeats ahead if the holiday period falls in a difficult stretch for you.

Finally, choose a quiet place for the video call with good light. Be ready to show the joint, move it and point to where it hurts. Wear clothing that exposes the knee, hand, shoulder or other joint without effort.

Weight, load and the question of replacement

The doctor weighs several things beyond the scan when talking about arthritis. The service text lists stage of the condition, body weight and activity as factors that change how long the effect of treatment lasts. This is why the doctor will ask about your work, your sport and your weight, and will not just look at the image.

Weight appears in the national data as well. The NHS Health Survey for England 2022 found 29% of adults living with obesity and 64% overweight or living with obesity. Regional differences were considerable: obesity ranged from 39% in the North East to 21% in London. Coventry is in the West Midlands region. These are population figures, not a prediction for any individual, but they sit alongside the NHS statement that obesity raises the risk of osteoarthritis. Weight-loss surgery on the NHS may be offered at a BMI of 40 or more, or at 35-40 with a condition that might improve, and arthritis is one such example. Availability varies across areas of the UK.

Replacement is the other end of the road. The NHS says a hip replacement may be considered when hip pain and stiffness have a big effect on daily life and other treatments have not worked. Osteoarthritis is named as the leading cause, with rheumatoid arthritis and hip injury also listed. The City Medical Centre approach aims to keep your own joint. For early or moderate arthritis, and for people who want to avoid or postpone replacement, the doctor may suggest PRP or SVF. If the joint is already badly damaged, the doctor will say honestly that replacement may be the more realistic option.

What the injection day and the months after look like

PRP uses plasma rich in platelets, separated from a small quantity of your own blood taken from a vein. SVF is the stromal vascular fraction, a mix of cells that support tissue repair, isolated from roughly 30 ml of your adipose tissue. That sample is taken under local anaesthetic through a single puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, with no stitches. A centrifuge spins the sample into layers, the SVF is added to the PRP, and the prepared material is injected into the joint under ultrasound guidance. The whole procedure is done in one day. There are no crutches and no hospital stay, and the doctor keeps in touch afterwards.

For inflammatory arthritis, timing matters most. The doctor does not act during a severe flare or an active joint infection. SVF is applied after the acute flare has calmed. PRP may be advised in rheumatoid or other inflammatory arthritis, always as one part of the overall plan. For this reason the date of treatment follows the state of your joint and not the season of the year.

The service text gives an averaged timeline for guidance:

- About 1 week: the joint may ache a little more. This is an expected reaction.

- About 1 month: the pain usually eases.

- About 3 months: mobility and activity improve.

- About 6 months: the full effect develops.

How long the benefit lasts differs from person to person, and no one can promise a fixed result. Keep the diary going after the injection. It lets you and the doctor compare the same measures, such as morning stiffness and night pain, before and after.

Can I tell whether Coventry's wet autumn is making my arthritis worse?

You can test it with a diary instead of guessing. October is the wettest month here, at 68.7 mm on average, and August is close behind at 66.2 mm. Record your pain, morning stiffness and swelling each day through those months and compare them with drier spells such as March. Bring the record to the consultation. The doctor judges inflammation by the signs in the joint, and weather is only one thing you can note.

Does the dull winter light change anything about the treatment plan?

No. December and January are the dullest months, with about 61 hours of sunshine each. Treatment timing depends on your joint, not on the season. The procedure is not done during a severe flare or active joint infection, and SVF is applied once an acute flare has calmed. The doctor decides the moment after reviewing your scans and symptoms.

I am on an NHS waiting list in the Coventry area. Can I still ask for an online opinion?

Yes. The consultation and review of your scans is free, and you are not obliged to book any treatment. Waiting times across England are long: NHS England reported 7.3 million pathways waiting at the end of July 2026. An independent opinion on your imaging can help you understand your options while you wait. Keep your GP or rheumatologist informed, because they continue to manage your medicines and any systemic disease.

Which scans and papers should I send before the video call?

Send X-rays, MRI or ultrasound of the affected joint, plus any written reports. Add a short list of your diagnosis, your medicines and any conditions that might rule out treatment, such as pregnancy, cancer or a blood clotting disorder. A symptom diary covering several weeks is very helpful. The coordinator on WhatsApp or Telegram will confirm what is still missing.

Will bank holidays affect how quickly I get a reply?

Coordinators answer 24/7, so a holiday does not pause the conversation. In 2026 England and Wales have 8 bank holidays, including 25 December and the substitute day on 28 December. Your GP surgery or pharmacy may be closed on those days, so arrange any prescriptions you need before them.

Does my weight affect whether this treatment can help?

It is one of the factors. The service text says how long the effect lasts depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors. The NHS also notes that osteoarthritis risk is higher in people with obesity. The doctor will ask about your weight and activity at the consultation and will not judge you for it. The aim is to build a realistic plan.

I have rheumatoid arthritis and take regular medicines. Should I stop them before the consultation?

No. PRP and SVF supplement the treatment prescribed by your rheumatologist and do not replace it. The NHS describes rheumatoid arthritis treatment as long-term medicine to relieve symptoms and slow progress. List every medicine you take for the doctor, and do not change doses without your own specialist's advice.

Is it worth keeping a diary if my pain is mostly in the morning?

Yes, especially then. Morning stiffness lasting longer than half an hour is one of the signs that point towards inflammation. Write down how long it lasts each day, and whether pain also wakes you at night or appears at rest. That detail helps the doctor tell inflammation from simple wear of the cartilage.