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Arthritis Treatment for Patients from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Cell therapy (SVF) and PRP as one element of arthritis care — knee, hand, shoulder and other joints, with a doctor reviewing your tests beforehand

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

The treatment is only offered once a doctor has examined you and reviewed your scans and found it suitable

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: skin inflammation over the joint to be treated, a fever, a cold or flu

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

Platelet-rich plasma with growth factors is prepared later from a small amount of blood taken from your vein.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

A small portion of adipose tissue (about 30 ml) is collected under local anaesthetic through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, with no stitches needed.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

Centrifuging the sample separates it into layers, after which the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and mixed into the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

The prepared material is injected directly into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance, which helps place it precisely.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

You go without crutches or a hospital stay, while the doctor keeps in touch after the procedure and follows 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

Only your own blood and adipose tissue are used — no donor or synthetic material

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

It is used in inflammatory arthritis — once the acute flare is over — for its influence on local inflammation and the repair of tissue.

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

Injected into the joint, plasma rich in platelets and growth factors — separated from a small amount of your blood — helps calm inflammation and makes conditions for tissue repair better.

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

It may be recommended for rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis 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

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

  • KneeKneeWorn cartilage, meniscus issues and pain climbing stairs or after a walk
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderRaising the arm hurts; the joint and the tendons around it are worn
  • ElbowElbowPain from overuse or strain during sport, and wear 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

Treatment without surgery that sets out to keep your own joint instead of replacing it

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

Only your own blood and adipose tissue are used — no donor or synthetic material

No crutches

No crutches

Instead of incisions we use punctures, with local anaesthetic and no long rehabilitation

Second opinion

Second opinion

Free of charge, a doctor gives an independent assessment of the X-rays, MRI or reports you send

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

We stay in touch after the procedure and follow the result, not just the day of the injection

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

After the consultation the doctor names the cost, which depends on the joint, the arthritis type and the method

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

How PRP and SVF work in arthritis for Las Palmas de Gran Canaria residents

Arthritis is inflammation of a joint. For patients from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 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.

Follow-up visits help the doctor see how the joint responds and adjust the plan. In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, you receive recommendations on load and activity for the first weeks after the procedure.

Arthritis treatment in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: price at consultation, free case review, own tissue only. Leave your name and phone number, or message us in any messenger.

A mild climate does not switch off an inflamed joint

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria sits on the north-east coast of Gran Canaria, in the Atlantic. The 1981-2010 averages show how little the temperature moves through the year: about 24.2 °C for the daily maximum and 18.0 °C for the minimum. January is the coolest month, with a maximum of 20.8 °C and a minimum of 15.0 °C. August is the warmest, at 27.5 °C and 21.6 °C. Relative humidity averages 66 %, and the trade winds bring fresh, damp air.

With such a narrow range, many people assume that joint problems should stay quiet all year. Arthritis does not work that way. Inflammation in the joint comes from the cause itself, which may be autoimmune (rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis), gout, an infection or an old injury. A gentle climate cannot remove any of these. The typical signs stay the same everywhere: pain at night or at rest, morning stiffness lasting longer than half an hour, swelling, and a joint that is red and warm.

This is why it helps to look at your own pattern rather than at the weather forecast. Some people feel a joint worse on damp days, others notice no link at all. We cannot promise either outcome, and no figure in the climate data ties flares to the weather. A written record will show whether a link exists for you, and the doctor can then take it into account when discussing the timing of treatment.

Building a symptom diary that a doctor can actually use

A diary is most useful when it is short and consistent. Write the same few items every day, at roughly the same time. Note the joint (left knee, right wrist and so on) and the pain level from 0 to 10. Add how long morning stiffness lasted, measured against the half-hour mark that doctors pay attention to. Record any swelling, redness or warmth, and whether pain woke you at night or came on at rest.

Then add context. Climate figures for the city give a few things to note: December is the wettest month, with about 31 mm over 4.5 days. From June to August there is practically no rain (0 mm in July). Sunshine runs from about 308 hours in July to 179 hours in December. You do not need to measure any of this yourself. A line saying «rainy and windy» or «dry, hot» next to the symptoms is enough to make a pattern visible after a few weeks.

Also write down anything that may be a trigger or a change: a new activity, a long period of standing, a minor injury, a cold or fever, a skin problem over a joint, or a change in your usual medicines. The doctor will ask about these at the consultation. Fever, a cold or skin inflammation over the planned joint are temporary reasons to postpone treatment, so a dated record of them saves time.

Photographs help too. A picture of a swollen or red joint taken on a bad day shows more than a description given later on a calm day. Send a few of them to the coordinator together with your scans.

Coverage, waiting lists and where an online consultation fits

Spain has a national health system (SNS), and the published figures show why some people look for an additional opinion while they wait. At the end of 2025, first specialist consultations in the SNS had an average wait of 102 days. Traumatology had the longest wait for a consultation, at 132 days. In the Canary Islands, 8,592 patients were waiting for traumatology surgery, with an average of 137 days, and the islands' overall surgical wait averaged 106 days.

Joint conditions are common. In the European Health Survey 2020 (INE), arthrosis was the third most frequent diagnosed chronic problem among people aged 15 and over, at 14.4 %, after high blood pressure (19.0 %) and high cholesterol (15.3 %). In the same survey, 64.6 % of people aged 15 and over in the Canary Islands rated their health positively. That was the lowest share among the autonomous communities.

An online consultation does not replace the system you are already in. For a systemic disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, care stays with your rheumatologist, and PRP and SVF are used alongside that care, never instead of it. What the consultation adds is a free, independent look at your X-rays, MRI, ultrasound or blood tests. The doctor tells you whether regenerative treatment could suit your type of arthritis. The coordinators answer on WhatsApp and Telegram round the clock, so you can send material when it suits you.

If a wait for an in-person appointment is already under way, there is no need to cancel anything. A second opinion can be collected in parallel, and it may help you arrive at your next appointment with clearer questions.

Preparing for the consultation: a practical checklist

Start with the imaging. Gather any X-rays, MRI or ultrasound studies of the affected joint, plus recent blood test results and reports from your rheumatologist or other specialist. If the files are large, the coordinator will tell you how to send them. The doctor goes through them first, then examines the joint and decides whether the procedure suits you.

Prepare a short history. Include when the symptoms began, which joints are involved, what has helped, and how long painkillers work for. The service text lists «painkillers only help for a short time» among the situations where treatment may fit. Add the diary, a list of your current medicines and any other conditions. Pregnancy, cancer, blood clotting disorders, acute infections (including infection in or near the joint) and a flare of a serious chronic illness mean the procedure is not done. The doctor will postpone it or offer another option.

Timing matters a lot in inflammatory arthritis. The doctor confirms the type of arthritis first and chooses the right moment. Treatment is not given during a severe flare or an active joint infection. SVF is applied after the acute flare has calmed, and PRP is only one part of the overall plan.

If the plan goes ahead, the steps are simple. A small blood sample is taken for PRP. About 30 ml of adipose tissue is taken under local anaesthetic through a single puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, with no stitches. The sample is spun in a centrifuge, the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and added to the plasma, and the mixture is injected into the joint under ultrasound guidance. The whole procedure is done in one day, with no crutches and no hospital stay.

After the injection: what the first months can look like

The service text gives averaged timings for guidance. In the first week the joint may ache a little more, and this is an expected reaction. After about a month the pain usually eases. Around three months, mobility and activity improve, and by about six months the full effect develops. These are averages, not promises. How long the effect lasts differs from person to person and depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors.

Your diary becomes more valuable after the procedure. Keep the same daily entries and mark the injection date. The doctor keeps in touch afterwards and follows how the joint responds, and dated notes let you describe the change precisely instead of from memory. If a flare comes back, a note of when it started and what the joint looked like helps the doctor decide the next step together with your rheumatologist.

Calendar planning is also practical. The city has a Carnival every February, and its main parade draws about 200,000 people along a 6 km route. The Fiestas de San Juan fall in June. Large events can fill your week, so it helps to pick a consultation time and a follow-up time that leave room for rest and for writing down how the joint feels. The sea is mild too, from a yearly average of 21 °C, with a low of 19.1 °C in February-March and a high of 23.4 °C in September-October. Whether swimming or walking on the 3,100 m beach of Las Canteras is appropriate for your joint is a question for the doctor, not a general rule.

Does the mild climate of Las Palmas mean my arthritis flares less often?

Not necessarily. Average temperatures stay between about 15.0 °C and 27.5 °C through the year, but arthritis is driven by its cause, such as an autoimmune condition, gout, an infection or an old injury. A symptom diary shows whether weather affects your joints at all.

What should I write in a symptom diary before the consultation?

Note the joint, pain from 0 to 10, how long morning stiffness lasted, swelling, redness or warmth, and whether pain appeared at night or at rest. Add short weather notes and any fever, cold or skin problem over the joint.

Can an online consultation replace my rheumatologist or the public health system?

No. Rheumatoid and other systemic forms are managed by a rheumatologist, and PRP and SVF only supplement that care. The online consultation offers a free review of your scans and an opinion on whether regenerative treatment could suit you.

Waiting times for specialists are long in the Canary Islands. Can I start something in the meantime?

You can send your scans and reports for a free second opinion while you wait. Published SNS data for the end of 2025 show a 102-day average wait for a first specialist consultation, 132 days in traumatology. Your existing appointments stay as they are.

Which documents should I send first?

Send X-rays, MRI or ultrasound of the affected joint, recent blood tests and any reports from specialists. Add your diary, a list of medicines and a few dated photographs of swelling or redness if you have them.

Is it possible to be treated during a flare?

No. The doctor does not act during a severe flare or an active joint infection. For inflammatory arthritis, SVF is applied after the acute flare has calmed, and the doctor chooses the right moment.

How soon after the procedure might I notice a change?

On average, the joint may ache a little more in the first week. The pain usually eases after about a month, mobility improves at about three months, and the full effect develops at about six months. Individual results differ and cannot be promised.

Does the procedure need a long stay or crutches?

No. It is done in one day under local anaesthetic with ultrasound guidance, with no crutches and no hospital stay. The doctor then stays in touch to follow how the joint responds.