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Treatment of Inflammatory Joint Conditions in Reading

PRP and SVF cell therapy as part of arthritis care for the knee, hand, shoulder and other joints. A doctor reviews your case and tests first

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 means an inflamed joint. It usually shows as pain at rest and at night, stiffness in the morning lasting over half an hour, swelling, redness and a warm joint. Causes differ: autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, gout, an infection or a past 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

Suitability is decided by a doctor following an examination and a review of your scans

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

From a small amount of blood drawn from a vein, platelet-rich plasma with growth factors is prepared later on.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

Through a puncture on the inner thigh or abdomen, and under local anaesthetic, about 30 ml of adipose tissue is taken. Stitches are not needed.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

Separated into layers by spinning in a centrifuge, the sample yields the stromal vascular fraction, which is isolated and mixed with the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

The prepared material goes directly into the affected joint, with ultrasound guidance helping to place it accurately.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

Without crutches and without a hospital stay: after the procedure the doctor stays in touch 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

We use only your own adipose tissue and blood, with no synthetic or donor material

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

A small sample of your adipose tissue is processed to isolate the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) — a mix of cells involved in tissue repair. Combined with your own plasma, it is injected into the affected joint.

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

For inflammatory arthritis it is applied after the acute flare has calmed, because of its effect on local inflammation and on 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

A small amount of your blood is used to separate plasma rich in platelets and growth factors, which is then injected into the joint. It helps settle inflammation and gives tissue repair better conditions.

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

As a single element of the wider plan, it can be advised in rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis.

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

  • KneeKneePain after walking and on stairs, meniscus problems and cartilage wear
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderPain lifting the arm, with wear of the joint and its surrounding tendons
  • ElbowElbowWear on the joint surfaces and pain after overuse or sports strain
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsStiff, painful small joints in 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

We use only your own adipose tissue and blood, with no synthetic or donor material

No crutches

No crutches

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

Second opinion

Second opinion

Send us your X-rays, MRI or medical reports for a free, independent assessment by a doctor

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

Staying in touch after the procedure, we follow the outcome and not only the 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

Since the price depends on the joint, the method and the type of arthritis, the doctor gives it after the consultation

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

Arthritis treatment in Reading: what you should know

We work with inflammatory joint conditions of the knee, hand and wrist, shoulder, elbow, hip and ankle. Patients from Reading can send their test results and scans for a free review.

PRP may be given as a course of injections or together with SVF. The method and number of injections are chosen for each patient from Reading after the examination.

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

Flares, damp autumns and a town between two rivers

Reading's town centre stands on a low ridge between the River Thames and the River Kennet, close to where they meet. The suburbs climb towards the foothills of the Berkshire Downs, and north of the Thames they reach the Chiltern Hills. The elevation is about 61 m. People with inflammatory arthritis often ask whether this kind of damp, river-valley setting affects their joints. The honest answer is that it differs from person to person, and a diary can show whether it applies to you.

The Met Office averages for 1991-2020 give some seasonal context. January is the coldest month, with a mean maximum of 8.0 °C and a mean minimum of 2.1 °C. July is the warmest, with a mean maximum of 22.7 °C and a minimum of 12.9 °C. Rain falls on about 113.9 days a year, adding up to 658.2 mm. October (73.8 mm) and November (73.1 mm) are the wettest months, while March (40.3 mm) and May (43.5 mm) are the driest. These figures describe the town. They do not prove that any weather type triggers a flare.

If you suspect a link, test it against your own records. Write down the date, the joint, the pain level, how long the morning stiffness lasted and whether the joint looked swollen, red or warm. After a few months you can set your worst days next to the weather. You may find a pattern, or you may find that your flares follow a missed medicine, an infection or a busy week instead. Either result helps the doctor, because the type of arthritis and the timing of treatment matter more than the weather outside.

The doctor will also ask where you are in a flare. According to the service description, injections are never given during a severe flare or an active joint infection. PRP and SVF are considered once the acute flare has calmed. A diary that marks the start and end of each flare helps to pick that moment.

A symptom diary that a doctor can actually read

A diary is only useful if it is short enough to keep up. The signs worth recording come straight from how inflammatory arthritis behaves: pain at night or at rest, morning stiffness lasting longer than half an hour, swelling, and a joint that is red and warm. Gout, psoriasis, infection, an old injury and autoimmune disease can all produce similar pictures, so details count. Note which joint is affected, whether it is one side or both, and whether small joints of the fingers and wrists are involved.

Keep the entries plain and comparable from day to day:

- the time you woke and how long the stiffness lasted;

- pain at night and at rest, on a simple scale you choose and keep using;

- visible swelling, redness or warmth, with a photo if you can;

- medicines taken, including anything for short-term pain relief and how long it helped;

- notable events such as an infection, a fever, a skin flare or a change in activity.

Reading's sunshine record gives a useful reason to keep the diary across the whole year. The town gets about 1,577.5 hours of sunshine a year. July is the brightest month with 205.5 hours, followed by May (199.9 hours) and June (199.0 hours). December is the dullest with only 48.5 hours. A diary that covers both a bright summer month and a dim December gives the doctor a fairer comparison than one written in a single good fortnight. Mood, sleep and activity also change with the seasons, so jot those down too. A joint that feels worse in a dark month may be reacting to inflammation, to lower activity, or to both.

Bring the diary to the online consultation in whatever form you have. A photo of a notebook page, a spreadsheet or a notes app export all work. The doctor reads it alongside your scans and decides whether your pattern fits a joint that could be treated now or one that should wait until the flare has settled.

National coverage, specialist access and where an online consultation fits

Arthritis is common across the whole of the UK. Arthritis UK estimates that over 10 million adults, young people and children live with it. The NHS describes osteoarthritis as the most common type. Its risk rises with age, it is higher in women than in men, and it is higher in people with obesity or a previous joint injury. A GP may suspect it in people aged 45 or older. Inflammatory forms such as rheumatoid arthritis are different. The NHS states 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. Surgery can fix joint problems that develop.

Access to specialists has its own pressures. NHS England's statistical notice of 10 September 2026 reports that 7.3 million referral-to-treatment pathways were waiting to start treatment at the end of July 2026. That is around 6.2 million unique patients, and 111,379 of them had waited more than 52 weeks. Those figures cover all specialties and not just rheumatology, but they explain why many people look for an extra opinion while they wait for their next appointment.

An online consultation does not replace your rheumatologist or the medicines you have been prescribed. It adds a second look at your scans. The doctor reviews your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound and tells you whether PRP or SVF could be considered for your type of arthritis. These injections are not a cure for a systemic disease. They are used after an acute flare has calmed, with the aim of easing local inflammation and pain and supporting tissue in the joint, alongside the plan your rheumatologist sets. The doctor will also say honestly when another route is more realistic. If a joint is badly damaged, replacement can be the better option. The NHS notes that a hip replacement may be considered when pain and stiffness have a big effect on life and other treatments have not worked.

The first review is free and carries no obligation to book a procedure. You can send scans and reports first and talk afterwards, so there is nothing to arrange around a working day in Reading.

Getting ready for the online consultation

Good preparation makes a short conversation much more useful. Gather these before you message the coordinator:

- recent X-ray, MRI or ultrasound images, or the written reports if the images are not at hand;

- blood test results connected to your joint condition, if you have them;

- the names and schedule of every medicine you take for arthritis and for pain;

- your diary or a short summary of the last few weeks;

- a list of earlier injections, operations or injuries involving the joints;

- photos of any swollen or red joint, taken in daylight;

- your questions, written down so none is forgotten.

Coordinators answer round the clock on WhatsApp and Telegram, and the first reply usually comes within 15 minutes. You can send files in the evening, at a weekend or on a public holiday. England and Wales have 8 bank holidays in 2026. The final ones are Christmas Day on 25 December and the substitute Boxing Day on 28 December. The line stays open on those dates as on any other day, so your scans do not have to wait for a working week.

During the consultation the doctor checks your history, looks at the joint if you can show it on camera and goes through the images. He or she then explains whether treatment fits or whether something else comes first. Treatment is not suitable if you have an active joint infection, a severe flare, cancer or a blood clotting disorder, or if you are pregnant. A fever, a cold or flu, or any skin inflammation over the joint is a temporary reason to wait.

If treatment goes ahead, you will be told the sequence in advance. 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 the inner thigh, with no stitches. The sample is spun in a centrifuge, the stromal vascular fraction is separated and combined with the plasma, and the mixture is injected into the joint under ultrasound guidance. The whole procedure is done in one day. There are no crutches and no hospital stay.

Weight, load and the joints of a busy town

Reading is a university town that has hosted its own festival since 1971, held over the August bank holiday weekend from Friday to Sunday. In March the streets are closed for the Half Marathon, which has 16,000 competitors. Events like these show how many people in the area put real load on their knees, hips and ankles. For anyone with an inflamed joint, the question is not whether to stay active but how to choose the load. The doctor can talk through what is sensible for your type of arthritis and your current stage, and which joints need more care.

Body weight is part of that conversation. The Health Survey for England 2022 found that 29% of adults were living with obesity and 64% were overweight or living with obesity. By region, obesity ranged from 39% in the North East to 21% in London, and Reading belongs to South East England. These are population figures and say nothing about any one person. The NHS does list obesity among the factors that raise the risk of osteoarthritis. The service description also names body weight, activity and the stage of the condition as things that shape how long an effect lasts.

The NHS says weight loss surgery may be offered at a BMI of 40 or more. It may also be offered at a BMI of 35 to 40 when a condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or arthritis might improve with weight loss. The person must agree to lifestyle changes and check-ups, and availability varies across areas of the UK. That is a separate route from joint injections. If it is relevant to you, mention it, so the doctor can place the joint plan in the wider picture.

Recovery after an injection is gradual. After about a week the joint may ache a little more, which is an expected reaction. After about a month the pain usually eases. Around three months mobility and activity tend to improve, and the full effect develops at about six months. These are averaged timings. The doctor confirms what is realistic for your joint, and no one can promise a fixed result.

Open spaces along the river give you somewhere gentle to move once the doctor agrees. They include the Thameside Promenade, Caversham Court, Christchurch Meadows, Hills Meadow, View Island and King's Meadow. Choose the surface and distance by how the joint feels that day, and record it in the diary.

Does the damp Reading autumn make inflammatory arthritis worse?

There is no basis in the medical material we use to say that it does. October and November are the wettest months, with about 73.8 mm and 73.1 mm of rain, so they are a good period to watch. Record your pain, stiffness and swelling every day and compare them with the weather. The doctor will look at the diary alongside your scans and can tell you whether a pattern is visible.

How should I keep a diary through the dull winter months?

Keep it short and consistent. Write down how long the morning stiffness lasted, whether you had pain at night or at rest, whether the joint was swollen, red or warm, and which medicines you took. December is the dullest month in Reading, with about 48.5 hours of sunshine. Add a note on sleep and activity, since both change in a dark month and may affect how the joint feels.

I am waiting for a specialist appointment on the NHS. Can I still have an online consultation?

Yes. NHS England reported 7.3 million waiting pathways at the end of July 2026, and many people wait for a long time. An online consultation does not replace your rheumatologist or change your prescribed medicines. The doctor reviews your scans free of charge and says whether PRP or SVF could be considered once a flare has settled.

Which documents should I send before the call?

Send your X-ray, MRI or ultrasound images or their reports, recent blood test results, a list of your medicines, your symptom diary and photos of any swollen joint. Add notes about earlier injections, operations or injuries. The coordinator can tell you if anything is missing, and you can send files at any hour on WhatsApp or Telegram.

Can I arrange the consultation over a bank holiday?

Yes. Coordinators answer round the clock, including on bank holidays such as 25 December and the substitute day on 28 December 2026. You can send your documents and questions whenever it suits you, and the doctor reviews them as part of the consultation.

I take part in running events in Reading. Can I keep up my sport with an inflamed joint?

That depends on your type of arthritis, the joint and how active the inflammation is. High load on the joints is one of the reasons people consider this treatment, but the doctor decides after the examination and the scan review. Treatment is not given during a severe flare or an active joint infection, so activity during a flare should be discussed with your rheumatologist.

Will PRP or SVF replace my rheumatoid arthritis medicines?

No. The NHS states that rheumatoid arthritis has no cure and is managed with long-term medicine, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. PRP and SVF do not cure it. At most they are one part of a plan, used after an acute flare has calmed, to ease local inflammation and pain. Keep taking what your rheumatologist prescribes.

Does body weight affect whether the treatment is useful?

It can. The NHS lists obesity among the factors that raise the risk of osteoarthritis, and the service description names body weight as one of the things that decide how long an effect lasts. The doctor takes your weight, activity and stage of disease into account when discussing what to expect. This is part of a realistic plan and not a reason to be turned away.