Joint Pain Treatment in Port Elizabeth

PRP is platelet-rich plasma made from your blood; SVF is a fraction of cells isolated from a small sample of your adipose tissue. They act in different ways and are often used together for a stronger regenerative effect in the joint.

With both methods the tissue is your own, so the chance of rejection or an allergic reaction is very low. Any injection can bring temporary pain, swelling or bruising, and infection is rare. The doctor talks you through the risks in your case at the consultation.

It is different for everyone: after PRP the effect frequently lasts from several months to roughly a year, and SVF can give a longer effect. The stage of the condition and your body decide the duration, so no fixed result can be promised.

The doctor checks at the consultation that you have no cancer, acute infection or blood clotting disorder, are not pregnant and are not in a flare-up of a serious chronic illness — in these cases the procedure is not done.

When the condition is at an early stage, injections of PRP or SVF alongside exercise therapy and physiotherapy can ease pain and improve mobility. With a badly damaged joint, replacement may be the realistic option, and the doctor will be honest about this after seeing your scans.

SVF therapy may be an option at early stages (1–2) to support blood supply to the femoral head and postpone joint replacement. At later stages, surgery is usually needed.

Major surgery, long rehabilitation, risks like infection and implants that may need to be redone eventually — that is what a replacement involves. With early or moderate changes, preserving your own joint first is often sensible.

Yes. Your X-rays, MRI, CT or medical reports are reviewed by a doctor free of charge, and you will hear whether the procedure could suit you and what else may be needed.

In most cases within a day or two. No crutches, no long rehabilitation — the doctor recommends how to manage load and exercise in the first weeks.

PRP is an option for rotator cuff and shoulder joint problems, and SVF can be considered for more advanced arthritis of the shoulder. The doctor first pins down the cause of the pain, and suitability depends on it.