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Non-Surgical Osteoarthritis Treatment in Ondo

Cell therapy (SVF) plus PRP for arthrosis of the knee, hip and beyond. Send your X-rays or MRI — the stage review costs nothing

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 osteoarthritis
(arthrosis)?

In this chronic disease — osteoarthritis, or arthrosis — joint cartilage is gradually worn thin. Losing the cartilage cushion lets bone rub against bone, which brings pain, stiffness and a smaller range of motion. It is classed as degenerative, not inflammatory, even though swelling may come with flare-ups.

  • 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

It is up to the doctor, after examining you and reviewing your scans, to decide whether the treatment fits

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, inflamed skin over the joint that is 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

The doctor examines the joint, reviews your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound and decides whether the procedure suits you. If you already have scans, you can send them before the visit.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

Blood is taken from a vein in a small amount. Later, platelet-rich plasma containing growth factors is prepared from it.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

Local anaesthetic is used while a small portion of adipose tissue, about 30 ml, is taken through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh. The site needs no stitches.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

The sample is spun in a centrifuge and separates into layers. The stromal vascular fraction is isolated and mixed with the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

Using ultrasound guidance, the doctor injects the prepared material directly into the affected joint so it is placed precisely.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

There is no hospital stay and you will not need crutches. The doctor remains in contact 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

We use your own adipose tissue and blood only, with 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 that take part in tissue repair. With your own plasma added, it is injected into the joint in question.

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

Its main use is at early and moderate stages of osteoarthritis, to slow the wear of cartilage and lessen friction between the joint surfaces.

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 blood sample provides plasma rich in platelets and growth factors; this is injected into the joint to help ease inflammation and create better conditions for the tissue to repair.

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

For mild osteoarthritis it is often used alone, and with SVF when the effect needs to be stronger.

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

From large joints to small ones — which joint, which method and how many injections is decided after the doctor studies your scans

  • KneeKneeCartilage wearing down, meniscus problems, pain on stairs and after a walk
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderPain when raising the arm, wear of the joint and surrounding tendons
  • ElbowElbowOveruse or sports strain causing pain; worn joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsPainful, stiff small joints of the wrist and fingers
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

Instead of replacing your joint, we work to keep it — treatment without surgery

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

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

No crutches

No crutches

Only punctures, no incisions — under local anaesthetic and without a long rehabilitation

Second opinion

Second opinion

Send X-rays, MRI or reports and receive a doctor's independent assessment for free

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

We remain in touch after the procedure and track the outcome, not merely on 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

Request a free call

Price

Osteoarthritis treatment prices

The doctor names the cost after the consultation — it depends on the joint, the method and how advanced the osteoarthritis is

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

Osteoarthritis treatment in Ondo: what you should know

Treatment of osteoarthritis in Ondo uses your own tissue: plasma from a small blood sample and the stromal vascular fraction from a small sample of adipose tissue. There is no donor or synthetic material.

Blood tests help rule out inflammatory conditions before treatment. If you are a patient from Ondo, the doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed so you can prepare.

A consultation is the first step for every patient from Ondo. It is free, and after it you know the stage, the method and the cost of treatment.

Ondo and the question of joint pain

Ondo Town is the second largest city in Ondo State, Nigeria, with about 375,000 inhabitants. It is a working city. People here spend long hours on their feet in markets, on farms, in classrooms and in workshops, and the knees, hips, hands and spine carry that load every day. When joint pain begins, many residents of Ondo first try to ignore it. They attribute it to age, a hard week or a poor night's sleep, and keep going.

Osteoarthritis is different from a passing strain. It is a chronic condition, so it needs an ongoing plan rather than a single injection or a single decision. The sooner a person in Ondo understands what is happening in the joint, the more options remain open. This text explains how osteoarthritis treatment with a cell-based approach is planned for a patient who lives in Ondo, what to ask, and how to fit recovery into the real rhythm of the city.

Everything starts with a free online consultation. You contact the City Medical Centre coordinators on Telegram or Telegram from your own home in Ondo. They are available around the clock (24/7), so you can write when the working day is over and the house is quiet.

A trade city and the load on its joints

Ondo Town is the trade centre of the surrounding region. Yams, cassava, grain, tobacco and cotton are grown around it, and the town is the largest producer of cocoa products in the region. Anyone who has worked with these crops, or carried and loaded them, knows what repeated bending, kneeling, lifting and standing do to the knees, hips and lower back. Traders who stand at a stall all day and farmers who work the soil are among those most likely to describe joint pain that worsens by evening.

The cotton grown locally is often woven into Aso Oke, a culturally significant cloth used for clothing among the local population. Weaving is fine, repetitive work. It asks a lot of the hands, wrists, shoulders and the seated back. Pain and stiffness in the finger joints or the lower back can make this craft hard, and craftspeople often ask whether the joint can be supported without stopping work for long.

These are exactly the questions to bring to the first conversation: what your day looks like, which movements hurt, which tasks you cannot give up, and how many days of lighter activity you can realistically arrange. A treatment plan that ignores your work will not hold, so the plan is built around it.

Is it osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis?

Not every painful joint has the same cause, and this distinction matters before any treatment is chosen. Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints. Its typical signs are pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, and redness and warmth over the joint. Its causes include autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, infections, gout and psoriasis.

Osteoarthritis usually behaves differently. Pain tends to grow with load and ease with rest, and the joint feels worn rather than hot. In practice the two can overlap, which is why a patient in Ondo should not rely on a guess. If a joint is red, warm and swollen, or if stiffness in the morning lasts longer than 30 minutes, tell the coordinator at the very start, because an inflammatory cause needs its own assessment before anything else.

For the remote consultation, prepare a short written history: which joints hurt, since when, what makes the pain better or worse, whether nights are disturbed, and any earlier diagnoses such as gout or psoriasis. Photographs of swollen joints and any existing scans or laboratory results help the specialist form a clear first impression.

How the online consultation works from Ondo

The process is simple and takes place entirely from where you live. You write to the coordinators on Telegram or Telegram, and the first consultation is free. You describe your symptoms, send your documents and photographs, and a specialist reviews them. Because coordinators are available 24/7, a farmer who rises early or a teacher who marks books late can write at a convenient moment and receive an answer without rearranging the day.

Many Ondo patients are comfortable with messaging and voice notes, and that is enough to begin. Good material to send includes imaging reports, a list of current medicines, notes on previous treatment, and a short description of your daily activity. If your results are in a language or format that is hard to photograph, send what you have and the team will tell you what else is useful.

The result of the consultation is a plan, not a pressure to decide. You learn whether your joint is at an early stage where a cell-based approach may be considered, or at a later stage where surgery is usually required. You can discuss the plan with your family, as is the custom in many households in Ondo, before you agree to anything.

What the procedure involves

The approach discussed for early osteoarthritis uses your own tissue. Under local anaesthetic, a small portion of adipose tissue, about 30 ml, is taken through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh. No stitches are needed. For a person who worries about a long wound in a hot working environment, this is a practical point, since there is no suture line to keep clean and dry.

At early stages (1–2), SVF therapy may be considered to support blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for joint replacement. The wording matters: it is about supporting the joint and gaining time, not about turning back the clock. At later stages surgery is usually required, and a frank specialist will say so rather than offer something unsuitable.

Patients in Ondo often ask whether one session is enough. Since osteoarthritis is chronic, it needs an ongoing plan rather than a single injection. That plan can include movement, weight management, strengthening, footwear and follow-up. The cell-based step is one part of it, not the whole story.

Recovery, weather and daily life in Ondo

After collecting the tissue, the puncture area is small, and the main practical advice concerns keeping it clean, comfortable and protected. In hot or humid weather, choose light, loose clothing that does not rub the abdomen or inner thigh, and avoid situations where sweat and dust sit against the skin for hours. If the day is dusty, for instance on a farm road or near a busy market, cover the area and change the dressing as the team instructs.

Swelling and tenderness around the treated joint are discussed during the consultation, and the specialist will tell you which activities to reduce and for how long. As general advice, avoid sudden heavy loading in the first days, rest the joint on hot afternoons, and do not test it with a long walk or a day of lifting just because it feels better. Natural water such as a river or a public pool should wait until the specialist confirms that the puncture area is ready.

Meals matter too. Ondo has a strong food culture built on yams, cassava and grain, and these are filling, starchy staples. Nothing needs to be given up, but portions and the overall balance affect body weight, and weight puts load on the knees and hips. The WHO treats overweight as a significant health topic, and it is worth discussing a realistic eating plan with the team.

Timing the treatment around work, study and family

Ondo is a city of learning. It has Ondo State University of Medical Sciences, established in 2015, along with Wesley University, Adeyemi Federal University of Education and Ondo City Polytechnic, founded in 2017. The town has over 200 public and private schools, and Ondo Boys' High School, founded in 1919, is one of the oldest schools in Africa. Teachers, lecturers and students make up a large part of the community, and many of them sit for long periods, then stand and walk between lecture halls and classrooms.

For an academic, the best moment for treatment is usually between busy periods: after exams are marked, or when the timetable is lighter. Students with joint problems, which are less common but possible after injury or in inflammatory disease, can plan around a break. Ask the coordinator to help you set a calendar that leaves a few quiet days after the procedure, followed by a gradual return to normal activity.

Family events are central to life in Ondo, and ceremonies often involve long standing, dancing, carrying and sitting on low seats. If an important event is coming, say so at the start. It may be wiser to schedule treatment after it, or to plan the recovery so that you can take part in comfort. The specialist can then suggest how much activity is sensible at each stage.

When results appear and how to measure them

Patience is part of this treatment. Many patients notice the first changes 2–3 weeks after the procedure. A stable result forms over about six months and can last from several months to several years, depending on the individual. This is a wide range, and no honest specialist can promise where you will fall within it.

Keep a simple diary from the first day. Note morning stiffness, pain after walking, pain at night, how many steps you can take, and how you manage stairs, kneeling or lifting. A record like this lets you and the specialist see real progress rather than rely on memory. It is also useful for deciding on the next step in the ongoing plan.

Return to work and sport should be gradual. A trader can often return to light standing tasks sooner than to heavy lifting, and a farmer should phase in bending and carrying. Walking is generally a good start, and heavier sport comes later, as the specialist advises. Strengthening the muscles around the joint is a central part of long-term management, in line with the NICE guideline Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management (NG226), which stresses exercise, weight management and education alongside other options.

Who is a suitable candidate and what to ask the surgeon

In general terms, the cell-based approach is considered for people with early osteoarthritis, stages 1–2, who still have a joint worth supporting. It is less suitable for advanced damage, where surgery is usually required. Active infection, an untreated inflammatory disease, a serious illness that affects healing, or unrealistic expectations are all reasons for caution. The specialist will review your history, so be honest about every condition and medicine.

Prepare questions before the consultation. Which stage is my joint at, and what is the evidence for it? Is my pain from osteoarthritis or from an inflammatory cause? What does the plan include besides the procedure? How long before I can return to my job? What activity should I avoid, and for how long? What happens if the result is short-lived? What would be the next step, including surgery, if it is needed?

Write the answers down and share them with someone you trust. A calm, informed decision made at home in Ondo, with the coordinators reachable around the clock on Telegram or Telegram, is better than a rushed one.

Is the first consultation really free, and can I do it from Ondo?

Yes. The online consultation is free and you take it from your own home in Ondo. You write to the coordinators on Telegram or Telegram, send your complaints and any scans or results, and a specialist reviews them. Coordinators are available 24/7.

How is tissue collected for the procedure?

Under local anaesthetic, a small portion of adipose tissue, about 30 ml, is taken through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh. No stitches are needed.

Is one treatment enough for osteoarthritis?

Not on its own. Osteoarthritis is chronic, so it needs an ongoing plan rather than a single injection. The plan usually combines the procedure with exercise, weight management and regular follow-up.

When will I notice a difference?

Many patients notice the first changes 2–3 weeks after the procedure. A stable result forms over about six months, and it can last from several months to several years, depending on the individual.

Which stage of osteoarthritis is suitable?

At early stages (1–2), SVF therapy may be considered to support blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for joint replacement. At later stages surgery is usually required.

How do I tell arthritis from osteoarthritis?

Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints. Typical signs are pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. If you notice these signs, tell the coordinator at once so the cause can be assessed first.

Can I keep working in the market, on the farm or in the classroom?

Most people plan a few quiet days after the procedure and then return to work gradually. Lighter tasks usually come first, and heavy lifting or long kneeling later. The specialist will give advice that fits your job.

Does my weight and diet matter?

Yes. Body weight puts load on the knees and hips, and the WHO treats overweight as an important health topic. You do not have to give up the staples of Ondo cooking, but portions and balance are worth discussing with the team.

What should I send before the consultation?

Send any imaging reports, laboratory results, a list of medicines, notes on earlier treatment, photographs of swollen joints, and a short description of your daily activity and the movements that hurt.