Regenerative Medicine for Arthritis in Atlanta

Living with arthritis pain can feel like a slow tug-of-war with your own body. Stiff knees that protest every step, aching hips that make it hard to stand from a chair, sore hands that struggle to open jars, or spinal stiffness that keeps you from finding a comfortable sleeping position—these aren’t just “aches and pains.” They affect how you move, work, and enjoy the people and activities you love.

Many patients come to us frustrated. They’ve relied on pills that upset their stomach, injections that help for a little while and then wear off, or they’ve been told to “wait until it’s bad enough for surgery.” It’s understandable to want another path.

Regenerative medicine offers a different approach. Instead of only masking symptoms, regenerative therapies aim to use your body’s own healing responses to support joint health, reduce pain, and improve function. The focus is on repairing, restoring, and stabilizing tissue as much as possible—helping joints work better, not just hurt less.

At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, a patient-centered orthopedic and spine practice serving Atlanta and North Georgia, regenerative medicine is one piece of a comprehensive, minimally invasive, least drug-dependent approach to arthritis care.

No two joints and no two patients are exactly the same. Every regenerative treatment plan at Medici is individually designed after a careful evaluation of:

• The degree of joint damage
• Your symptoms and exam findings
• Your lifestyle, activity level, and goals

Our goal is simple: help you move more comfortably and confidently, with the safest and most effective options we can offer.

Understanding Arthritis and Joint Degeneration

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a general term that refers to inflammation and degeneration inside a joint—especially the cartilage that cushions the bones, as well as surrounding ligaments, tendons, and joint lining (synovium). Over time, this wear, inflammation, and breakdown can lead to pain, stiffness, and loss of function.

Common forms of arthritis we see at Medici include:

• Osteoarthritis (OA)
  Often called “wear-and-tear” arthritis, OA affects joints like the knees, hips, shoulders, spine, and small joints of the hands and feet. The smooth cartilage that normally allows bones to glide begins to thin and fray.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
  An autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the joint lining, leading to inflammation, pain, and progressive joint damage. Regenerative therapies, when considered, are used in coordination with your rheumatologist or primary medical team.
• Post-traumatic arthritis
  Arthritis that develops after an injury, fracture, or surgery. Even when bones heal, damaged cartilage or joint changes can set the stage for early arthritis.

Symptoms and Daily Impact

Arthritis doesn’t just show up on an X-ray—it shows up in everyday life. Common symptoms include:

• Joint pain and stiffness
• Swelling or a feeling of fullness in the joint
• Popping, grinding, or catching (crepitus)
• Reduced range of motion—difficulty bending, straightening, or rotating a joint
• Morning stiffness that slowly eases, or pain that worsens with activity and at the end of the day

Over time, these symptoms can make routine tasks genuinely difficult:

• Walking any distance or climbing stairs
• Rising from a chair or getting out of a car
• Lifting, reaching overhead, or gripping small objects
• Turning the neck to check blind spots
• Exercising, playing sports, or keeping up with children or grandchildren

Arthritis can limit work, caregiving, and recreational activities. It can also affect sleep and mood—because living in pain all the time is exhausting.

Why Traditional Care May Not Be Enough

Standard arthritis treatments often start with:

• NSAIDs and other medications to reduce pain and inflammation
• Corticosteroid injections to calm flares and swelling
• Bracing and basic physical therapy to support the joint and improve mechanics

These tools absolutely have their place—but they also have limitations:

• Relief may be temporary, with pain returning as the medication wears off
• Repeated steroids can carry risks for cartilage and tissue over time
• Ongoing reliance on pain medications can bring side effects or other concerns
• Many patients feel they are simply “buying time” until joint replacement surgery

This is where regenerative medicine can fit into the picture:

Instead of focusing only on symptom relief, regenerative therapies aim to support the health of the tissues inside and around the joint—potentially helping you maintain function and comfort longer, sometimes delaying the need for more invasive surgery.

What Is Regenerative Medicine for Arthritis?

Core Principles of Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine focuses on helping the body repair, rebuild, and stabilize its own tissues as much as possible. For arthritis care, that means working with the joint’s natural healing capacity instead of relying only on external medications.

Key principles include:

• Stimulate or support the body’s natural healing processes
  Using biologic therapies that come from your own body or carefully prepared biologic materials.
• Target underlying joint degeneration, not just surface pain
  The goal is to influence the environment inside the joint—cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and synovial tissues—not just numb nerves.
• Focus on:
  
  • Improving the tissue environment (blood flow, inflammatory balance, joint lubrication)
  • Supporting cartilage, ligament, and tendon health where possible
  • Potentially slowing progression and improving function, especially in mild to moderate stages

While no treatment can completely reverse advanced arthritis, regenerative medicine may help many patients feel better and move better—earlier and longer in the course of their disease.

Types of Regenerative Treatments Used for Arthritis (Overview)

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

• PRP is created by drawing a small amount of your own blood and spinning it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets.
• Platelets contain growth factors and signaling molecules that may support tissue repair and help modulate inflammation in arthritic joints.
• The PRP is then injected into the targeted joint under sterile conditions—often with imaging guidance for accuracy.

Cell-Based / Orthobiologic Treatments

• These approaches may involve patient-derived cells or biologic preparations designed to support joint healing and tissue health.
• The focus is on improving the joint environment and helping the body’s own repair processes work more effectively.
• Discussed in detail with each patient, including potential benefits, risks, and current evidence.

Prolotherapy and Other Injection-Based Regenerative Techniques

• Prolotherapy involves targeted injections near ligaments and tendons to encourage tightening, stabilization, and pain relief.
• By improving soft tissue support, these treatments may help joints move more smoothly and bear load more evenly.
• When appropriate, injections are performed using ultrasound or fluoroscopic (X-ray) guidance to improve precision and safety.

Goals of Regenerative Arthritis Treatment

Regenerative therapies are chosen with clear goals in mind, such as:

• Reducing pain and stiffness
• Improving joint range of motion and function
• Supporting joint stability and load distribution across the joint
• Delaying or, in some cases, reducing the need for joint replacement surgery
• Reducing reliance on long-term pain medications and repeated steroid injections, when possible

In many cases, regenerative medicine is just one part of a broader plan that includes physical therapy, strength training, weight management, and smart activity modification.

Ready to Explore Regenerative Options for Arthritis Pain in Atlanta?

Arthritis doesn’t have to mean giving up the activities and comfort you love. Regenerative medicine offers promising, non-surgical solutions for many people living with joint pain in the knees, hips, shoulders, spine, hands, and more. By focusing on the body’s natural healing potential, these therapies can help reduce pain, improve mobility, and support long-term joint health.

At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, regenerative treatments are never a stand-alone fix. They’re part of a comprehensive, minimally invasive, and least drug-dependent plan to help you move more comfortably and live more fully. Our experienced team combines advanced orthopedic and pain management expertise with a compassionate, patient-centered approach—because every joint and every patient’s story is unique.

If you’ve been told to “just wait until it’s bad enough for surgery,” you deserve a second opinion. Let’s explore what non-surgical, regenerative options may be right for you.

Whether your arthritis affects your ability to walk, work, play sports, or simply enjoy daily life, our team is here to help you take the next step toward relief and restoration.

Contact Information

Main Phone: +1-844-328-4624

Kennesaw Clinic:
2911 George Busbee Parkway, Suite 50
Kennesaw, GA 30144
📞 (770) 545-6404

Snellville Clinic:
2220 Wisteria Drive, Unit 101
Snellville, GA 30078
📞 (470) 645-9297

Buckhead PM&R:
3200 Downwood Circle, NW, Suite 520
Atlanta, GA 30327
📞 (770) 872-7549

Marietta Ambulatory Surgery Center:
792 Church Street, Unit 101
Marietta, GA 30060
📞 (470) 795-8398

🌐 Website: mediciortho.com