Meridian Vein, Pain and Regeneratives

26/08/2025

It continues to surprise me how a lot of regenerative medicine is done ignoring the science behind it. This is the case with Platelet Rich Plasma as a biological therapy for pain or aesthetics.

The RESTORE trial out of Australia published in JAMA used a commercially available 10ml PRP tube and showed no real evidence of improvement compared to saline. No mention of platelet dose in this study.

Bansal et al performed a similar study published in Nature but quantified platelet dose to 10 billion showing meaningful outcomes.

At Meridian we know what dose of PRP we are using. We have an onsite haemanalyser and use standardised PRP kits and protocols to obtain high dose PRP. This is the standard that needs to be met when assessing a regenerative clinic, otherwise there is a variability in outcomes whether you use PRP in skin, hair rejuvenation or musculoskeltal conditions.

This feeds through to our mesenchymal stem cell treatments also.

Ref:
1. Bennell KL, Paterson KL, Metcalf BR, et al. Effect of Intra-articular Platelet-Rich Plasma vs Placebo Injection on Pain and Medial Tibial Cartilage Volume in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: The RESTORE Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2021;326(20):2021–2030.

2. Bansal, H., Leon, J., Pont, J.L. et al. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in osteoarthritis (OA) knee: Correct dose critical for long term clinical efficacy. Sci Rep 11, 3971 (2021).

19/08/2025

🌿 Chronic Pain & Multimorbidity – A Complex Challenge 🌿

Over half of people living with multiple long-term health conditions also suffer from chronic pain. Yet, most treatment guidelines rarely address this group, leaving doctors with tough choices.

A recent review in the British Journal of Anaesthesia (Grant et al., 2025) highlights the risks of commonly prescribed painkillers:

⚠️ Opioids – linked to overdose, higher mortality, hospital readmissions, fractures, and dependency.
⚠️ NSAIDs – associated with gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney injury, cardiovascular risks, and higher mortality in complex patients.
⚠️ Gabapentinoids – limited research, but concerns about delirium and pneumonia.

🔑 Key takeaways for safer care:
✅ Avoid opioids as first-line therapy
✅ Use NSAIDs cautiously, especially in frail patients
✅ Explore non-drug options like physiotherapy, CBT, or acupuncture
✅ Involve patients in shared decision-making

At Meridian Vein and Pain, we provide non-pharmacological pain treatments including targeted injections and energy-based therapies to help patients manage pain safely and effectively.

📍 243 Pakington St, Newtown VIC
📞 03 5200 8915 | ✉️ admin@meridianveinandpain.com.au
🌐 meridianveinandpain.com.au

18/08/2025

✨ Pain Relief and Better Mobility with Hyaluronic Acid in Geelong ✨

At Meridian Vein and Pain in Newtown, Geelong, we’re proud to offer advanced, non-surgical options for joint pain. Recently, one of our patients had a fantastic result with hyaluronic acid injections to the big toe osteoarthritic joint– experiencing less pain, smoother movement, and improved quality of life. She had initially presented with a Morton’s Neuroma in the left foot and had a complete improvement of her pain with this. She was experiencing quite a lot pain in the right foot. Ultrasound revealed an osteoarthritis of the big toe.

Hyaluronic acid works by restoring lubrication and cushioning in the joint, helping people with arthritis or cartilage wear get back to the activities they love. For this patient, the difference was life-changing – reduced stiffness, greater mobility, and a return to normal daily routines.

We’re dedicated to providing the Surf Coast, Bellarine Peninsula, and Greater Geelong with safe, effective treatments for pain relief. If joint pain is stopping you from moving freely, our team can help.

📍 243 Pakington St, Newtown, Geelong
📞 03 5200 8915
🌐 meridianveinandpain.com.au

12/08/2025

Facial pain can be muscular and not always related to a nerve injury.

08/08/2025

With spring around the corner it’s time to stock up on your skincare and get your glow on ✨🌿🌷

For the rest of August, enjoy 20% off all Jan Marini, Dermaceutic and Emepelle skincare ranges

Excludes JM MD professional range
Valid until August 31st

07/08/2025

🌟 Goodbye Varicose Veins — Hello Healthy Legs! 🌟

A 59-year-old gentleman recently visited Meridian Vein and Pain with painful, bulging varicose veins in his right leg that were affecting his daily comfort and mobility.

Using our advanced combination of endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) and ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, we treated the diseased veins safely and effectively—all without hospitalisation or downtime.

✅ His results?
• Significant relief from leg pain and heaviness
• Improved circulation and appearance
• Walk-in, walk-out procedure with rapid recovery

If you’re dealing with leg pain, swelling, tiredness, or visible varicose veins, it’s time to take action. These symptoms can be a sign of chronic venous insufficiency—and early treatment means better long-term results.

Contact Meridian Vein and Pain:
📍 243 Pakington St, Newtown, VIC
📞 03 5200 8915
📧 admin@meridianveinandpain.com.au
🌐 meridianveinandpain.com.au

🗓️ Book your consultation today and take the first step toward pain-free, confident legs.

07/08/2025

Great result with 1 session of laser and sclerotherapy for this patients varicose veins. Itchy, achy right leg has resolved in one go without and she hasnt stopped work either!

06/08/2025

06/08/2025

Do Steroid Injections Actually Help Chronic Pain? 💉🤔

Steroid (corticosteroid) injections are often used for chronic pain, but are they really effective?

Steroids work by suppressing inflammation, altering gene expression, and reducing immune cell activity. While this helps in some conditions, many chronic pain syndromes—like back pain or myofascial pain—aren’t driven by inflammation. In these cases, steroids may offer only short-term or placebo-level relief.

Emerging research even shows that in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, pain doesn’t always correlate with inflammation—meaning steroids may reduce swelling without easing pain. 📉

Worse, steroid injections can suppress your body’s own cortisol production. In one study, 20.3% of patients who received epidural steroids had a >50% drop in cortisol after 3 weeks—compared to only 6.7% in those receiving local anesthetic alone (Yoo et al., 2014).

So when are steroids useful? Only when inflammation is clearly present and the injection is delivered at the site of pathology—not just used “routinely.”

At Meridian Vein and Pain, we focus on evidence-based, regenerative solutions to chronic pain—without unnecessary risks.

📍243 Pakington St, Newtown VIC
📞 03 5200 8915 | 📧 admin@meridianveinandpain.com.au

🔗 Reference: Yoo SD et al., Anesth Analg, 2014.
🔗 Birklein F et al., Pain Rep, 2020

06/08/2025

Why are we still stuck managing knee osteoarthritis either with medication, cortisone injections or total knee replacements? Rehab has its place but there are multiple injectable options out there now:

1. Hyaluronic acid: Synthetic substance but good pain relief for up to 6months.

2. Platelet Rich Plasma injections: Using your OWN Body to heal yourself. This gives 12-24months of improvement. PRP in this large study of multiple smaller studies shows it is superior to Hyaluronic acid:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40681006/

3. Mesenchymal stem cell therapies such as bone marrow or lipoaspirate (fat) injections for knee arthrwhich can give anywhere between
2-5yrs of pain relief.

https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-021-03160-2

We at Meridian use your own PRP, bone Marrow and lipoaspirate stem cells to treat your knee OA. Contact us at:

📍 Meridian Vein and Pain
243 Pakington Street, Newtown VIC 3220
📧 admin@meridianveinandpain.com.au
📞 03 5200 8915

Take the first step towards natural joint repair. Book your consultation today!

Level Ⅱ, meta-analysis of Level Ⅰ and Ⅱ studies.

06/08/2025

🌿 Regenerative Relief for Osteoarthritis at Meridian Vein and Pain 🌿

Are you suffering from knee, hip or shoulder osteoarthritis and looking for a long-term solution that doesn’t involve surgery?

At Meridian Vein and Pain, we specialise in regenerative medicine to help restore joint function and reduce pain using:

🔹 Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
🔹 Bone marrow-derived stem cell therapy
🔹 Lipoaspirate (fat-derived) stem cells

These evidence-based treatments use your body’s natural healing cells to target inflammation, promote cartilage repair, and improve mobility—ideal for patients wanting to avoid joint replacements or repeated cortisone injections.

📍 Meridian Vein and Pain
243 Pakington Street, Newtown VIC 3220
📧 admin@meridianveinandpain.com.au
📞 03 5200 8915

Take the first step towards natural joint repair. Book your consultation today!

31/07/2025

Chronic Knee Pain and Vein Disease — Is There a Link?

If you're experiencing persistent knee pain that hasn't responded to typical treatments, undiagnosed underlying vein disease may be a contributing factor. Varicose veins and venous insufficiency can lead to inflammation, heaviness, and aching — symptoms often mistaken for arthritis or joint issues.

At Meridian Vein and Pain, we specialise in treating both chronic knee pain and vein conditions using advanced, minimally invasive procedures like ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy.

Don’t settle for temporary relief. We look deeper to find and treat the root cause of your pain — improving both vein health and quality of life.
Here is a 58yr old with varicose veins and knee pain that has had ultrasound guided sclerotherapy and knee hyaluronic acid and prolotherapy who is now vein free and pain free!!!

📍 243 Pakington St, Geelong
📞 Book your consultation today 03 5200 8915
📧 admin@meridianveinandpain.com.au

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