Initial consultation price:
£300
Your private health insurance
Circle Health Group works with all major UK health insurance providers. Simply let your provider know your chosen hospital to begin your treatment journey.
About Dr Sonia Panchal
Personal Profile
You may not know whether you need a rheumatologist. You may simply know that your joints hurt, you are stiff when you wake up, something keeps swelling, you are exhausted for no obvious reason, or you just don't feel like yourself.
Perhaps your symptoms are getting worse, or tests so far haven't provided an explanation. Or perhaps you already have a diagnosis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or another autoimmune condition, but want to understand what more you can do to improve your health.
These are the patients Dr Sonia Panchal sees in her private rheumatology practice in Coventry and Birmingham, welcoming people from across the West Midlands.
Dr Panchal is a highly experienced Consultant Rheumatologist with a particular interest in inflammatory arthritis, autoimmune disease, and persistent joint and musculoskeletal symptoms. Her approach, however, goes beyond simply identifying a condition and prescribing treatment.
She believes that the diagnosis matters, but so does the person living with it.
Her consultations begin with listening: understanding what has changed, how symptoms are affecting your life, and what you most want to get back to. From there, she works to establish the cause of your symptoms and develop a clear, personalised plan.
Combining specialist training in Rheumatology and General Internal Medicine with training in functional health principles and deep transformation, Dr Panchal takes a whole-person approach to care. Her practice remains grounded in evidence-based medicine, recognising that medication is often essential, while also considering the wider factors that influence health and wellbeing.
She believes healthcare should ask not only, "How do we control this disease?" but also, "How can we help this person become as well as possible?"
Where relevant, consultations may explore movement, nutrition, sleep, stress, and other lifestyle factors alongside medical treatment. Her aim is to help patients understand their condition, recognise where they can make a difference, and become active participants in their own care.
For some, the priority is finally understanding unexplained symptoms. For others, it is managing an established inflammatory or autoimmune condition, improving their health alongside treatment, or exploring whether medication can safely be reduced over time.
There is no single template, because there is no single type of patient.
Dr Panchal's aim is to give patients clarity about what is happening, confidence in what comes next, and a greater sense of ownership over their health.
As she describes it:
"Health is not just the absence of disease. It's the freedom to live fully, physically, mentally and emotionally. My aim is to help patients understand their health, recognise what is possible and support them in becoming as well as they can be."
Dr Panchal sees private rheumatology patients at The Meriden Hospital in Coventry and The Priory Hospital in Birmingham.
Outside medicine, she loves travelling, discovering new places, and experiencing different cultures, with good food usually being an important part of the itinerary. Above all, she enjoys connecting with people, something she values just as much in life as she does in her work.
Questions and Answers with Dr Sonia Panchal:1. What's actually wrong with me?That's usually the first thing people want to know, and it's completely understandable. Joint pain, swelling, stiffness, or fatigue can have many different causes, from relatively straightforward problems to inflammatory or autoimmune conditions. You don't need to know what's wrong before you come and see me. That's exactly what the consultation is for. My first job is to listen carefully to what has been happening, understand how your symptoms are affecting you, examine you, and start working out what might be causing them. If further tests or scans are needed, we can then decide which ones are appropriate for you. The aim is to move you away from uncertainty and towards a clear diagnosis and plan. 2. Is this serious? Could it get worse or cause lasting problems?This is a very common worry, particularly when symptoms have been getting worse or you've been waiting some time for answers. The answer depends on what is causing your symptoms. Many causes of joint and muscle pain are not dangerous and can be managed very effectively. However, some inflammatory and autoimmune conditions do need to be identified and treated promptly because ongoing inflammation can sometimes lead to joint damage or other complications. That's why getting the right diagnosis matters. Once we understand what is happening, I can explain what it means for you, whether there is anything we need to be concerned about and, importantly, what we can do about it. I'll always try to give you a clear and realistic explanation rather than leaving you worrying about the unknown. 3. Can it be treated? Will I always have it?This depends entirely on the diagnosis. Some conditions may settle or resolve, while others are longer-term conditions that we manage. The good news is that there are now many effective treatments available for rheumatological conditions. Treatment can often significantly improve symptoms, control inflammation, and help people get back to doing the things that matter to them. Once we know what we are dealing with, I'll talk you through the management options and what you can realistically expect. My aim is not simply to give your condition a name, but to help you understand it and find the best way to help you feel and function as well as possible. 4. What happens at my first appointment, and how quickly can I get some answers?Your first appointment is really about understanding the whole picture. We'll talk through your symptoms in detail, when they started, how they have changed, and how they are affecting your day-to-day life. I'll review any previous tests, scans, or treatments you've had and carry out an examination. Depending on what we find, I may recommend further investigations, such as blood tests or imaging. These will be guided by your particular symptoms rather than simply requesting the same tests for everyone. In many cases, I'll be able to give you an initial impression at that first consultation and explain what I think the next steps should be. Sometimes a definite diagnosis requires further investigation, but either way, the aim is for you to leave knowing what we are looking for and with a clear plan for what happens next. 5. My tests have been normal, but I still don't feel right. Could something still be wrong?Yes. Normal blood tests can be reassuring, but they don't necessarily explain why you are experiencing pain, stiffness, swelling, fatigue, or other symptoms. Not every rheumatological condition shows up clearly on routine blood tests, and test results are only one part of making a diagnosis. Your symptoms, their pattern over time, your examination, and, where appropriate, imaging or more specific investigations can all be important. Equally, sometimes the assessment shows that the problem isn't due to an inflammatory rheumatological condition. That information is useful too, because it can help us look in the right direction rather than continuing to repeat the same tests. If you don't feel right, I think it's important that we listen to that, look at the whole picture, and try to understand why. |
Patient Testimonial - October 2026
"I have suffered with physical pain for over 20+ years, had countless Drs visits and tests but always been told they couldn't work out what was wrong with me. I had almost given up hope but then I decided to go private. I have had two appointments with Dr. Sonia Panchal now and she has managed to get me diagnosed within those two appointments. I have wasted over 20+ years in pain and confusion and I dread to think how much longer it would have taken to diagnose me. She has also sent my GP a follow up plan including medication and other support that needs to be put in place. I 100% recommend Dr. Panchal’s clinic. It is worth its weight in gold."
Clinical Interests
Many patients who consult Dr Sonia Panchal do not yet have a diagnosis. They may simply know that something doesn't feel right.
Dr Panchal sees patients experiencing symptoms such as joint pain, swelling, or stiffness; painful hands, feet, knees, or other joints; persistent or unexplained fatigue; muscle or widespread pain; inflammatory back pain; recurrent episodes of a hot, swollen joint; unexplained rashes alongside joint symptoms; or concerns about bone health or osteoporosis.
Sometimes blood tests have been abnormal. Sometimes they have been completely normal despite ongoing symptoms. In other cases, patients may already have a diagnosis but want further advice about their condition or treatment.
Dr Sonia Panchal's clinical interests include:
- Inflammatory arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, seronegative arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. These conditions can cause persistent joint pain, swelling, and stiffness, often with prolonged stiffness in the morning or after periods of rest.
- Autoimmune and connective tissue diseases, including conditions such as lupus and Sjögren's syndrome, which can cause a combination of symptoms, including joint pain, fatigue, rashes, dry eyes or mouth, and other symptoms elsewhere in the body.
- Osteoarthritis, which commonly causes joint pain and stiffness and can affect mobility and everyday activities.
- Gout and pseudogout (CPPD), which can cause sudden attacks of severe pain, redness, heat, and swelling in a joint.
- Osteoporosis and metabolic bone conditions, including assessment of bone health, fracture risk, and conditions such as Paget's disease.
- Fibromyalgia and widespread pain, where symptoms can include widespread pain, fatigue, poor sleep, and difficulty concentrating, sometimes despite routine investigations being normal.
- Soft tissue and tendon problems, including tendonitis and bursitis, which can cause pain around the joints and affect movement and function.
She also offers joint and soft tissue injections where these are clinically appropriate.
Dr Panchal reassures patients:
“You don't need to know what's causing your symptoms before making an appointment. Helping you understand what may be happening is an important part of the consultation.”
Professional Memberships
- Royal College of Physicians London
- British Society for Rheumatology
- European Union League Against Rheumatism
- Midlands Rheumatology Society
