Neurology in Coventry

At The Meriden Hospital, we offer regular outpatient clinics with private consultant neurologists to diagnose and manage neurological conditions, for patients who live in Coventry, Rugby and the surrounding areas.

These include common problems such as headaches, blackouts, seizures, weakness or numbness in the limbs, walking difficulties and memory problems.

What is neurology?

Neurology is the field of medicine concerned with the investigation, diagnosis and treatment of problems in the nervous system.

A doctor who specialises in this field is a Consultant Neurologist. The nervous system comprises the brain, spinal cord and nerves. It is an extremely complex system, made up of many different parts with hugely varied functions.

It is responsible for transmitting electrical impulses around the body in order to generate a specific response. If anything stops your nervous system working correctly, it can have a huge impact on any and every part of your body, affecting your health and, ultimately, your enjoyment of life.

The Consultant Neurologists at The Meriden Hospital treat a wide spectrum of neurological conditions and symptoms, and they would be delighted to help you too.

Your nervous system is spread extensively through your body and can affect every part of it. This means that neurological symptoms can occur anywhere in the body.

Some of the reasons people visit our neurologists for help include:

• Headaches
• Migraines
• Facial pain
• Dizziness/unsteadiness
• Sensory symptoms – numbness, tingling or pins and needles in any part of the body
• Motor symptoms – weakness of muscles, limbs, joints, or any part of the body
• Loss of consciousness –faints, epileptic seizures(fits)
• Increased forgetfulness
• Abnormal movement – tremors or slowing down
• Vertigo
• Change in sense of taste and/or smell
• Bladder and/or bowel problems
• Walking difficulty – abnormal gait
• Cognitive changes – altered behaviour, intellect, confusion, delirium
• Difficulty with speech
• Visual problems – where caused by the brain and not a problem with the eyes themselves (this is known as neuro-opthalmology). These may be things like blurring of vision or double vision (diplopia).

Neurological symptoms are often quite worrying to experience. It can be a sensible course of action to seek expert advice if you do experience any of them.

Many nervous system problems will often have overlapping symptoms, which makes an accurate diagnosis extremely important. The Neurology team at The Meriden Hospital are highly experienced at investigating symptoms like these in order to reach the correct diagnosis.

Some of the conditions that affect the nervous system include:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) – a lifelong condition. There is no cure, but treatments can often help manage symptoms
• Parkinson’s Disease – a brain disorder, causing symptoms like shaking and stiffness. Usually, these symptoms get worse over time
• Epilepsy – seizures caused by unusual electrical activity in the brain
• Dementia – a decline of brain functioning
• Motor Neurone Disease – caused by the motor neurones (cells found in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves) not working. Symptoms include slurred speech and muscle weakness, and usually get worse over time
• Myasthenia gravis – a long-term autoimmune condition causing muscle weakness
• Neurosarcoidosis – a form of sarcoidosis (a multi-organ inflammatory disease) affecting the central nervous system

Many conditions are best treated when they’re diagnosed at the earliest possible stage. Earlier diagnosis means that you’ll receive any appropriate treatment sooner.

We can provide you with quick, easy access to an experienced neurologist at The Meriden Hospital for comprehensive investigation and treatment.

The cost of a private neurology appointment at The Meriden Hospital in Coventry depends on several factors, including:

• Whether you are attending an initial consultation or a follow-up review 
• The length and complexity of the appointment 
• Any diagnostic tests or scans arranged as part of your care 
• Whether you are funding your treatment yourself or using private medical insurance 

Before you book, the hospital team can provide guidance on typical fees for neurology consultations and investigations. If you are self-funding, you will receive clear information about the likely costs before you proceed. We offer fixed-price packages for treatment and we can give you a breakdown of the costs. We also offer flexible payment options, so you can pay in monthly instalments, spreading the cost over a time that suits you.

If you have private health insurance, neurology consultations and related tests are often covered, but this will depend on your individual policy and level of cover. You may need a referral from your GP or another doctor for your insurer to authorise the appointment. The team at The Meriden Hospital can help you understand what information your insurer needs and support you with the authorisation process.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information about fees, packages, and payment options for neurology in Coventry, give us a call and our team will be happy to answer your questions and help you plan your visit. 

For any neurological complaint, an accurate diagnosis is crucial to formulating the best possible treatment plan.

When you first meet with your neurologist here in the hospital, they will take a medical history and will talk with you in detail about your symptoms. They will want to know things like:

• What symptoms do you have?
• When did your symptoms first appear/become noticeable?
• Have your symptoms have been getting worse?
• Does anything in particular (food, drink, activity, bright light etc.) make your symptoms worse?
• Are your symptoms affecting your enjoyment of life?
• Have you received any treatment already, such as prescribed medication?

A physical examination may also be carried out.

These will all help your neurologist to choose the most appropriate investigations to refer you for if required. These may include:

• MRI of brain and/or spine
• Neurophysiology test:
  • Electromyography (EMG)
  • Nerve conduction test (NCS) – tests for nerve damage in the peripheral nerves (those outside your brain and spinal cord)
  • Electroencephalogram (EEG) – measures electrical activity in the brain. This can be helpful when investigating epilepsy and encephalitis
• Ultrasound scan of Carotids – to screen the blood flow to brain through main arteries
• Blood tests

Any tests and investigations required will be arranged for you by your neurologist.

Once the results of any tests are back, you will meet with your neurologist again in order to talk through the results and diagnosis and to explore suitable treatment options.

Your neurologist works closely with specialists in many other fields, like ophthalmology, oncology, ENT, cardiology, rheumatology and neurosurgery. If your results suggest you would benefit from referral to another specialist, this is easily arranged at The Meriden Hospital.

Treatment for neurological condition may include:

• Medication
• Injections for headaches/migraines– such as greater occipital nerve block or Botox injection or Ajovy (fremanezumab)/ one of the new CGRP antagonists
• Physiotherapy
• Surgery

Many conditions, particularly when in more advanced stages, may require a combination of treatments to provide the necessary symptom relief.

Your neurologist will always make certain that you have the information you need about treatment options in order to make an informed choice about treatment.

If you have any questions or concerns at any time, they will always be very happy to talk with you about these.

The length of your neurology appointment can vary depending on the reason for your visit and the complexity of your symptoms. As a general guide, initial neurology consultations are usually longer, to allow time for a detailed history, examination, and discussion. This helps your consultant gain a thorough understanding of your symptoms and plan any investigations.

Follow-up appointments are often shorter, focusing on reviewing test results, monitoring your progress, and adjusting your treatment plan if needed.

When you book your appointment at The Meriden Hospital, the bookings team will let you know how long you should expect to be in clinic. If tests such as bloods or scans are arranged on the same day, you may need to allow extra time.

Many people are referred to a Consultant Neurologist at The Meriden Hospital by their GP, optician, another specialist (including ENT surgeons, ophthalmologists and other neurologists) or their private medical insurance provider. Others self-refer to avoid delay.

We treat private medical insurance and self-pay patients.

While many of our patients live in Coventry or other parts of Warwickshire, people also travel from Birmingham, Chester and Oxford and further afield to benefit from treatment by our neurologists.

When you visit a Consultant Neurologist at The Meriden Hospital, you will benefit from:

• Rapid access to expert assessment – Many neurological symptoms can be concerning, and you will want to get clarity about the cause as soon as possible. An experienced neurologist will be able to see you without delay, so that your symptoms can be investigated and diagnosed at the earliest possible stage.
• Personalised care – Investigations and treatments of the nervous system should always be tailored to your specific symptoms and whatever may be best for you. Your neurologist will be involved in every aspect of your care, and with regular follow-up, they will be able to monitor and adjust your treatment plan if needed.
• Flexible appointments – Neurology appointments are easy to book online or by telephone. We can also provide remote consultations by telephone or video call if required (and where clinically appropriate).
• A whole team approach – With quick, easy access to a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals on-site, you will always see the most appropriate specialist for your condition.

Whether you’ve only just started experiencing neurological symptoms that are causing you concern or are struggling with a flare-up of a pre-existing condition, we would be delighted to see you.

For peace of mind and known expert care, why not book your Neurology appointment today?

We very much look forward to welcoming you to The Meriden Hospital soon, where we always offer a superb service.

To book your initial consultation with one of our neurologists near you, use our online booking system, or give us a call and one of our dedicated advisors will help you find an appointment time that suits you.