Fineman, was the first doctor we saw when my husband's speech started to slur and he was unable to clear his saliva beginning in mid 2021. We contacted Mayo who set up the initial appointment. Dr. Fineman diagnosed him with long COVID. Once that diagnosis was made by the almighty Mayo it stuck. What my husband really had was ALS. I had seen three other people close to me die from this disease and recognized the his symptoms. I specifically asked if it could be ALS. He told us unequivocally, no. Fineman sent him for speech therapy and occupational therapy. He did that for several months and there was no improvement. Things only got worse. But because Mayo said it was long COVID the next three neurologists we went to glommed on to that diagnosis. I know this disease is ALWAYS terminal. But Fineman's diagnosis robbed us of the time we had. We spent two years trying to find a diagnosis and getting treatment that would do absolutely no good. It also cost us money because we could have been receiving monetary and other assistance from the VA as my husband was a veteran. That included a monthly stipend of over $3000 and actual therapy to make his life easier. It took almost two years to get a diagnosis, obtained in July of 2023. My husband died in March 2024. I have no idea why Mayo set us up with a neurologist specializing in headaches. My husband had no headaches. Yes, I am still angry about the lost time. Time we spent searching for answers. Certainly any decent neurologist would have recognized the signs I did. read more

Love this guy. Had Anterior Cervical Fusion. Post op painless. Great follow up Jennifer the NP was excellent

I am extremely disappointed with my visit. Doctor Igor Fineman seemed unprepared and offered no real solutions for my condition. I felt dismissed and walked out with the same pain and zero guidance. When I asked questions, the responses were vague and unhelpful, as if there was no understanding of my concerns at all. I left feeling like my time was wasted. I would not recommend this office for anyone seeking real answers or proper care. read more

It makes absolutely no sense to make an elderly patient wait an hour after the scheduled appointment. This office needs to learn how to schedule appointments. read more

My primary care Dr and my chronic pain Dr both recommended Dr. Fineman. I only had to wait once for the doctor and while that isn't great when you are in pain it was obviously because he is in high demand - and for good reason. Dr Fineman performed an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion on my C5-C6 vertebrae on 8/31/2023. Dr Fineman performed the surgery and while he may not be all warm and fuzzy, Jennifer his surgical nurse makes up for that in spades. She visited me during my stay, listened to my concerns regarding post surgical pain and was just amazing. 6 weeks post surgery and I finally have quality of life after YEARS of pain. Please don't let the few bad reviews about wait times deter you. Dr Fineman is honestly worth waiting for! read more

In another County I had two blotched extensive cervical 5 level + surgeries that ended with lots of pain medication and injections all the time. When I moved Counties it to a while but God sent to dr Fineman and jennifer and staff- I knew they would succeed to repair and rebuild my cervical spine- So much pain all over went away and i got feeling back. i was in hospital 3 nights them always doing rounds- At home I was only on pain medication two weeks. read more

Igor Fineman, MD - Me just wearing a soft brace when I feel better because it's been three surgeries - Neurologist Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I am not one to post reviews. But my experience requires it! I am 91 years old. I live half the year in kansas with my son and half with my daughter in LA. My spine was so bad I didn't want to live. No surgeon in kansas or Missouri was willing to help because of my age, even though I am pretty healthy otherwise. My daughter and other son in LA took me to Dr. Fineman. Amazing. What a difference. He listened. Talked. Asked questions. Had me do a primary care work up so we knew all the risks. He did a lumbar fusion at two levels. He was incredible and great bedside manner. Don't complain if you have to wait a little at appointments because each patient gets the time they need. I am one year out and pain free. He saved my life. I don't know if I have a day left or 10 years. But now life is worth living. read more

I met Dr. Fineman 2 years ago and his wonderful staff and had two surgeries with him, one on my neck and one on my back. Both surgeries went every well but there is a recovery period. My back took about a year before I felt like I can do normal activities. I see a lot of negative reviews about Dr. Fineman's personality and bedside manner but I can assure you that he is a great surgeon. You will be grateful that you allowed him and his wonderful staff take care of you. read more

When people come to you it's because they're in pain. Making patients sit for an hour and a half when sitting is painful is inhumane. Not reviewing a patient's intake forms prior to the visit is inexcusable. Showing a patient who's obviously hurting zero compassion is reprehensible. Multiple patients approached reception desk asking why they had to repeatedly wait over an hour past the time of their scheduled visit. No response or a "Doctor is very busy." Not a satisfactory answer. We respect your busy schedule by being on time. We expect the same level of respect from you. As many of us come to you in severe pain, we'd expect just bit of compassion from you during our visits. Based on your reviews it's evident many other patients feel the same way as I do. BTW - As your posted policy is charging patients for being late (which of course I wasn't nor were any of the other patients waiting) is that a reciprocal agreement when doctor is late? read more

Amazing doctor. Very understanding and excellent bedside matter. He really cares about his patients. read more

Igor Fineman, MD - Lobby - Neurologist Near Me - Pasadena, California

This is the doctor you want if you need spinal fusion surgery. If you don't know what to do he will help you figure out what's needed. Pros -Looks for what's best for the patient -Provides options to try - has wonderful nurse Practitioner to support you through process or recommendations - takes meetings only with cases that could or may need surgery (doesn't waste your time) - has amazing hands - very knowledgeable and very educated - knows hows to get insurance to agree to pay for needed procedures - The team takes wonderful care of you at hospital and during surgery - surgery was a huge success. I got my life back and have no more pain. - Got a much better surgery option than orthopedic Dr. offered. Thankful for Fineman. Cons - front office staff does not communicate well with patients after surgery. Hard to get a message to the doctor or nurse practitioner. Hard to get questions answered. - no email address or direct way to contact doctor. Must contact by front office workers only. My whole experience would have been a 10 expect for office staff which I can over come because the rest was amazing! read more

My husband was taken to Huntington Hospital ER in the middle of the night after falling and fracturing 2 vertebrae. Dr. Fineman was the attending physician assigned to him. I was out of town when this happened so I couldn't be with him at the time. Once I did get home, I discovered I had Covid so I wasn't allowed to visit him in the hospital the 8 days he was there. I repeatedly called and spoke to my husband's nurses and asked them to have Dr. Fineman call me so that I could hear firsthand what the plan was and how my husband was doing. Each of them assured me they had given him my message and my phone number. In the 8 days my husband was there, Dr. Fineman did not call me once. The only time I spoke to him was when I happened to be on the phone with my husband and Dr. Fineman was making his rounds. Since my husband has been home and recovering from his back surgery, we have had 2 appointments with Dr. Fineman. His PA, Jennifer, is very friendly and efficient; Dr. Fineman is distant and cavalier. He seems like he can't get out of the exam room fast enough and doesn't even ask if we have any questions, which we do. Today, in fact, my husband wanted to know if he could start cutting back on some of his pain meds because of the side effects. His answer was basically, if you want to, go ahead. He didn't mention that one of the meds requires that you taper off slowly, not stop taking it all at once (we knew this because we'd researched it). He seemed not to care one way or the other what my husband decided to do. He kept asking him, "Anything else?" like he was really in a hurry to get out of there. When he left, he made no mention of whether or not my husband should return, so we stopped him in the next room and asked him. He said, "Not unless you feel it's necessary." In other words, the decision was my husband's to make--Dr. Fineman didn't really care one way or another whether he saw him again. At least that's how we interpreted his attitude. Needless to say, we won't be returning. read more

Came in for an appointment about my two herniated disks that I have in my spine. First impression of this doctor was not great. He comes into the room and greets my friend with my last name instead of greeting me, the patient. When I corrected him he asked what relations we had and seemed a little too concerned for my comfort zone. I've been working in customer service for over 15 years and I can read when someone has an underlying tone of disdain. Fast forward he's now showing me images of my MRI which I'm already fully aware of. He gives me two options and says I can do surgery or an epidermal shot and asks which one I would like to do. I've never had a doctor ask me what I wanted to do instead of telling me what he thinks in his professional opinion what would be best for me and my health. When I went with the option of the shot he let me know that it would have to get approved through insurance and it can take up to 1-3 weeks, it was very vague. I'm in the most excruciating pain of my life and being told to continue to wait for relief is not very ideal. Once he was done letting me know the news he walks out of the room, leaves the door wide open and doesn't give me any direction. I'm sitting in the room for a few minutes wondering what's next. I walk up to the receptionist to ask if that was all and I guess it was. How rude of him to just walk out without saying anything. Me being desperate for help I called my insurance to see how this shot can be expedited and why I have to wait so long for relief. The lady on the phone informed me that if I was in this much pain the doctor should have put a 24 hour rush on it. Two hours later from my visit and it wasn't even inputed in the system. Whoever they spoke to at the office said that if I'm in that much pain to go to the ER. What kind of health care system is this to be treated as though my pain does not matter? I left this office crying so upset because they treated me like I'm nothing but a medical bill. I feel like I have no quality of life due to the fact that I'm unable to walk or sit for more than a couple of minutes. The most my body allows me to sleep is 2 hours. I'm exhausted from not having a good night rest in over a month. And after having to explain this to him I'm in complete shock that I received no help. read more

I am an African American senior and in all my years of being seen by a number of physicians, I have never been treated so badly. I was referred to Dr. Igor Fineman by my primary care physician due to severe pain throughout my entire body with the most excruciating in my lower back, arms and hips. Dr. Fineman was disrespectful, condescending and unprofessional. After waiting for an hour, I left his office with no more information or answers than I came in with. The appointment was on June 6th and the follow-up appointment was on July 24th. He showed me no compassion or care and I would never ever refer anyone to him. I truly believe he is a racist. read more

Dr. Igor Fineman has saved my father's life. My dad was on the verge of becoming a quadriplegic when Dr. Fineman performed surgery on his spine and neck. It has been a month since my father's surgery and he is now able to walk and do daily tasks that had become impossible to perform over the 2 months before his surgery. We had heard from various Huntington Hospital employees that he is one of the best neurosurgeons with whom they have ever worked. We were very optimistic after hearing such great reviews of his work. Dr. Fineman definitely lived up to the accounts we heard. Our visits to his office were pleasurable experiences where we received the information we needed in a very concise manner. My father and my family will be eternally grateful to Dr. Fineman and his work. read more

My husband loves Dr Fineman! He is knowledgeable and provides attentive care. Only complaint is that his office is very busy and does not return calls or call in scripts timely. Unfortunately when you are dealing with ongoing back pain issues, these kinds of delays are frustrating. maybe he needs more staff? read more

So an update. I tried to get an appointment today and after they asked my name, I was put on hold then the lady came back and asked, "did you leave the Yelp review?" at which I replied, "that should not matter as I am trying to make an appointment" then the lady said, "the doctor is not accepting any new patients" and hung up. So lesson learned for someone ... the keyboard is now mightier than the old pen... food for thought Dr. Fineman. read more

In Covid my dad had to have a brain tumor removed - so glad it was Dr Fineman! He got all of the tumor out and was so peaceful about it - it gave my family peace, as well! read more

I lived with excruciating pain caused by a pinched nerve for nearly 2 years. Dr. Fineman performed PILS not quite 4 weeks ago and I now feel like a new person, or should I say, back to my normal self. The only regret I have is that I did not have the surgery sooner. Dr. Fineman, Jen, and Rose are a great team and I strongly recommend these professionals and their expertise to anyone who is suffering! read more

When a doctor is late for my appointment, it's usually because s/he's spending extra time with another patient. I often think the other patient could be me, struggling with a question or a concern, and the doctor is taking time to answer my question or allay my concern. That's the kind of doctor I want caring for me! I've been struggling with neck pain and nerve pain in my arms and hands for well over 11 years. Dr. Hilary Fausett referred me to Dr. Fineman, and Dr. Fineman offered me a surgical solution, one that had a high probability of success. He proposed stabilizing four of my cervical vertebrae, and decompressing one of the vertebrae at the same time. That sounded good to me, especially if there was a chance I could get rid of the constant pins and needles feeling in my right hand. So his office went ahead and scheduled the surgery. For me, the hardest part of the whole procedure was not so much the surgery, but the 6 weeks in a cervical collar afterwards that I had to wear 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Pain is always a concern when you're facing a surgery such as this, but Dr. Fineman and his assistant Jennifer Birch stayed on top of all my pain issues and worked closely with my pain management physician to make sure I was kept comfortable during the entire process. I would definitely recommend Dr. Fineman to family and friends. I would also return to him myself for further spine surgery. Dr. Fineman is quiet and is not an alarmist. When you speak with him, you get a sense that he knows exactly what to do and there is no cause for concern. Dr. Fineman (and his assistant surgeon Jennifer Birch) definitely deserve a 5-star rating - even if you have to wait for him in his waiting room. Remember, that extra wait time could very well be spent with you. read more

I wanted to thank doctor Fineman and his incredible staff. One of the most professional, compassionate and so eager to help their patients. Absolutely the best in this profession. My sincere thanks. Sarkissian. read more

I went in for the first time and the only thing he did was have me squeeze his hands. He then recommended injections after I told him I've had epidurals and none have worked. I feel like I'm caught up in the system of another doctor just going thru that motions to bill. read more

When did doctors stop Caring about patients? I was in this dr's office for appt at 11:00 sat around for an hour and left. Sorry wtf! You don't care about my time I doubt you care about my health. So if you have time to sit on your ass and wait for this dr. Enjoy !!! Good luck !!!!! read more

I am so pleased with everything I experienced with Dr. Fineman, his nurse Jen, and the rest of the staff. I had a large herniated disc in my lumbar and required a fusion surgery. His work was extremely precise and after I recovered it was like I never had the injury. I did have some complications with fluid buildup, but I was always able to see the doctor if I needed and well cared for. My only complaint is the waiting time, sometimes I would wait an hour to be seen for five minutes, but I know how doctors offices can be. That minor detail does not affect my gratitude for Dr. Fineman and RN Jen. Thanks for helping me gain back the ability to live my life! read more

Dr.Fineman saved my life! I could barely walk, simple daily tasks had become extremely painful. I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't move my legs. Rushed to the ER to learn I had a herniated disc- Dr. Fineman and Jennifer were incredibly kind and comforting. I cannot thank them enough- I know this sounds dramatic but he saved my life. I am exercising every day and I have my life back. read more

I just want to thank Dr Fineman and Jennifer for such a wonderful job they did when I went to see him I could barely move couldn't touch the floor couldn't pick up a glass and after neck surgery I feel 100% better I can move again I haven't taken any drugs since surgery thank you again God bless you for everything you've done you've changed my life forever read more

I had a herniated disk (L5/S1) that I suffered with for over a year while trying non-surgical solutions. Chiropractic therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy, and even steroid injections. Nothing gave lasting relief. Prior to surgery, I could not stand up straight, had sciatica pain down one leg that hurt all day, and also prevented me from sleeping comfortably. Dr. Fineman performed a microdiskectomy on me a little over two weeks ago, and I feel amazing. I was able to stand up straight and walk without pain the same night after having the procedure in the morning. And within a few days could walk unassisted around the block. My healing is going very smoothly -- I feel like I've got my life back again. Dr. Fineman is soft spoken and patient. He listens well and does not rush you into any decisions. He is fairly matter of fact, and his nurse Jennifer is a great partner to him. The two of them together answered all questions I had and made sure I understood everything that would take place. They have been great in aftercare too. I can't recommend them enough -- see Dr. Fineman if you are in pain...don't keep suffering! read more

I cant say enough good things about the excellent treatment I received for my C6/C7 discectomy with fusion. Dr. Fineman & Jennifer took the most amazing care of me, always made me feel comfortable and at home. I truly appreciate what they have done for me as I am fully healed without a single complication. read more

This Dr. Saved my Life!!! For free!! 1996 Arnold Chiarai decompression W/Stienman pin.... I ride my bike almost Everyday now Long time to heal... (Sixteen hour surgery) Thank You Dr Finneman. Forever Grateful, William read more

My Mom and I have been coming to Dr. Fineman for more than 6 years now. Unfortunately, we both have degenerative issues with our back, and Dr. Fineman has taken care of us terrifically! We enjoy the office staff and feel like we're listened to and heard. read more

While Dr. Fineman may be a talented surgeon, his inefficient practice is a real challenge. You'll wait for at least an hour (likely longer), the appointment itself will be 5 minutes, and if something goes wrong down the road, it takes 6 weeks to get into to see him. After a post op setback, I tried to see Dr. Fineman as I was barely able to walk. I received an appointment for 6 weeks later. I convinced the office to at least order a MRI in the interim, and fortunately I have a CD so that I can see another doctor before I even hear back from Dr. Fineman's office. Medicine should be better than this. read more

Thank you, Dr. Fineman. My daughter would not be alive today without you and Jennifer. When you smiled, I knew she was going to make it. I hope everyone gets to enjoy your smiles no matter how large or small their pain. I will never forget you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. read more

I waited two hours to see Dr. Fineman and while his NP was very apologetic when they finally saw me, he didn't seem to even notice. I heard other patients in the waiting room saying that he just has too many patients these days to care about any of them. I have a potentially serious condition and he discounted everything that I was trying to ask him. I will not be back to Fineman and will be looking for another doctor. read more

After suffering a neck injury in jiu jitsu 3 years ago, I developed symptoms of clonus and weakness in my left leg. After reviewing my MRI, Dr. Fineman and Jennifer suggested that I undergo the ACDF surgery. Its a very intimidating procedure... It was my second opinion and I asked my neurologist to recommend a surgeon that wasn't "cut happy." Dr. Fineman and Jennifer were both very thorough and patient in examining my symptoms and reviewing the MRI with me. A lot of surgeons have a God like complex but Dr Fineman was quite modest despite all his qualifications. Dr. Fineman's calmness, bedside mannerism, and knowledge provided me the necessary confidence to decide to proceed with the surgery. 4 month's later I am walking better now and see improvement day by day. I hope to regain back full strength in my left leg so I can go back to tennis. Thanks Dr. Fineman and Jennifer for all the hard work and everything you guys do. read more

It's either it's incredibility messy where even patients with appointments have to way more than an hour for Dr. Fineman to come or there's way too many patients. Either way, it was a bad experience coming. My mom had an appointment schedule during the afternoon for a checkup. We arrived for the appointment and the person that worked in the front desk took us to a room to get us ready for the check up. She told us that there were only 2 patients in front of us and that it should take a few minutes. We didn't mind waiting for a few minutes but the few minutes turned into more than an hour. We didn't know what was going on because apparently there was only 2 patients ahead of us. We just sat there waiting for Dr. Fineman for 45 minutes. We both felt irritated because we didn't know why we had to wait so long when we scheduled an appointment. The nurse finally came in and said Dr. Fineman will be ready "soon". Until... we waited 20 more minutes but I was definitely sure Dr. Fineman will come... because it was 4:54 and it closes at 5. He finally came and the checkup lasted the whooping 2 minutes. We waited more than an hour for a 2 minute checkup and there was no explanation why we waited so long for 2 patients (or more...) to be done. If they have given us an explanation, I wouldn't be as mad. There seems to be other reviews that have said they waited an hour for their appointment so if you're a patient and have an appointment, be prepared to waste your time and wait more than hour for the doctor to come. read more

I've been very pleased with Dr. Fineman's office. He's a trustworthy individual, and the staff is knowledgeable, caring, compassionate, and professional. I feel very fortunate to have found him. read more

Dr. Fineman recently operated on my spine, a discectomy and spinal fusion. In my opinion he's just the best! I was immediately struck with his quiet, calmness. That seemed like a good trait to have when freeing a spinal cord from compression! He answered all my questions, showed me the MRIs and is super respectful of his patient. He welcomed my daughter who came with me to appointments to help me remember my questions and his answers. It's well known that he is a quiet type, not the slap on the back type, of person. His assistant Jennifer is super outgoing and caring and between the two of them you are well attended. His office staff, with Rose at the helm, is always helpful in managing the myriad of services needed. The staff loves working with Dr. Fineman. I am very pleased with the outcome of the surgery and would not hesitate to see Dr. Fineman again. I feel that I hit a homerun in choosing Dr. Fineman as my surgeon. And yes, he might be late once in awhile, but he takes care of his patients well and sometimes they need a little extra TLC. read more