A wonderful, kind, caring and knowledgeable physician. She is definitely a person to trust with your care. She will do her best to heal you.

There aren't enough stars available here. I've never had an experience like this with a doctor and I'm 70 years old. Irene was excedingly knowledgable, inquisitive, thorough and omg, she was not in a rush. I've never felt like my well being was so important to a physician. I found Dr. Minkowsky doing a google search and I can't believe how lucky I am. read more

Tears came to my eyes during my third visit to Dr. Irene Minkowsky today because I am so grateful to have found her. My hip had been causing serious pain for quite a while; I needed to use a cane to get around, and could hardly deal with normal activities, such as going up and down stairs; a very experienced PT had told me that he couldn't do much for me; I'd had to cancel a couple of highly anticipated trips, losing a lot of $ in the process; and I was seeking surgeons for a hip replacement surgery. I felt old before my time and depressed about the direction my life was going in. On my first visit, Dr Minkowsky got to know me thoroughly, asking many questions about different parts of my health and my body, and then doing a manual examination to check me out. Then she went to work. Really, I don't have the education to understand exactly what she did, but after just *two sessions*, I no longer need to use a cane, and can perform daily activities in a much more normal way. Now that my hip is getting better, I asked her to also work on the lower back pain I've had for a year, for which I've gotten injections, medications, and PT, none with great success. A few weeks ago, my main worry was that I couldn't get in to see a surgeon for a hip replacement quickly enough. Now I'm glad I didn't. She is an amazing healer and person. read more

Dr Irene is one of those rare special people. Diamond in the rough. Truly cares about her patients well-being. I went to her for about 20 sessions to deal with a tinnitus issue. Although it has not resolved it was not time wasted. I highly recommend Dr Irene if you need some care. read more

I've been seeing Irene Minkowsky for some time now. The lengthiness is not because she doesn't help me- it's because I'm of that certain age where so many things keep happening. I go to UC for many things but it's often not satisfactory,and I. Minkowsky, (her husband works in same office) helps me with that. She may explain the results of my tests or xrays, etc. Or just helps when others give up. And how many times have I heard the catchphrase "arthritis" for so many of my aches and pains. And as an excuse, that there's nothing to be done for me. But she has worked on these areas and has made my life less painful or even painfree. I don't know that she's ever come up empty-handed re some problem of mine. And her deep empathy always comes through. I, truly am grateful to her, Judy Bajada This review is looking pretty epic! Nice! Post Review read more

Dr Minkowsky is excellent at what she does. She is gentle yet very effective with her manipulations. I hate driving to SF but she's totally worth it! My insurance no longer has a 3rd tier and I miss her terribly. :( read more

Dr Minkowsky is SO knowledgeable. She is compassionate and very thorough in her exams. Gentle but strong also. She has helped me with knee, hip and shoulder problems over the years. I love her holistic approach. read more

Just understand that while she is an MD, this is more akin to traditional medicine. I came into the office with shoulder pain. Dr. Minkowsky performed an exam on me and conducted an evaluation of my neck, ab, and back strength, before giving me a series of exercises to target those muscle groups. There was never really any actual diagnosis given. I went to an actual ortho and he disagnosed me with AC joint inflammation....ice, anti-inflammatories, and continuing moderate activity. Not saying the excercises didn't help...just felt like a hammer looking for a nail. read more

I started seeing Dr. Irene Minkowsky a couple of weeks ago when I began to experience pain from a back injury that had been healing. The sciatic pain down my left leg increased day by day over a period of two months, and eventually became bad enough that had to go back to taking anti inflammatory meds. I have seen a few back docs in SF, and no one has been able to do what Dr. M did in just one week. At the first visit, Dr. M evaluated every part of my body, including body parts that traditional doctors would never even think of exploring. I left feeling cared for and hopeful. At my second visit she used a skin rolling technique that I had never heard of, and by the time I left her office I was already beginning to feel better. She explained that the skin holds pain, and when she began this technique I was amazed at how much pain my body was holding. But Dr. Minkowsky is gentle, so don't let this scare you off. I was literally shocked that I could easily stop taking medication after my first appointment. Dr. Minkowsky showed me how to practice this technique on myself, and although I cannot reach my back, I can reach many places where my skin is holding pain. At Dr. M's suggestion, I am bringing my friend in next week so she can learn the technique and help me with my back. [Yes, this is a doctor who wants to teach you how to take care of yourself rather than rake in the big bucks by saying only she can help you and you have to keep coming back.] I just left the office after my third appointment and I feel better and better with each visit. Dr. Minkowsky is quite a woman. She's strong and compassionate and she's an excellent listener. She's also delightful. She takes in everything I say and uses everything she knows to determine my course of treatment. I am so thankful I found my way to Dr. Irene Minkowsky. PS: I asked Dr. M what kind of exercise she does and she told me that she is currently (7/2010) doing boot camp with her husband and a bunch of 30 somethings. As I wrote, she's quite a woman. read more

Wow, Wow, Wow. Dr Irene was a total shock to me... A Western Medical Doctor who spent an hour with me, did gentle bodywork, including cranio-sacral and many interesting diagnostic techniques... and most incredible, did not talk down to me. I am a Bodyworker, myself and a holistic health care practitioner and in general have found my experiences with Western Medicine to be not only lame, but in effective. Dr Irene, however, has restored my faith that some MD's are healers too. I saw her for a car accident and was planning on just getting a massage referral. After my awesome session, I decided to return to her for he incredible knowledge, great energy....and the fact that she prescribed me a foam roller instead of drugs. I Heart Irene Minkowski. If your insurance doesn't cover bodywork, I would highly suggest her....her work IS covered...and it is awesome. Go to her now :) read more

There are medical doctors and then there are healers. Dr. Irene Minkowsky is the latter. She literally listens to the whole body, and she takes her time, she is methodical, she explains things. And she has the lightest hand ever with injections. read more

I was treated by her husband and I had a super fantastic experience because after a year being not properly diagnosed by orthopedic doctors and physical therapists, Dr. Minkowsky finally got it right and after few visits my symptoms subsided. Highly recommend him. read more

After 3 years of enduring sciatic pain down my left leg from a slipped disk in my lower back, Dr. Irene Minkowsky helped me recover without having to resort to surgery. Mind you that she will present surgery as an option if all else fails or if you are in any kind of danger. I had spent 3 years going to other doctors and was quickly heading down the road of surgery. Other doctors had simply asked me to walk on my heels and looked at the MRI and would exclaim, "Ah-ha! You have degenerative disc disease!" before telling me the standard spiel of the 3 options: 1) oral steroids, 2) injected steroids, and 3) surgery. By the way, don't get too freaked out by the Degenerative Disc Disease diagnosis. Everyone's discs are degenerating and there are plenty of people who have degenerated discs and don't have sciatica. It's a piece of the puzzle for sure, but don't let anyone construe it as the full picture or use it to scare you into surgery. For physical therapists, the first two wanted me to push through the exercises (about 20 of them!) despite any pain that I was feeling. As I found out with Dr. Irene Minkowsky and the physical therapist that she recommended (Myra Freisinger), you need to avoid anything that is going to cause the pain in your leg to increase. Since most of the exercises did cause pain, Myra Freisinger correctly recommended that I back to Dr. Irene Minkowsky to try a different approach. I would recommend Myra if you are looking for a good physical therapist. Back to Dr. Irene Minkowsky, one thing that you'll notice is that she will actually put her hands on your back and try to understand what is going on. Everytime you move, she's trying to figure out the small subtleties of some of the underlying causes. These were things that we tried and the amount of pain that each relieved. Since everyone's different, it's important to keep an open mind - your experience might be completely different. The things that we tried but didn't work: - Back brace: 0% reduction Things that provided minor relief (especially useful at the beginning - Traction Excercise: Good for temporary relief - nothing permanent - Moving the vertebrae one by one while on all fours: 2% reduction in pain - Celebrex perscription: 2% reduction - Strengthening stomach muscles: 2% reduction Things that made a big difference: - Epidural steroid injection: 20% reduction (done by Dr. Hoyman Hong - excellent) - Arch Supports in shoes: 15% reduction! (purchased at On The Run - only purchase from Amy, the male salespeople in the store were scaring off customers with their arrogant selling techniques) - Gentle manipulation done by Dr. Irene Minkowsky: 20% reduction (she also used some Osteopathic techniques as part of her repetoire) - Gentle manipulation by Feldenkrais practitioner: 20% reduction (done by Kaz Shibao - also excellent) After my back was feeling better Dr. Irene Minkowsky recommended seeing acupuncturist Duncan MacDonald to see if he could find some way getting the pain out of my leg. Duncan's successfully managed to chase the pain out of my leg - reducing it by another 20%. I felt that my disc was back in place and I was moving much better so that acupuncture could help the nerve "let go of the pain". I realize that I've spent a lot of time talking about other people, but that's an important aspect of Dr. Irene Minkowsky treatment. Not only does she have magical hands which can pinpoint what's going on, but she also is a great project manager in terms of figuring out different approaches and recommending specific professionals who can all help solve the puzzle. I'm 96% better and I owe a great deal of thanks to Dr. Irene Minkowsky. My life is completely changed. read more

I was referred to Dr. Irene Minkowsky by my fabulous Doctor Munnich for Fibromyalgia and significant degenerative disk disorder of the lower back as well as other issues that are more of a private nature. I just had my first appointment and though I have only been through her thorough diagnosis I am so blown away by her compassion and healing abilities. I can tell she has the best bedside manner outside my General Doctor and childhood Dentist that I have ever seen in my entire life. I have been booked for 3 appointments in weekly increments and she insists that she can teach me techniques to help improve my chronic pain where the need for drug therapy will be reduced. I must say I have faith in her and now reading her yelp reviews I can say to anyone to get in to see her. she accepts medicare too! I may add updates on the progress of my therapies with her. read more

As far as I'm concerned, Dr. Irene is no less than amazing... After nearly 2 years of tests, PT and a "let's wait and see" attitude from my GP regarding lower butt pain following a car accident, I was told by my physical therapist about Dr. Irene. My first visit lasted over an hour while she thoughtfully questioned me and gently manipulated my body. My husband was with me and when we walked out, he said, "Wow! She really knows what she's talking about!" He was right. She used a holistic approach to diagnose my problem, then prescribed a pelvic belt and very specific PT (including ultrasound and electrode stimulation) and a home exercise program. Within a few weeks there was a noticeable improvement and I continued to slowly improve. It's five months later now and I am completely pain-free. I really liked her approach and the rapport she develops with her patients. She is someone who really takes the time to pull together her knowledge/ experience with your input to think through your condition and figure out what others can't! read more

She is unbelievable! I went to doctor's, physical therapists, and chiropractors for my back pain in the past. I saw a little change, but nothing drastic. I have just begun therapy with Dr. Irene Minkowsky, and I already feel the subtle shifts and changes towards recovery. In the short time I've seen her, she has already help lift the major degree of pain away, and I can feel it becoming better with each week. She is gentle and precise, and her kindess and caring are priceless. I find it a blessing that I have found her help. Also, from other clients in the waiting room, her husband is also supposed to be amazing. They take insurance too! If you have back pain (or in my case hip and knee pain too) I couldn't recommend someone with such confidence more than her. read more

I had a very stubborn pain in my hamstring tendon - at the attachment at the knee. The pain prohibited me from walking for a YEAR and that pain and inflamation then spread throughout my back. I should mention, I'm only 41 and typically in good health. After over a year, I had seen various doctors, chiro, PT, and a podiatrist and none were able to help with my pain. Because she looks at the "whole person" versus just the pain, she was able to map out a plan and we tried a lot of different things that eventually worked. She also taught my husband how to "roll" my back and legs and that helped stop the cycle f pain. As others have mentioned, Dr. Irene Minkowski is incredibly generous with her time - her appointments are typically one hour and she has a wonderful eastern + western medicine approach. I would recommend her without any question. read more

Dr. Minkowsky has a gentle and remarkable way working with her patients. I am a medical professional and am seeing sometimes patients who have been treated by Dr. Minkowski. They all have only good things to say. She is patient, well respected and is an excellent resource for anybody who has pain and want to find a different approach. Thank you for taking care of my patients. read more

My experience of Dr. Minkowsky is that of a compassionate, caring physician who brings much knowledge and intuition into my time with her. Her approach of seeing people as body-mind-spirit is comforting and brings a positive focus into treating the needs and pain of the body. read more

I was attended by Dr. Robert Mikownsky for a injured tendon, he was great and incredibly nice, he is very experienced and recommended a certain type if massage in the tendon, immediately I started to feel improvement and relief, I truly recommend to go with him. read more

Paul Cook my brother-in-law from San Luis Obispo saw Dr. Irene Minkowsky for his ongoing neck pain for years. After a thorough evaluation and no medication prescribe, a series of exercises helped him to strengthen his muscles and now he is pain free. It's always a blessing to have a doctor like Dr. Minkowsky. read more

Great Consultative, Patient 1st approach! I contacted the Physician's Back Institute to get an appointment with Dr. Irene Minkowsky for a 2nd opinion regarding options after severely injuring my right knee on 12.10.18. I was being told surgery was the only option to fix the torn meniscus from the clinic Ortho surgeon. My situation was time sensitive due to end of year deductibles, holiday travel, etc. and trying to decide if I really needed surgery. The Front Office - It was refreshing to speak with a "live person" vs. a telephone response tree. The medical assistant listened to my scenario and worked with Dr. Minkowsky to get me in to see her that day - during her lunch hour. The whole experience was Patient 1st. The Care - I prefer a conservative, holistic approach to medicine whenever possible and Dr. Minkowsky offers that with a very consultative, patient 1st approach. She performed a manual examination of my knee before viewing the MRI and reading the report. Her exam was right on target. Her approach set me at ease for the 1st time since the injury, during a very difficult and painful week. The experience was completely opposite the experience I had at the ER and follow-up appointments at the associated sports clinic. She was the 1st to bring up that surgery might not be needed - discussing treating the inflammation aggressively and follow up PT session that might be more appropriate. I really felt like Dr. Minkowsky took into account what my quality of life would be like discussing a more conservative approach vs. an aggressive approach (surgery). I will definitely return to Dr. Minkowsky for follow up. read more

Dr. Irene Minkowsky is a very caring, wonderful doctor. Unfortunately, my insurance changed and I haven't been able to see her on a regular basis since last year. She helped me relieve a lot of my pain with exercises and some osteopathic techniques and massage techniques (skin rolling). You can tell she really cares about her patients and her job. I really like her and soon my insurance will be changing. I hope she is on my plan. read more

Superb! Her bedside manner is exceptional and is only second to her understanding and correcting of ailments. I was ready to go for the surgery but with the help of a spinal injection and the exercises and care schedule Dr. Minkowsky put me on, I am functioning with far less pain and much more comfort. read more