I had an exceptional experience with Dr. Rishi Agarwal and felt compelled to share it for anyone who may be feeling anxious about their care. From the moment I walked into his office, I was warmly greeted by his receptionist, Janelle. In fact Janelle had already been communicating with me several times that day, working with me and helping me to get my X-Rays and reports so that Dr. Agarwal could look at them before I arrived. Upon meeting Dr. Agarwal, he immediately demonstrated a truly outstanding bedside manner. He was incredibly reassuring and empathetic, as my situation was a bit complicated, and he took the time to patiently listen to everything I had to say without rushing me. I never felt dismissed or hurried--in fact, he made me feel like my concerns genuinely mattered. What stood out most was how thorough he was. He carefully explained all of my treatment options and was refreshingly honest, even noting that the data for the recommended procedure for my specific condition showed mixed success rates. He made sure I understood all the potential benefits and the risks. That level of honesty built a lot of trust. He was also clearly not focused on just "getting the procedure done." There was absolutely no pressure. In fact, I initially left the office because I was scared to go through with the epidural. While sitting in my car, I realized that if I was going to have this procedure done, he was the only doctor I felt comfortable trusting. So I went back in and asked if he still had time to see me. Even though he was just about to start his lunch break, he didn't hesitate--he welcomed me back and said he could do it. The procedure itself took about 10 minutes, and throughout the entire time, he explained everything he was doing step by step. That made a huge difference. I felt calm, informed, and not afraid. I'm incredibly glad that I went back. Just three days later, I'm already experiencing significant improvement in my pain. I'm not at 100% yet, but the difference compared to earlier in the week is remarkable. What truly sets Dr. Agarwal apart is his level of care and accessibility. He encouraged me to reach out with any questions, and when I did, he responded promptly and thoughtfully. It's rare to find a doctor who combines skill, honesty, and genuine compassion the way he does. I'm incredibly grateful for the care I received and would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a physician who truly puts patients first. read more

Dr. Agarwal was very helpful during my car accident situation. He took the time to listen to what happened and made sure I was properly checked, especially because I was feeling pain after the accident. He explained things in a way that was easy to understand and made me feel more calm during a stressful time. I really appreciated his care and support while I was dealing with everything after the accident. read more

Dr Agarwall is the best! My mother has had severe back pain for decades and was taking opioids but Dr. Agarwall treated her with a few procedures and now she is pain free. As an RN I am very protective of my family's healthcare and we are so lucky to have found him! I couldn't recommend him more highly! He is also a very kind man. read more

Was in a car accident 12/31/22. After the accident, I was in constant pain. I started down my path to rehabilitation by seeing my primary physician followed by attending physical therapy. My physical therapist therapist referred me to a pain specialist. Wasn't sure what to really expect. What a wonderful experience I had. The knowledge I obtained was priceless! Also, I felt comforted leaving with a feeling of fulfillment. You will definitely leave having options for recovery. read more

I was in a car accident and was referred to Dr. Agarwal by my chiropractor. He was fantastic! I appreciate a doctor who will sit and answer questions and not act like they're so busy that they have to run out the door. I decided to get a cervical epidural (because the pain in my neck from the accident was pretty bad) and he explained everything to me very patiently. Also, he told me that I could do the procedure in his office and not have to get anesthesia. I was shocked because I had to do this procedure years before for a different injury and they totally knocked me out. Dr. Agarwal explained that most big hospitals will do that because they can bill the insurance more, but that it absolutely wasn't necessary. Crazy! So, in total, I appreciated his bedside manner, his honesty, and his work - my neck is feeling much better after the injection! read more

I was recommended to Dr. Agarwal by my chiropractor because I had some whiplash pain from a car accident. Dr. Agarwal took a look at my MRI to help explain the situation and recommend solutions. I found him to be very pleasant and helpful. The clinic is easy to find and the staff is super friendly! read more

I've tried my fair share of pain management options in the LA/Pasadena area and I can safely say that Ascension is the only one that I will regularly return to. Dr Agarwal is patient, kind, soft spoken, and clearly cares about helping his patients. He is a brilliant doctor, leading a small, family-centered practice, and it is an incredible comfortable and welcome medical experience. The practice is somewhat new, however I have a grand total of zero complaints. Both he and his wife are incredibly friendly and clearly care about improving your quality of life. 10/10 will recommend to everyone I meet!! read more

Dr. Rishi is amazing! He explains your options in ways anyone can understand, which allow you to make an informed decision. Great customer service from beginning to end; he is someone you can trust that will always put you first. read more

I had a sudden onset of debilitating low back pain, and I was referred to Dr. Agarwal by my PT. He made an appointment for me the following day and came in after hours on a Friday so I wouldn't be in pain all weekend. He did an exam, explained my options, dealt with my insurance, and gave me the treatment and prescriptions I needed, all with patience and compassion. I started feeling a lot better over the next few days. Highly recommended if you are looking for back pain relief. read more

Above and beyond! Dr Agarwal deserves more than five stars. He is very thorough and kind to my father. We went to see him for my father's shoulder pain. My father is an 84 year old cancer patient. Dr Agarwal was concern about how my dad's shoulder looked. He called the MRI place to talk to the doctor to request for an immediate reading of the result. He then communicated with my father's oncologist to discuss about the matter. Afterward he also talked to the orthopedic surgeon to get more detail info. At the end, he drew out the fluid in the joint area to reduce the pain and make it less swollen. He followed up later on the same day to make sure my dad is not bleeding. He was kind and detail. We need more doctor like Dr Agarwal. read more

I feel renewed ! The multi vitamin Iv treatment was just what I needed ! My skin looks amazing . The service was exceptional ! I will be back ! read more

This practice is top notch! Dr. Agarwal and his lovely wife truly care about their pateients! They are kind and take the time to listen. Phone calls are returned promptly and Dr. Agarwal is an expert in his field! Cannot recommend them enough!! read more

Dr Rishi Argawal is absolutely the best. He took the time to explain my MRI in a way that I totally understood. His manor is friendly, professional and caring. I was involved in a car accident and he listened to me. Today he gave me an epidural in my lower back and he did it with no pain. He explained the procedure thoroughly. He understood my lower back pain and helped me. I highly recommend him if you have chronic pain. read more

Dr Agarwal was very professional. I was very nervous the first time I visited his office. He explained in great detail everything I needed to know prior. The procedure was painless and I was out of there in like 20 mins. Very professional staff. Definitely recommend them to anyone who is dealing with pain. read more

Dr. Argarwal was recommended to me on a Thursday and by Saturday afternoon I had my cortisone injection in my spine and on Sunday morning I woke up without any pain for the first time in 8 months. I have a herniated disk and retrolithesis at L3 due to an accident. He was very patient with all of my questions and thorough with his consultation and assessment. The procedure itself was not nearly as painful as I thought it would be. I can't say enough good things about my experience and degree of pain relief I received for Dr. Argarwal. read more

Dr. Agarwal and his team are amazing! The doctor, and his team, are warm, friendly, and really made me feel at ease. The treatment provided was stellar. The treatment plan was explained in an easy to understand manner and was done so with compassionate kindness and clarity. The epidural procedure was painless and immediately provided so much pain relief. After the procedure, I was greeted with a a smile, snack, and water. The office made me feel like they had my best interest at heart and I truly felt the sincerity of the doctor, and his outstanding team. I highly recommend Ascension Pain Specialist, Dr. Agarwal, and his team! read more

Dr . Rishi Was great. He walked me through every potential issue with my pain and what might be causing it and made it clear how to treat my issues as well. Great facility , clean, and was able to see me very quickly as well. read more

Dr. Agarwal is the best! My wife saw him for a steroid injection to ease her pain from Degenerative Disc Disease, and he was super clear and easy to talk to about the procedure, very thorough. Was also easy to get an appt and see him right away, very important when you're in a lot of pain. Will be continuing to see him. Highly recommend! read more

My experience with Dr. Agarwal was one of the very best I've had with a doctor. He is smart, thoughtful, compassionate, and extremely professional. He thoroughly explains everything he is about to do and does it simply and efficiently. He provided much needed relief for my lower back pain. If you need relief for chronic pain, do not walk--RUN to Ascension Pain Specialists--to see Dr. Agarwal! read more

As a retired physician, I am keenly aware of how frustrating it can be to seek help for a complicated chronic pain issue. One is usually left feeling hopeless- unheard, rushed, judged to be hysterical or drug-seeking, and pigeon-holed into choosing from a limited array of treatment options which may be inappropriate &/or out of date. My experience at Ascension Pain Specialists was the polar opposite of this. Dr. Agarwal is Fellowship-Trained in Pain Management at a highly respected facility. After listening thoughtfully for over an hour to my saga, he reviewed the options, complete with anatomic illustrations, pro's, and con's. These were all treatments which I suspected must be, by 2022, in the arsenal of a well-trained and experienced Pain Specialist. Still, after settling on the plan Dr. Agarwal took the trouble to speak to some of his colleagues and do some additional research, such that a slightly different Nerve Block was ultimately performed the next week in his spotless state of the art facility with calm efficiency and confidence. And It Worked!!! After years of suffering a chronic, relapsing, inordinately painful condition, I have rediscovered hope- for Medicine, and for the quality of my own life. I am so grateful to Rishi Agarwal,M.D. for his open-mindedness, his skill, and above all his kindness. read more

Dr. Agarwal was incredibly professional and very gifted at what he does. I would highly recommend his office. Everyone was incredibly professional, and just all-around A+. Dr. Agarwal himself was really considerate and sensitive to the patient's needs. It was very good experience to be in his office. Highly recommend! read more

I cannot say enough about Dr Rishi Agarwal and I'm no exaggerating, he truly saved my life. After 10 surgeries due to breast cancer I have not been able to recover. One of the surgeries left me with 24/7 pain and of course led to severe PTSD and not being able to sleep. When I arrived at the office I was greeted by Ariel, truly an angel. The two of them were so compassionate to my situation and all I had been through. I didn't feel like just a number, a statistic, I felt like a human being who was in need and a doctor that saw that need and wanted to get me out of my misery. He spoke to me about the Stellate Ganglion Blocker shot that goes into the side of your neck. It is used to block pain and help treat PTSD. I immediately said YES. Immediately after the shot I felt a euphoric feeling and light. Dr. Agarwal said it would take 7-10 days to reach it's full effect. Each day my pain lifted more and more, but what was so amazing was my mind was calm. I felt happy. Everything looked and felt different and I remembered what life used to feel like. He told me I will have to do the shot maybe in 2--3 months again depending on how long it works. I will line up every 3 months if need be. This is a game changer. Dr. Rishi Agarwal works in pain management and I highly recommend running to his office if you are dealing with pain that no one else seems to be able to help. He told me about some other amazing options for pain in case the shot didn't work and we are now discussing other options for some other areas of pain that I have due to the chemotherapy treatment. I feel blessed to have found Ascension and Dr. Agarwal and Ariel. They changed my life. read more

I sincerely can't say enough about Dr. Agarwal! He saved me from debilitation pain. I suffered from neuropathy pain in both of my feet to the point of it being unmanageable. I felt like I was walking on broken glass and I couldn't sleep at night from the tingling and pain. I tried everything, including nerve decompression surgery to try to relive the pain. I was blessed to find Dr. Agarwal. I consulted with him and he was extremely thorough and hopeful. Since I had open heart surgery a couple of years ago, he took every precaution to make sure that any treatment was safe. After our consultation, he administered a nerve block which literally saved me. Within a couple of days my pain subsided and I was able to wean myself of the pain killers that made me feel constantly fatigued. Since my amazing experience with Dr. Agarwal, my sister and my husband have gone to him for different pain issues and again he has been just as amazing. I wanted to make sure that my results were not just a dream, but now that I have lived it, I will be spreading the news because it is horrible to live with chronic pain and I only wish I had found him sooner. Please don't hesitate to see him for whatever pain you have big or small. I am living proof that Dr Agarwal will do whatever he can to relieve you of your pain. I am forever grateful that I found him. read more

About a month ago, I was surfing the internet to look for a new pain management doctor in the Pasadena area. I stumbled upon this clinic, Ascension Pain Specialist, that I have never seen listed before and called to inquire about the services they provide. I spoke to Ariel, the office manager who answered all of my questions, and also, I told her about my concerns medically and partly financially as I had been paying in cash to my prior pain management doctor, and was concerned that my prior doctor seemed like they were forcing me into services that I did not need. I asked if their clinic is able to assist me and her answer was a resounding YES. I scheduled an appointment with the clinic, and immediately was impressed with the place, ample parking in a good area of Pasadena. And the medical office... NICE!!!, It was not like the high volume facility that I was used to for the last few years. I also asked to see their surgery room and also was impressed. The best thing I noticed though, was that the doctor, Dr. Rishi Agarwal actually spent time with his patients to listen and address their concerns. At my old doctor's clinic, I had spent more time in the waiting room, than the actual consult. Also, Dr. Rishi Agarwal, appears to be a knowledgeable doctor, and very professional as well. I felt very comfortable with my transfer to this clinic and actually feel like I would get the proper care that I need for my chronic back pain. Definitely "TWO THUMBS UP" for this facility, Dr. Rishi Agarwal and the office manager, Ariel who incidentally, I found out, is the doctor's wife and also a medical professional, and that explains, why she was able to answer my questions immediately when I had called the first time. There is a different feel when you visit this medical facility... it is like having a doctor in your own family, and you know you will be cared for.!!! read more