Thanks to Dr. Assil, After Twenty-Six Years, I am Pain Free In 1990 I fell and injured my lower back and was subsequently diagnosed with a small herniated disc at L4/L5. Over the next several years I saw several surgeons each recommending a different approach to treatment. Some wanted to immediately do spinal fusion and disc replacement while others told me to do nothing more than exercises and physical therapy. I had numerous steroid injections, MRI's, bone scans, Cat Scans, X-Rays and lots of physical therapy to no avail. My pain was cyclical with significant pain events lasting two-to-three months followed by periods of reduced pain lasting weeks. When my pain was at its worst, I begged for surgery - anything to ease the pain. My injury was work related and therefore managed by Workers Compensation - a process that is always complicated, time-consuming, and counter-productive. Around 2003 I was fortunate enough to find Dr. Kamyar Assil - a Godsend. Dr. Assil is a remarkably gentle and patient man who truly cares about his patients. Dr. Assil determined my low back pain stemmed from the L4/L5 & L5/S1 lumbar facet joints on my right side. Dr. Assil performed two specialized steroid injections over a period of two-or-three months. Over the next several months my pain cycle began to reverse. I was having much longer periods of reduced pain and shorter periods of significant pain. Over the next several years I had manageable pain levels and only occasional short-term periods of significant pain. In late 2013 I began having extreme pain lasting months at a time. I spent the next 18-long months working my way through Workers Compensation roadblocks again before finally being able to see Dr. Assil. Dr. Assil treated my facet Joint pain with Radiofrequency Neurotomy where a needle was inserted into my lower back at the L4/L5 and L5/S1 facet joints. A probe that produces radiofrequency generated heat was then inserted thru the needle at each location. Heat was then applied destroying the facet nerves thereby eliminating the pain. I have been pain free since the procedure. The outpatient procedure was performed under light anesthesia and took about thirty-minutes to perform. I had mild tenderness at the injection site for a day-or-two. The nerves will likely grow back together and pain may return in 9-14-months however, the simplicity of the procedure and minimal impact on daily life and, the fantastic results made this treatment miraculous for me. Dr. Assil performed the procedure at Saxon Surgical Center in Thousand Oaks, California. The nurses and staff at Saxon are equally as compassionate and caring as Dr. Assil. read more

I have been a high-pain patient of Dr. Assil for at least four years, through two major back surgeries. He is one of just a handful of doctors I have worked with who truly stands out as thoughtful, completely knowledgeable and professional, and very effective. He truly cares about your pain issues, knows that the impact they can have on your life and carefully discusses his strategy to get you out of pain. I have degenerative disc disease and have had two lumbar fusion surgeries. The first, a failure (surgeon in T.O. did not sufficiently immobilize the vertebrae, so no bone could take hold) to fuse which left me in excruciating pain, much worse pain than before surgery, confining me to bed in misery...keeping me from my otherwise active, golfing, riding "40-something" life. Dr.Assil was remarkable in getting the pain down through various nerve blocks, radio frequency treatments, and other cutting-edge procedures in his arsenal. He even used Botox quite cleverly to relax the large psoaz muscle that had been painfully cramping incessantly... It worked! He reduced my pain significantly, and therefore my pain pill intake & risk of physical addiction. He & his pain management team doesn't just prescribe and then send you off to go cope on your own with just the pills. Dr. Assil thoughtfully hunts down the source(s) of the pain in order to stop it at the root, treating the origin of the pain, not just the symptom, so you can get on with your life! For me, it was to get me in good enough shape to seek out an excellent neurosurgeon with whom I had a second, very successful fusion (Cedars Sinai Spine Center). After surgery, again I went back Dr. Assil and his staff got me through the post-surgical pain, weaned me off the Vicodin/Norco, and got me on my way back to normal life! I wouldn't go to anyone else. He has his own outpatient surgery center, with top-drawer medical techs/nursing staff. Five out of five stars, all the way. I feel blessed to have him and his staff, such as Rick DeLeon "on my side." Mrs. Barbara G. Westlake Village read more

Fantastic Pain Specialist! I have slipped discs in both my cervical and lumbar spine as well as a chronic pain condition. Over the last ten years, I've seen at least four different pain specialists, and had several epidural injections. Dr. Assil is by far the best. Because of my chronic pain condition, I have a very low pain threshold. I've now had three low back injections (2 epidurals and one S/I joint injection) with Dr. Assil, and they have been the easiest by far--truly painless--and I had them all without sedation. I was initially reluctant to try an injection without sedation. But because the IVs that are required for sedation are always very painful for me, I decided to try the first injection with Dr. Assil without sedation. WOW! The procedure was over before I even realized it had begun. Absolutely painless! I've since had two more injections by Dr. Assil, also without sedation, and they were a cinch. Dr. Assil is VERY gentle. I felt a little bit of pressure with the injections, but no pain. There was a very mild pinch when he gave me the numbing medication, but it wasn't even enough to make me flinch. No joke - these low back injections were easier than a flu shot. His staff explained that Dr. Assil's technique is different from other pain specialists. Part of that difference is that he uses a much thinner needle than most other doctors use. Dr. Assil gives injections at the Saxon Surgical Center, and his staff there is terrific. He and his staff are very patient, clearly explain things (EACH time, not just the first time), and are very good about follow-up. I only wish I had found Dr. Assil years ago. He's absolutely the best pain specialist I've ever seen. (And no, I am not related to Dr. Assil, nor am I on his staff. I am just a very happy-camper patient.) read more

Kemyar Assil is a piece of shit who should be executed for his horrible morals and inability to listen to his patients needs. He tried to use me as a Guinea pig to preform a very invasive procedure on my back just to build a case around it and make him look like a good doctor. He didn't believe my level of pain. The person who said he over prescribes was probably older. He severely underprescribed me at 5mg Percocet when I needed AT LEAST 50mg roxicodone/instant release oxycodone per dose. Diagnosed me incorrectly and wanted to take my money for an incorrect procedure that did nothing for me. And he rushed me all the time and cut me off over and over when I would try to speak and NEVER listened. Whoever wrote him a positive review, I'm glad he helped you, but for me and many others he is a money hungry butcher. He probably wrote that review himself. He is scum and should be exiled from human contact. Do not let this butcher put his hands on you. He will do whatever he can to get your money and keep you in pain to have you try more things in order to spend even more money. If you're reading this Kemyar, FUCK YOU. I hope you get mutilated and have to suffer with chronic pain for the rest of your life so someone can fuck with you when you're desperate to get out of pain and not give you the right meds or listen to what you have to say and try all these procedures that do NOT pertain to you just like you did to me. I hope you go through the misery you put me through and many other patients. Get fucked with broken glass you little cunt. read more

I have had headaches and neck pains for years now. I have also been to neurologists and various pain specialists over the years. After the few MRIs I've had done over the years (I have degenerative disc disease), and the suggested epidurals I have been recommended, I finally decided to listen to a doctor (also in the area) and had an epidural. Well, it didn't help. In fact, I ended up getting a migraine after a few days which I haven't had in years. I finally found Dr. Assil. He is the first doctor who actually decided to examine me, ask more questions and feel the muscles in my neck. His original thought was that all the problems I have are muscular. So he did some simple trigger point injections during my office visit. Although I didn't have immediate relief, I had relief in a couple of days. The second month I went back for more trigger point injections. I was absolutely amazed! I had NO headaches and NO neck pain for 6 whole weeks! For me, this was absolutely incredible! I have been dealing with neck pain on a daily basis, and headaches almost as frequently. I told Dr. Assil he is my favorite doctor. Another local doctor - well he just wants to keep sending me to his surgery center telling me that all these expensive procedures will probably help me. I still have my issues with pain and flare-ups, but I know I can manage them better once I am able to get back for another set of trigger point injections. And I only trust Dr. Assil :-) read more

Once again thanks to Dr. Assil, I am taking back my life again. Dr, Assil has treated my back pain with epidurals several times over the past 15 years, the last in 2009. I am a fit 68 year old woman, who despite the pain went to a gym 5 days a week. I tried all kinds a exercise to strengthen my core to make my back stronger. However, exercise could do nothing for bulging disks and degenerative disk disease. I looked like a Neanderthal man getting up after about 30 minutes at my computer or craft desk, slowly rising as I walked down the hall. Sleep became my bane, and I felt each night that I went to my bedroom to battle with the pain. I was lucky to get 4-4 1/2 hours a night. I was exhausted and discouraged. I knew it was way past time to see Dr. Assil again, but hated MRI's. I knew that to properly treat my back, Dr. Assil would need to see the changes that had occurred. I only wish I had gone sooner. I am now feeling so energized, and am sleeping 6, 7 and even sometimes 8 hours a night. I have freedom of movement, and the words "oh my back" have left my vocabulary. I cannot say enough about the compassion and care I have received from Dr. Assil and his staff. read more

Dr. Assil is terrific! He treated me with respect and compassion the moment I walked in the door. So did his staff - a top-tier group! What surprised me the most was that Dr. Assil took the time to understand my case, my injury and me from a holistic perspective -- the physical and the psychological perspectives -- not just a series of "parts" then applying a cookie-cutter approach. For example, he didn't just perform a five-minute exam, write a prescription and overcharge my insurance, as did other pain management facilities I had the misfortune of visiting. Instead, he laid out a comprehensive set of options that he felt would work best for me - explaining in detail both the pros and the cons of each - including surgical options, as was an option in my case. Finally, he was an invaluable resource as a sounding board, talking through each step and translating complex information in a way that I could understand, then letting me come to my own decision in my own time. It was so empowering! If you're looking for an honest, direct and highly skilled pain specialist, take the time to meet with Dr. Assil. I'm so grateful I did! read more

I was in a car accident that severely damaged my neck and low back. I've had 2 cervical spinal fusion a (the second a revision and additional level) and have 5 herniated disks in my low back. Because of the first neck surgery I also have occipital neuralgia. I'm not a fan of medications and have great difficulty taking narcotic pain killers because they make me ill (even with Zofron), so ice, Advil and BioFreeze were all I had to help. Dr. Assil was able to pinpoint the location of the irritated nerves in my neck, to help with radiating arm pain and numbness, which two prior pain docs weren't able to do. He also did the same magic on my lumbar and sciatic nerve, his injections have helped keep me off of daily oral medications. He understands my desire to keep living and participating in life, despite my pain, and has spent an incredible amount of time helping me. His treatments have lasted longer than those I've had prior too - I really think he is fantastic. He listens and cares and he has never tried to push any medication on me - something that is important to me. He makes me feel better. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Assil since 1998 to manage my pain, at that time I was living in my wheel Chair not far from his office in thousand Oaks.. I have been traveling from Phoenix, Arizona to see him since 2004. It has always been worth the trip. The thing that impresses me is he listens to you. He doesn't treat your pain as routine Or the same way he treats all of his patients. He has just implanted my 4th Spinal Stimulator. He doesn't just dispense medication. He really does work with you to lessen your pain and help you cope and live a better life. I am no longer in a Chair I have been walking since 2002. He got me mental care to help me cope with the anger of now being incapable. and helped my family understand what I was going through and also showed me what I was putting my family through, this has kept my marriage in tact. I would recommend you call him. you will be glad you did. Sincerely Lester Gutierrez . read more

I have been seeing Dr. Assil for nine months. He has changed my life. I have suffered with migraines my whole life. Everyday I woke up with a migraine. I have had to be hospitalized several times and countless ER visits. None of the medications I was given helped, and I would just end up with a rebound headache. He suggested a procedure he was confident would help. He went into the nasal passages and administered lidocaine to the sphenopalatine ganglion -- a nerve bundle behind the nose that is associated with migraines. The next day, when I woke up, for the first time in over 25 years, I did not have a headache. I have now had two of these procedures and have recommended it and Dr. Assil to all of the people I work with and family members who suffer with migraines. Dr. Assil is very confident and compassionate in his treatment and has helped me with my goal is be pain free. read more

Dr. Assil is a very effective, professional, attentive and caring pain management doctor. I have had epiderals in the past for my lower back and sciatica that did not last more than a few days. In early 2015 I was referred to Dr. Assil. He completed a series of 3 epiderals that last 18 months! His staff was wonderful and attentive. I have recently completed a second set of epiderals in late 2016 that are proving effective. I have 3 collapsing lower discs and a curvature of the spine that cannot be operated due to the closeness of the renal artery to the surgical point and earlier unrelated surgeries that make me too high a risk. The surgeons I have consulted with recognize my best hope to have minimal pain and/or pain free in the future is with Dr. Assil. I highly recommend Dr. Assil for pain management. read more

Let me first state I have had five spine surgeries since the early 90's among other orthopedic issues. I found Dr. Assil after a doctor wanted to do a radical spine surgery in 1999 and I refused it. I felt that if I found the right pain doctor, I/we could manage the pain until the surgery techniques improved. Without his care I would literally have been unable to exit the house and live the life that I did until my last surgery in late 2010. You will not find a more caring doctor, one who will stay with you at each visit until "your" questions are answered and all is good at that time. I have had numerous epidurals at the Surgery Center and the treatment there is great as well. Hope this helps you make the right choice if your looking for THE pain doctor. read more

I was pleased with Dr. Assil's treatment of my back problem. While in significant pain during my initial visit, I was reassured by the cordial, warm welcome and care offered by his staff even before Doctor came into the examination room. After a careful examination, Dr. Assil took the time and patience to describe treatments available while making recommendations that he felt were best for my particular case. An added characteristic I value regarding Dr. Assil is that he does not promote the use of drugs to mask pain; rather, he gets to the root of the problem. In addition, I really appreciate Dr. Assil's willingness to work cooperatively in a team effort with other health providers; e.g., my family doctor and chiropractor. read more

I was referred to Dr. Assil for pain management by several friends on Facebook after I inquired after one. Dr. Assil is amazing. He listens and asks questions, sometimes asking about things I never even thought to bring up. He has given me two nerve blocks and told me I no longer require any. He has miraculously gotten me to a point where my pain is manageable and rarely flares up. I highly recommend him for all pain management needs. Also, Dr. Assil's staff is wonderful. His surgical Nurse, Pat, is like a warm hug. She helped me from prep to sleep and when I woke up I had Sharon to take care of me in Recovery. Thank you so much, Dr. Assil and Staff. read more

Dr. Assil is very professional and caring. I learned that appointments for an epidural are never made in the afternoon as problems might occur after and the doctor wants to be available. Dr. Assil always confers with the patient on the day of the procedure. I was pleasantly surprised when the doctor came to see me just before my epidural! Patients later in the morning have to wait more for their procedure because the doctor takes time with each patient; one never knows how long it will take. I have problems with my neck. Dr. Assil will first pin point where the pain is before he gives me an epidural. That was new idea to me! read more

Dr. Assil has been treating me for chronic pain for 18 years and he has made my life amazing. I broke my neck 34 years ago and until I found Dr. Assil the pain in my right leg was a living hell. I had an epidural last week and I feel like I am sitting on a cloud. Dr. Assil is the best pain special I have ever gone to and in order to life a quality life he is the only person I want to see ever four months. Thanks doc! I also love my anesthesiologist Dr. Tran and all the nurses, Rebecca, Rachel, Jamie, Monique, and Mario. They make me feel like I just came home, you know like family. The whole team is fantastic! Leo Orange read more

Dr. Assil has been the answer to my prayers. I had a work injury to my lower back years ago have been to numerous doctors, many workers comp ordered, and none could (or would) diagnose my real damage. Upon my first visit to Dr. Assil, reviewing the same xrays and cat scans others doctors had, he recommended an epidural and medication plan that has improved my life quality tremendously. Two of my friends highly recommended Dr. Assil to me and I'll be forever grateful. He really cares about you personally. There is light at the end of the tunnel. D. Coffelt, Ventura County read more

Dr. Assil has been my doctor for a few years now and I must say he changed my life for the better!!! I have nothing but good things to say about the staff at Dr. Assil's offices and Dr. Assil himeslf. If you ever need pain management seek out Dr. Assil. I was in pain with a left shoulder injury and Dr. Assil performed the Spinal Cord Stimulator Implant surgery! It has taken away a significant amount of pain. I can now move my left arm, rotate my arm and have less pain! Dr. Assil was right on in helping me be where i am today!!! Thank you Dr. Assil read more

I have had neck and low back pain for 40 years. Tried many modalities Acupuncture, Chiropractic, massage cupping, meds. You name it I took it anything to kill the pain! Ventura Orthopedic fixed a broken ankle. I was referred to Dr. Assil . I had ex-ray, MRI and began treatment injections. I can move now without pain in my neck!! The benefit from treatment has been relief from constant pain too activated life style. Thank you So much for your treatments, staff and DR.ASSIL . Sincerely, Priscilla Wolf Thousand Oaks read more