I was injured at work and needed surgery to my back. I have been fighting Sedgwick workers comp for a year and a half. After numerous court appearances I could not get the surgery approved even after we proved my injury was work related. What did work was the consent and wonderful work by Dr. Clucks team, specifically Vanessa, Dr. Clucks Medical Assistant. They were able to get the surgery I needed approved by showing the worker comp's doctors that it was completely necessary for the surgery. You have no ideas how hard this process has been on me and my family. I was about to give up on fighting but Vanessa convince me to stay in the fight. Now I am not waiting anymore I am now focused on my recovery. I would recommend anyone with neck or back pain to Dr. Cluck. They will give you the help you need and more. read more

Went to see him for a second opinion. He agreed that my back was in bad shape. Then proceeded to say that there were too many things wrong with it and I would need several surgeries. His body language screamed "I don't want this person as a patient." Then he told me that there was really nothing he could do for me. Worthless as t!ts on a boar hog. 0 stars. read more

I was not happy with this person. Biy were the reviews misleading.He could do NOTHING for me. NOTHING. Not even an offer, just a pathetic excuse. A WASTED DAY. IMO. I looked at him and said, "So I just go home to die?" No comment. read more

I have attempted to get in to see this "Doctor" for several months and there is always delays...the last one being them moving. Previous occurrences had them losing my appointment, and not being in the system. When my Fiancee, "tried" to call to get updated information, she was told that we needed to now give them a Doctor's release of information from other Doctors. This should have been done when Dr. Cluck told me that I needed to have some major surgeries done to fix several disks several months ago. The Secretary/Office Manger (Alisia and Erin) were very rude and hung up on my Fiancee several times. We had not heard from Sarah, the 3rd contact. This is not how you run an office and/or Customer Service. This place has dropped the ball several times to where I would not let them even apply a band-aid. On a side note, my Fiancee has worked in medical facilities in the past and she is lit up as this is not how you treat patients. She asked specific questions about what was going on or not going on and the office personnel refused to answer to the point of hanging up. That should be a clear indication that they have no idea what they are even doing. She is in the process of contacting the California Board of Medicine in which we do see this particular Doctor's information. I have also worked in the Customer Service field in the past and no matter what happens, you fix the problem regardless....not hang up because you are too lazy and get butt-hurt because someone is upset with your poor service. I have Scoliosis and 6 disks in question and have been in major pain for 12 years and am at my wits end. At Dr. Clucks own confession, he is not capable of fixing all of my needs and would need to send me to SF to take care of everything but I am only requesting to have 1 or 2 disks fixed but the poor office personnel make that impossible. I will be asking my PCP to refer me to a more competent office because I have absolutely zero faith in Dr. Cluck's office. His current staff does need to be terminated. When I get great service, I am happy to rant and rave about it but when I get total crap service, I am also willing to warn others about making a poor decision as I am willing to do here. No, I would not recommend this place to anybody! read more

Saw Dr .Cluck to go over the mri about my back.He gave me a prescription for 8 physical therapy sessions.I finished them a month ago and was suggested by the therapist to do 8 more.I have been trying for a month to get the office to fax the prescription to pt.I have called 3 times and they are always pleasant and say they will take care of it.Well,as of today no prescription has been sent.I have had a few times I needed pt and I have NEVER encountered such a huge hassle as I have had with this office.I guess I could go get it and hand deliver it to pt but that would probably be a major hassle for them. read more

I cant believe i havent left a review. It's been several years now but I first came to Dr. Cluck as a last resort. My friend referred him to me after he had a great experience. Long story short I was suffering from back issues for 3-4 years (herniated disc) it progressively got worse over the years due to my reluctance to give up basketball and snowboarding. It all came full circle when one day i started feeling this pinch in my back and constant pain all day. The pinch eventually got worse and i started limping. That's when i knew i had a bigger issue. I had tried everything conservative prior....acupuncture, 2 rounds of 12 week PT, pain injections, chiropractor (ART method). Nothing worked. Came into the office and Dr Cluck could tell on my face that i had been suffering. My daily life was affected with pain 24/7 and stress from it and not being able to be active. He immediately ordered an MRI and the results showed a badly herniated L4-L5. He gave me 2 choices.....manage with pain med/injections or microdiscectomy....he didnt guarantee it would rid of my pain nor would I return back to normal. He gave me the pros and cons and let me make the decision on my own. I talked to my buddy which had the procedure done just 3 months before and he said he wished he did it sooner. Ended up doing the surgery and the minute i woke up the pain was gone. The recovery was long and hard but I was able to return to playing bball and an active lifestyle 10 months later. Back surgeries are always tricky and the results are always guaranteed. Glad mine was. read more

Please read my story. . I had been searching for a orthopedic specialist for some time and found Dr. Cluck, who was listed on my medical providers list. His medical training looked very good and was a clear match for my particular surgery needs. My medical condition was cervical and lumbar disk herniation. Setting up an appointment with Dr. Cluck was difficult. His office phones were either full and not accepting messages or could not get a hold of anyone in his office. The phone call would just disconnect. (This should have been a warning to me, but when your in such pain, hope gets in the way). . I stayed consistent and at some point was to make an appointment. 4 weeks later I came in to El Camino Hospital to meet with Dr. Michael Cluck. I gave him my MRI. We discussed the matter of surgery. He wanted me to get additional X-rays of my spine and so I did. He asked me to follow up him after the x-rays. I contacted his office, and again there was no answer. I contacted the hospital and speak to his assistant. She had an availability appointment in 4 weeks. I took that appointment. By this time my feet were completely numb and the loss of feeling was moving up my legs. My fingers and arms were in pain. . On the appointment day (El Camino Hospital) Dr. Clucks assistant brought me into the exam room. When Dr. Cluck came in to the room, he had the appearance of being distracted with other activities. I could clearly see he was very distant. He said a few words to me and began walking away. He asked his secretary to give me a referral for physical therapy. I followed him up to the counter and said, what is going on? I'm confused. . he had nothing to say. Just decided he did not have time. (I was shocked by his demeanor). As if my waiting two months in my condition meant nothing to him. . And that was exactly it. A total and complete lack of concern or empathy. . I left the appointment perplexed. . . When I got out to my car, I immediately looked up "Yelp Reviews" and was finding multiple bad reviews. . . So here we are. . with more behavior. . This is always a sign when a person is troubled. Doctor or not, it doesn't matter. What ever the case may be. Perhaps he is hurting more in his personal life, then patients are in there physical life. . So, this is what we have to deal with when searching for medical help. Not every doctor, nurse or staff member is going to be respectful and courteous. Not everyone will be helpful. Not everyone will have empathy. . I am not mad at people like him for wasting so much of my time carelessly. But there are doctors out there like him, who conduct there business as if patients are products. . And yes, its true. He does not care about you or me. . And then of course, there Yelp. . to help us when they don't. read more

He is a brilliant surgeon but as for after care, he sucks. I just assumed that he would monitor my pain level and provide medication but he doesn't. Very disappointed. still in pain. UPDATE : as a result of this review. DR called me today, Saturday, and apologized. He was not aware of my messages and has vowed to get to the problem on Monday. I believe in him now. The staff had better listen to him. He's much more important than they are and can be replaced by eager, intelligent ones. read more

I recently had a 2nd fusion that Dr Cluck did to repair all the damage another Doctor did here in Merced . My prior surgery left me crippled , left leg in constant severe nerve pain that I suffered for almost 3 years due to the first Dr leaving me to suffer with useless injections , I thought I was doomed to stay this way forever . Long story short , I was referred to Dr Cluck he immediately repaired me with an 11 hour surgery that left me completely pain free from the moment I woke up in recovery, I could feel the difference ! I recovered very quickly I'm still pain free , and happy and productive again . Thank God Merced has Dr Cluck now !!! He's THE BEST !! Highly recommended . Treats all his patients amazing and he really cares about his patients . Judith Perez read more

Jerry G from Los Gatos is / was RIGHT - Office Manager cares about HERSELF and not others When you attempt to point out to her that even though your insurance is not contracted with them...BUT...that your insurance APPROVES OUT OF NETWORK every time it's PRE-AUTHORIZED...she turns on the IGNORE switch read more

Dr. Cluck is the best. The girls in his office are very polite and always very helpful. He really made me feel at ease, unlike others doctors. Dr. cluck performed my back surgery back in Dec 2016, i could not stand up, i couldn't walk without feeling excruciating pain. My spine was curved the wrong way. Dr. Cluck got me within a small percentage the correct way. He performed a miracle i feel on my back. Dr. Cluck is just a wonderful person, terrific surgeon . Thank you doctor cluck read more

Dr. Cluck is an amazing surgeon. He shows the care and attention too all patients that come to his office. If you ever have a spine problem come to this man you'll never go wrong. read more

I've been a patient of Dr. Cluck for quite a while now, as we discovered I have 1 blown disc and 1 ready to blow, he recommended every possible option other then surgery, so we did it, PT, Cort shots, the works, well unfortunately they are now bone to bone. He understands that at a young 55 I am super physically active and now that this has been painful to even stand for 5 min, we finally discussed surgery, he explains every detail, he's very easy to understand as well as talk too, I feel 150% sure that I am in extraordinarily great hands. I walk into his office and both girls are so friendly and welcoming and efficient in every sense of the word. He's got a great team and they/we have a great Doctor! I feel so positive about this upcoming procedure that I day dream about long hikes along great trails!! Thank you all at Dr Clucks office for making me feel a part of!! You ALL ROCK!! read more

I originally went to see Dr. Cluck as a second opinion. I had severe back pain for several years. The pain was radiating from my gluts down the back of my legs. The original Surgeon I had been seeing had recommended a a lumbar fusion, (TLIF) This procedure would have involved cutting through my back muscles. Dr. Cluck indicated I needed a fusion as well. However, Dr. Cluck performs an advanced fusion where there would be no need to cut through the muscle. The first part of the procedure would be going in through my side. Most important was the delivery of the information from Dr. Cluck. He was patient and explained in laymen terms, the entire process. I felt confident from the beginning. I am 5 months post op. My surgery was a huge success. I am pain free and on my way to having my life back. read more

Dr. Cluck, Christine, Vanessa and his office Staff are terrific! I moved from Marin County to San Jose 4 years ago. I Initially had a very complicated surgery on my lower spine, performed by a highly respected surgeon in Marin. That procedure, however, was quite invasive and required a long convalescence. Fast forward 3 years and unfortunately I needed further spine treatment, located, above the former surgery. I chose Dr. Cluck based on patient reviews as my provider. He and Dr. Christine basically fused a few more of my lower lumbar spine, with a updated technique that was far less invasive than the first procedure. My convalescence was minimal and his follow-up comprehensive. While most spine problems are complicated and fearsome; I can safely say that anyone with back issues should not hesitate to confer with this "cutting edge" surgeon and his remarkable staff. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Michael Cluck since 2013. Dr. Cluck is the best. I was in severe lumbar spine pain. I required multiple lumbar spine fusions (L2-S1) and a SI Joint fusion over the course of 5 years. Most recently, I had a spinal cord stimulator implanted. My pain is now manageable. Dr. Cluck is very personable and treats the whole patient and treats me as a person. He explained my options and educated me throughout my journey. He takes the time to listen to his patients. The office folks are fantastic. Vanessa, the office manager, really takes care of everything for the patient. Her friendliness and compassion are a real plus. The rest of the folks are great! You feel very special when you have an appointment. I am so thankful for Dr. Cluck and getting me back on the road to be pain free. I highly recommend Dr. Michael Cluck and Bay Area Spine Care. read more

Dr Cluck amazing! He and his staff are both friendly and professional. I couldn't believe how much they care about their patients! I went to him a couple days before my wedding with really bad back pain and he was able to treat me and alleviate the pain and saved our big day. We are so grateful! read more

Doctor Cluck became my Spinal Surgeon by VERY Blessed happenstances. Between Very Early Sunday and Very early Wednesday I woke up in the middle of the night to get something to drink. All 3 times I lost control of my legs for 5-7 min., 6-8 min and early Wednesday morning, well I didn't know I could do the split, but on my way down, I grabbed at the Silverware drawer, made a huge racket, woke my wife up. She happened to going to the same office Wed morning and tried successfully to get an appointment with Doctor Cluck on Friday, after she told them what happened. He gave her orders for x-rays which I had done that day. When I saw him first thing Friday, he asked me what was going on, where Sid it hurt, etc, to get a picture from my point of view. He stepped in the hall to look at the x-rays, decided he needed a couple more angle, in that practice that had an X-ray tech. On our way back to the room, as if to prove a point, my legs failed. When Doctor Cluck received the new views, after looking at the he brought about 6 into the room and explained what was going on with L3 and L4. He went to speak with. His amazing Office Manager/Medical Assistant Vanessa. She is incredibly kind, proactive and is able to clear procedures with insurance so efficiently, quickly and with ease. In maybe 7-8 min. they had a surgery bay open for me on Monday @ 07:00. Doctor Cluck saved my life, quite literally 3 times. I owe him everything!!!‍‍‍‍‍‍ Doctor Cluck made everything move so quickly even contacting my insurance to get immediate pre-approval. read more

Dr Cluck is a wonderful Dr. I had back surgery 6 mo. ago and have been well taken care of!! Great office staff......especially Vanessa! She always takes care of everything for you!! Highly recommend Dr Cluck to anyone who has back problems and needs surgery!! read more

What can I say about Dr. Cluck. He changed my life. I was in so much pain and had numbness all done my leg. He fixed me. The surgery was fast and when I woke up the pain was completely gone. I was so scared and so nervous before the surgery. I didn't know what to expect. You always hear bad stories about back surgery...but this story has a good ending. I owe a lot to Dr Cluck and his staff. Vanessa and nicki were very helpful and took care of my every need from scheduling to even going down the hallway to talk to my other Dr about a prescription that was in question. Thank you guys so much. You have changed my life for the better. And Dr. cluck...Thank you for fixing me. Words do no justice for the amount of happiness you brought back to my life. read more

Office manager treats you like a piece of meat. I can not recommend this clinic at all. Very unprofessional.

Dr. Michael W. Cluck is a professional in every sense of the word. I have seen him for 1 1/2 yrs because my Insurance company kept denying my surgery. I did 3 Appeals, all denied. Dr. Cluck NEVER gave up on me, and with a 4th appeal attempt which his Assistant Vanessa persevered with, I finally was approved. ALIF (Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion) Surgery was on July 30th 2015, and as of this day, I am steadily improving and getting my life back. All due to Dr. Cluck's expertise and skillfulness in the surgical arena. His Office Associate Candy is helpful and friendly, making a visit a very gratifying and pleasant experience, and as previously stated, Vanessa is an expert at dealing with Insurance companies and making a patient feel hopeful. These Medical Professionals are worth the time and money, if you wish to get your life back. I am most grateful to all three of them. read more

First appointment they did not have me in the books. They took me in after waiting 1.5 hours and I saw a lady who I believe is his assistant? She left me in a room with a med student (who pushed way to hard on my injury and it hurt me for days to come). She came back in the room and said let's get you a X-ray and MRI. She did this without examining me, but I agreed because I knew I needed them. I never saw Dr. Cluck. She said I would when I came back with my results. Left the office after being there for 2 hours and in the examining room for a total of 5 min. Not good for a new patient. I ran to the imagining center and they wondered why the doctor didn't leave detailed notes. Well, I didn't see the doctor maybe thats why. Second appointment.... I went in and the office was empty. I don't even think Dr. Cluck was there. Saw his assistant again and she told me I have Spinal Stenosis (which I find out later that is incorrect). She refers me to PT. I ask if I will see the doctor and she says next time. Side note: My PT wondered why the doctor did not leave any notes as to what was my injury is and did not give them a prescription as to what they need to work with me on. They were perplexed. Third appointment.... They want to see me for a follow up. I go in the room and I see the assistant again. The doctor probably has no idea about my case or who I am. She asks me how I'm feeling after five PT sessions and I tell her a little improvement, but I still have a long way to go with more sessions. She says, "Well what do you want to do. You want to do shots or what?" I looked confused and said, "I don't know. Shouldn't that be up to you guys to tell me what I need?" I was confused why I was even there. She said, well maybe we should get a X-ray of your shoulder. I asked her why because I didn't have pain in my shoulder. So she said, "Oh. Hold on let me go get your imagining." SHE FORGOT WHAT MY INJURY WAS! She almost had me get another useless X-ray. Then I ask if I will see the doctor and she looked annoyed and said yes. The doctor comes in for maybe 4 min and says, yeah looks like you need more PT. Yeah, no kidding, I could have told you that! He wouldn't listen to any of my questions or concerns. He dismissed me like I wasn't even sitting there. Didn't explain to me what my injury was and did absolutely nothing for me. It seemed like he came into the room to just humor me. I told my PT and she was very upset to say the least. She told me that Cluck is a great surgeon, but she does not understand why I got the treatment I did. She referred me to another doctor and she was excited to see that I finally had a prescription from a doctor so she could finally understand my injuries. If you need surgery, maybe doctor Cluck is a great surgeon. But be aware that he might not listen to your needs and you might end up leaving more confused and hopeless than before. Thank goodness I have a great PT who had my back. Thanks for nothing Dr. Cluck. All I got from you was a referral to and MRI/X-ray, confusion, and a bill for 90 dollars when I didn't even see you half the time. read more

This place just didn't work out for me. I took my first review down because the office manager reached out and resolved my issue of not being able to get in. I did show up at the wrong time for an appointment but that wasn't the real issue. I just didn't feel that the doctor was listening to me or looking at my images thoroughly. He always did it with me there but there were many images from 4 years back. The significant one that got me sent there was a ct. I asked him to look at it but he said the MRI was better at showing things. BUT my CT showed more to my referring ortho. That's why I was sent there......Anyway he order and MRI and X-ray and the x Ray was not done, not his fault valley radiology dropped the ball. I asked him to do my whole back from the beginning but he said it wasn't needed, then when we had a phone appointment to go over my images he ordered he said he didn't see much of anything that explained my pain but had some concerns about the sacrum area and wanted more films. YEAH I already said that I needed more films the first visit because that's where my ortho saw damage! Geez us. Then it was waking up to missed calls and texts on a Saturday for my insurance card because they didn't copy it at my appointment even though I gave it to them. After all the issues of trying to get in here and then finally getting in and being frustrated constantly I just said I'm done. I truly appreciated Tiana the new office manger for helping/dealing with me and listening to me, she really truly took care of me when she could,I know I'm not an easy customer but it seemed like there was a lot of confusion and frustration on both ends so I didn't feel like it was worth my time and energy to keep going back. I think there's a lot of good intentions and Dr Cluck is a kind man but I dunno it just was too much of a hassle and THE confusion. I take full responsibility for my late/wrong time appointment and frustration at first but I REALLY tried to make this work. I am desperate to get the help I need. Maybe I should have taken the hint when it took 8-9 months to get a call to even be seen after being referred by my ortho. It just wasn't meant to be for me. read more

After having appointments with 2 other doctors, I spoke to Dr Cluck on the recommendation of another doctor. He gave me confidence that he would be able to help me and I had spinal fusion surgery about 1 1/2 months ago. I am very satisfied with Dr Cluck. My surgery went very well and I am able to live without pain for the first time in 4 years. I thought his staff was very kind and helpful. I always feel that they are listening to me and my concerns and questions. I would recommend Dr Cluck very highly. read more

I have known Dr Cluck since 2011 when he performed a microdiscectomy on my lower back. From the very beginning Dr Cluck has been an outstanding doctor-between his expertise, professionalism, and kind demeanor I would highly recommend him to anyone considering surgery or simply needs a consultation. 8 years post surgery my back is still feeling great! In addition, Vanessa, his office manager is wonderful-she is personable, professional, and very thorough. I visited Dr Cluck at his new office today and his new staff is also very nice. read more