It's hard to get care when she cancels twice an hour before an appointment then won't reschedule for a month.

Don't look for any other headache specialist in the north west region. She is exceptionally good. Migraine is a nightmare but she can surprisingly put it under control. She's a real specialist and knows what she is doing. She has a lot of experience and piles of studies and statistical information that guide her treatment plans. Definitely recommended. read more

Doctor Murinova is fantastic. It's hard to find the words to describe her and her knowledge relating to headaches. I suffer(ed) from Cervicogenic Headaches until I started seeing her. They have all by gone away now and I miss seeing her. It might take a while to get in to see her, but it's worth the wait! read more

Every time my insurance changes I fight so hard to get back to UW headache clinic and under the care of Dr. Murinova and her headache team. I literally think they are all geniuses. I have been working with RN Mui Chan-Goh for many years and every single time I talk to her I learn a new thing about migraines. Now, I understand what people are saying about time, practicality, expense. However, at some point when you are a high functioning person and migraines are sincerely wrecking your everyday life, you will practically try anything. For instance, I bought the Cephaly, and it didn't work for me - I used it 2x/day for 3 months with no change. However, I simply sold it to someone I knew who really wanted to try it. I guess it comes down to how bad this problem is in your life, and how open you are to new ideas. Migraines are highly individual in my experience, and Dr. Murinova treats them as such, and I feel she takes a lot of time with me and treats me like a whole human being. The first time I met her she gave me a big hug! That has literally never happened with any other practitioner I've ever had -- for migraines or anything else for that matter. read more

The measure of a good migraine doc is whether they leave on the overhead lights. Dr. Murinova took one look at me and got the room pitch dark. She took me utterly seriously and found my big, intelligent, relatable brain hiding behind the puke-y migraine. When I shambled in to see Dr. Murivova, I had "chronic daily headache" aka it felt like I'd had an icepick in my eye for WHOLE PAST THREE MONTHS. I was very surprised at some of her recommendations, both in how holistic they were and the pharmaceutical aspects: 20mg a day of melatonin? a very old drug called DHE (works better than anything else, turns out)? She even suggested moving from Seattle, climate wise - or trying a warmer climate. The whole time she made me feel validated, intelligent, capable of solving this problem and empowered. She gave me the research to read. She's a migraine genius, yes, but also a total migraine geek. I can see how their focus on healthy weight (defined by abdominal waist measurements, which often means weight loss) and diet (though changing my diet to avoid migraine triggers has been a huge help for me) might be off putting for some. They mete out some tough love but I always felt like Dr. Murinova and her NP are genuinely caring and lovely. I turned a real bend and broke that awful migraine streak because of her. When I had to come in to get a shot because of a terrible migraine, they were so concerned and had me lay down a long time before going home. Nobody likes to hear about lifestyle changes when their head feels like it's being put through a wood chipper - but I benefitted a great deal from them, darn them. Maybe the clinic could balance the short term and long term better. I have all my care at Swedish now. I recommend my doctor, Gary Schuster, as a primary care doctor who is a migraine expert. Dr. Murinova is great, though -- she's just popular. You might want to try Mary Reif at Minor and James or the Swedish Pain and Headache Clinic if she's booked up. read more

I have been seeing Dr Murinova for thirteen years, though now I only see her every couple of years. Natalia has gone from being the assistant doctor for the original small headache clinic to being the primary doctor for the new headache clinic on Roosevelt. She is exceptionally brilliant, and she keeps on top of all new research that comes out. Dr Murinova speaks incredibly fast, but makes sure you are keeping up, and gives you the documentation to refer to at your leisure. She always has new ideas, and treats each patient individually. Everyone has a unique body chemistry, and Natalia will keep trying until she finds what will work for each person. She genuinely wants to help every patient feel better. Along with trying the various preventive and acute migraine medications, she promotes supplements and herbal teas. The new headache clinic has classes for all the alternative methods that may help migraines, such as biofeedback, massage therapy, etc. Her initial evaluation of a patient now involves three different doctors with different specialties to give a well rounded and thorough assessment. Before you can make an appointment, there is a long questionnaire that gives the providers all the information needed to provide the best treatment for each individual. Even though my migraines have been diagnosed as intractable chronic migraine due to complications with other health issues, Murinova always has something else for me to try, and prints out the latest relevant research. In all the years I have been seeing Dr Murinova, I have never seen her without a smile. Her positivity is infectious, and she really gives you the feeling that she will do whatever it takes to help you. She is the best doctor I have seen in any capacity, and even though I've moved halfway across the state, I still make the 5 hour drive to see her. . read more

Update 5/5/12: That headache came back again, and the doc figured out that I was letting my lifestyle slide and stressing out way too much. So I'm exercising and stuff, but she also gave me a pill that seems to help a lot. Hopefully I'll be able to stop it after a couple of months, but it really helped for now. Thanks again doc! read more

Dr. Murinova has basically saved my life! I have had migraine since I was young (am 75 now). I have seen most neurologists in Seattle along the way and never have I encountered anyone as knowledgable and as caring as Dr. Murinova. She will take all the time you need with her, and also explains what you need to do in a very succinct manner. Yes it takes a long time to get an appt. but after many years of struggling--whats another few months. If you make your appt. for 6 months away, it will eventually happen, but if you don't make it, six months from now you will still be in the same place. read more

Poor bedside manner. She wasted an appointment I waited 2 months for, showing me regurgitated PowerPoint slides I'd already seen at her seminar, based on info I could look up myself on Google! None of my questions or concerns were addressed while she talked at me through the apt. When I asked about a medicine interaction & side effects she danced around the topic. When I expressed hesitation in taking the medicine she continued to bark at me exclaiming, "YOU'RE not LISTENING to ME"....in a hysterical tone of voice. She downplayed the severity of my symptoms with an accusatory tone as though I was not doing enough to help my chronic condition which is ruining my life in every way. Paid no attention to the many treatments I've tried or the time, energy, & money invested trying to get better. She suggests treatment ideas that aren't backed by science, pushes treatments with little evidence to prove efficacy. She downplayed the role of migraines and psychological symptoms which I think anyone with a chronic disability would go through...saying that the new meds I was taking for that condition "would never be enough"...I left shaking and crying, feeling completely degraded, humiliated, and irritated that I wasted my time driving to see her. read more

When a Dr. yells at you on the phone, you know there is a problem. I saw Dr. Murinova for chronic daily migraines and her solutions were totally unreasonable. She wanted me to travel to Portland from seattle to get hypnotized (and I worked full time), buy expensive anti migraine devises (Cefaly, which is cool but $400!) and not covered by insurance, and the moment you get a migraine, get ready to drive all the way to UW to get a shot. Also, not practical! This is after waiting like someone else noted, 7 months to see her!! Her attitude is its "my way or the highway" not how can and work with you... It exhausting and expensive and all around shitty. read more

Fantastic! I have had a headache that has lasted for YEARS, plus 1-2 migraines a week. Dr. Murinova is the only doctor who has been able to give me a root cause instead of just recommending prescription drugs, and I have been seeing a lot of specialists the past few years. For me the issue was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and NSAID overuse (turns out over 5/month is considered overuse, and I was taking 1-2/day when I did not have a migraine). She spent over an hour on my first visit going over my long medical history, coming up with a diagnosis, explaining complex issues in simplistic terms, and recommending treatments. You must be able to critique your lifestyle objectively. For me she recommended a few supplements, exercise, an anti-inflammatory type diet, greatly reduce NSAID intake, and a very good book on CFS (Fatigued to Fantastic!). The first month was rough and I still get lighter headaches sometimes, but so far I have been migraine free for 32 days. read more

I'm a cluster headache sufferer. Dr. Murinova is the most informed physician I've ever seen when it comes to cluster headaches; she even teaches a course at the medical school on them. If you have this type of headache (since it's a rare condition and not many neurologists have treated patients with cluster headaches), I highly recommend you see Dr. Murinova. read more

My son and husband are seeing Dr. Murinova for excruciating Migraine which they have struggle with for years. She was able to help my husband very rapidly and so we asked if she would see our 16 yr old. This took a lot more tenacity on her part, because the way she works really involves the patient quite a lot, and apparently people under 25 who have migraines are generally more easily triggered into having a migraine. It took an incredible amount of problem solving on her part to work through to a solution. Her clear explanations to my son did a good job getting through to him, he is a very bright student so she appealed to that part of him. she also is very empathetic. But, I wouldn't go to her if you aren't prepared to be part of your own solution. A lot of migraines can become worse through overuse of medication so for example you have to be willing to follow those rules on certain medications that need to be limited to no more than 6 times per month. Some meds you may need to avoid all together for a while. She really cares, a couple of times we've been in and she was clearly overbooked, so if she tries to work you in then try to be patient with her, she wants to help but may be running behind or need to rush through the formalities. I've actually had this happen with many docs. That said, I've had to go to a lot of specialist for my typical 16 year old son and my special needs son. Not very many show that much compassion and can actually solve your problem. My son was in such bad shape the nurse we talked to set us up with a nurse practitioner, and Dr. Murinova herself called us to let us know that the case was too complicated and we would be dragging him in and only end up coming back. She also explained some things about his state that helped us guide him in how to approach all the school work he was missing. She explained that his thalamus would be affected even if she could solve the pain problem. This means he lacks the drive to eat or drink, and do much of anything. So being conservative when estimating how much school work he can handle is the smart course. Also it was good to know why he wasn't drinking whe he wasn't nauseuos, that probably saved us a trip to the ER. I also posted this review under the UW as well. as well, but wanted to post here because I thought most people would look her up under her name. read more

Dr. Muranova is an amazing doctor. Not only does she really know how to fix migraines, but she's so warm and cheerful, I adore going to see her. I've been going to her for several years, and after trying many prophylactic treatments for migraines, we settled on a combination of Botox and Imitrex as the treatment plan, and it's changed my life. Although this has worked well for me as a maintenance plan, Dr. Muranova also comes up with other options that might help the problem. She is constantly researching and reading up on her field to get the latest info, and has great ideas every time I see her. She referred me out to a pain specialist to have the posterior occipital nerve (I think) blocked, to see if that stopped the migraines completely, and to look into rebuilding the damaged neck tendons using prolotherapy. She prescribed massage, physical therapy and yoga - all of which helped. I recently moved out of state and had to go to new neurologist... and wow, is it a huge difference. It really points out how fantastic Natalia really is as a doctor. New guy didn't read the patient history, pushed prescriptions on me that I didn't want, didn't perform any physical exam, and just asked if Botox was what I wanted so he could order it up. And when I got the injections... omg, each one hurt so much I actually yelped, squirmed on the table, and started crying. I had to ask him to stop in between because I was going to faint.. lying down. One week later, my neck is still stiff and the placement of the botox was odd enough that my eyebrows move asymmetrically. I wasn't prepared for ANY of this, because injections with Dr. Muranova were never like this! Slight pinch of the needle going in.. and that's it. No bruises, no soreness, and also important - normal eyebrows! If you have migraines and live in Seattle, go to Dr. Muranova. You're so lucky to live near her! read more

What a wonderful doctor! She educated me on longterm health and how to achieve it. She was great at making me feel comfortable and accepted. She understood the pain I was experiencing and along with the empathy she expressed she also prescribed helpful longterm drugs. She was also aware of the latest research. She was also good at partnering with my arthritis doctor. She is so good I would recommend her to my own daughter! The biggest issue, with her, is getting in in a reasonable amount of time! She is booked a few months in advanced. She is worth the wait! read more

Dr. Murinova is a real professional. I complained once to my friend about getting these bad headaches behind my eye, and she said that the only person who could help her was Dr. M. I decided to try it too, and it worked out pretty well. The only problem with it is that it took a while to get in to see her, she has a waiting list. It was definitely worth the wait, though, because she was able to come up with a plan for me that really helped. My headaches are probably stress-related, and I can't get rid of stress until I can get rid of my boss, but at least I know what to do about them now. Seeing her one time did more for me than seeing my regular doctor four or five times to try different pills. read more

Dr. Murinova was caring and knowledgeable. However, after prescribing various supplements for my headache she said there was nothing more she could do. YEARS later another neurologist started Botox treatments with me, which were life-changing. Dr. Murinova could have easily prescribed Botox early-on, saving me years of unnecessary pain. read more

I absolutely love Dr. Murinova. After going to several other neurologists and hospitals in the area, she finally explained complicated migraines to me so that I could understand it. It has made a huge difference in my life. Cammy Winters read more

VERY good doctor. My migraines are much improved thanks to her. Caring and knows her field.

I was extremely disappointed quality of care I received at the UW Headache Clinic. I saw, or rather received a lecture, from Dr. Murinova once and then was bullied into doing group therapies. I only went to one and after i was crammed into a small room with multiple other folks wearing perfumes (which trigger my migraines) I had to leave after 20 minutes. I tried calling to reschedule for a 1-on-1 appointment and had to wait another 6 weeks to get back in. Once I did, I showed up to be told I had no appointment even though I'd gotten a reminder email ahead of time. The admin folks at the front desk didn't apologize or even try to make me another appointment. The worst is that after that first "intake appointment" aka lecture, you never even see Murinova so I was getting stood up by her PA's. Not worth the trouble and they never told me anything more than I found out on my own on the internet. Not sure what they're doing for others but the level of service has deteriorated. read more

So the first thing you should know is that Dr. Murinova is an awesome headache specialist. The second thing you should know is that due to this, she is in high demand and as such the wait to get your first appointment is around 6-7 months. Unfortunately she's the only one taking in new patients at the UW Neurology Clinic and has a limited schedule due to her continuing her education and taking classes. I read great things about her so I decided the 7 month wait would be worth it. I struggled with my migraines and even tried another neurologist in the meantime. Unfortunately the other neurologist barely spent any time with me: he took a long phone call during my appointment, only scanned my filled out paperwork, only asked a couple of questions, and essentially rushed me in and out with a prescription. The prescription didn't help and I didn't really want to go back to him due to my first experience with him. When my appointment with Dr. Murinova was finally coming up they had to cancel on me and left me a short message saying to call back and reschedule. Unfortunately when I called, I got the scheduling center and they said the best they could do was another 7 months despite hearing my situation that I had ALREADY waited 7 months. I was very upset since migraines had been controlling my life and now I couldn't get help for another 7 months. However, Dr. Murinova came to the rescue when she saw a review I posted and when my general doctor contacted her office. She called me personally and told me that the scheduling center should have put me in contact with her office directly, and that they would be rescheduling me next week if I was available. I really appreciate that as a busy doctor she took the time to personally call me, and apologize for the problems I'd been having. When I got to my appointment they took me to a room right away and the doctor was ACTUALLY on time. She was extremely thorough by asking lots of the right questions to understand my situation, scanning through my paperwork, and asking more questions. She would repeat back to me what she thought was my problem and what I wanted as a solution, to make sure she understood me correctly. Overall she gave me a lot of wonderful information (even more than I already knew, and let me tell you I've done a lot of research on migraines), offered a treatment plan (including both medications and alternative treatments such as vitamins and lifestyle changes), and then asked what I wanted to and preferred. She really cares about her patients and will spend as much time with you as you need. While I haven't started my treatment plan yet, I'm so glad to have all the new information I have (she even diagnosed something all my other doctors couldn't figure out), a treatment plan that seems solid, and Dr. Murinova there whenever I need her. read more

Dr. Murinova did a wonderful job of explaining headaches and specifically migraines to my teen age daughter, bringing it to her level and answering her questions thoroughly. My daughter was able to get a timely appointment and we were seen right on time. She spent a lot of time with us and did a thorough exam before giving us many options for treatment including lifestyle changes, vitamin and herbal supplements as well as prescription medicines. read more

I have visited 4 different neurologists for chronic migraines over the past 5 years. Now I know there is a difference in a "Neurologist" and a "Headache Specialist." Dr. Murinova is one of a select few "Headache Specialists" and the first person I've seen that's ever told me anything different about migraines and why I have them. She was the only doctor that I have seen that asked me "What is your goal from this treatment?" I wanted to laugh, because I thought the answer would have mattered to all of the doctors I've seen, but the difference was she actually cared! I just wanted answers and to be migraine free! In the past, other doctors told me I had to accept that I was a migraine sufferer and "here's a prescription." I didn't want another doctor to give me another prescription and send me on my way, which is why I went searching for someone like her! She ACTUALLY listened! Her nurse Ella, told me on my first appointment that if I followed her orders and the treatment plan exactly, then she could help me. I did just that and 6 months later my migraines have decrease tremendously and we are on the path to get off unnecessary prescription medications. Dr. Murinova is amazing! read more

I've suffered with migraines for 30 years and have seen numerous neurologists. I'm also a Registered Nurse and consider myself pretty good about being an advocate for my own heathcare. So it's been very frustrating, to say the least, that it's proven so difficult to find a doctor who truly understands what migraines are and how to treat them. I finally found that doctor! The appointment I just had with Natalia (she prefers to be called by her first name) was amazing! She took the time to explain to me what a "migraine brain" is, and how to "retrain" my brain so it doesn't get so many migraines. She helped me connect the dots regarding all my symptoms and at the end of the appointment, I have a plan I can finally believe in. She not only understands migraines like no other neurologist I've ever talked to does, she's good at explaining things. And on top of all this, she's a very warm person...sort of the whole package. I'm very picky about the doctors I see and I really can't say enough about her. read more