Nataliya M Kushnir, MD

After suffering for a couple of decades from a chronic cough — sometimes no big deal and sometimes rather disabling — I finally found someone who has been able to help me. Over the years I had addressed the issue with several different primary care physicians, an allergist, and an ENT. I had tried treatments for asthma and for GERD, ruled out deviated septum and sinus issues, and had eliminated the most common food allergens from my diet. Some of these approaches worked a little bit, sometimes, maybe. But nothing was definitive and the relief I got was very limited.
I finally mustered the determination to try one more time after reading about Dr. Kushnir’s approach, and I’m glad I did. I was skin tested and found to be hyper-​reactive to more than a dozen foods. I embarked on Dr. Kushnir’s plan (restricted diet and heavy supplement regimen) just as I was headed out of town to a wedding. To really be true to the plan, I couldn’t eat anything at any of the wedding functions. I was staying in a studio apartment and I shopped at Whole Foods and prepared all of my own meals, which consisted of just a few foods. It was hard, and it took a while to see results. After a couple of weeks I was able to add in more foods, but not much in the convenience food category. At my next visit, my hyper-​reactivity had gone down, but I was still reacting to half a dozen foods and discovered that I had probably been eating some cross-​contaminated foods as well. A month later, I had improved quite a bit and am now on maintenance. My cough isn’t 100% gone, but as long as I follow the plan, I would say it’s about 80% improved, which is significant and totally worth the hassle associated with following a restrictive diet. For me.
Dr. Kushnir has given me tools to move forward and take control over a health problem that was not only embarrassing, but also quite scary at times when out of control. I now have a long term plan for what to eat and not eat, a schedule for periodic cleanses, and supplements to use when I suspect I have accidentally eaten something I shouldn’t have. I am very grateful to Dr. Kushnir not only for helping me control my symptoms, but also for helping me understand the cause so that I can finally be proactive in taking care of my own health.

Dr. Kushnir’s services were fine. She has some viewpoints that I did not necessarily share about ancestor diet impacting non-​celiac disease, gluten intolerances, especially since she made incorrect assumptions about where I «came from» and what my people ate. But, I got what I wanted: a refill of my medication, allergy tests, some epipens, and food for thought. I wasn’t ready to make the lifestyle change Dr. Kushnir recommended, so this review isn’t really about her services.
I am giving Dr. Kushnir’s office 1 star for poor communication around billing. I know I’m not the only reviewer with a negative office/​operations experience, and it is a real issue this office is facing. After my series of allergy tests. I tried several times to pay my bill. I went as far as physically going to the office for the sole purpose of paying the bill. However, I was informed that I did not have a balance and sent away. One year later (literally), I received a phone call from the office stating that I had an outstanding bill of $ 880, I had not responded to any of the bills (what bills?), and my bill would be sent to collections if it was not paid promptly. I also received an email with my statement, listing my correct address despite the fact that I never receive any bills at that address. Clearly, the billing department screwed up somewhere and is allowing a patient to suffer the consequences. As a public health consultant who works with health care providers to improve their quality of services and streamline their processes, I felt very frustrated that this was happening to me.
Since then, I have paid the bill in full, but suffice it to say, I am not going to risk the possibility of getting hunted down by collection agencies to see Dr. Kushnir again.

Short Version:
PROS — I believe my new diet has helped my allergies significantly and I will absolutely not say that Dr. Kushnir provides poor treatment. She made a real, positive difference. For that, I won’t give her a low score.
CONS — Dr. Kushnir’s treatments require lifestyle change. I feel like my desire to make their suggestions fit into my life and think independently was not welcome whatsoever. I feel like I lost my sense of individuality as a patient and control over what I could/​should do with my body — for that, I can’t give her a high score, either.
Long Version:
Dr. Kushnir is kind, thorough and passionate with her patients. When I starting going to the office, I felt at ease finally coping with inexplicable allergies that had become a burden. I started a new diet — which wasn’t easy — but has seemed to have helped. I feel like I have my allergies at a manageable level now, which is far better than the situation I was facing 6+ months ago. I am incredibly grateful for this.
Unfortunately, after the first few visits, I became acutely aware of the unprofessional logistics of the office. On an organizational level, I would get reminder calls for appointments, but they were also to ask why I was coming in. After the first month, my recommended visits were not in any sort of logical pattern that I was aware of (or made aware of). I was to track my diet and the notes were often ignored or not retained. When I returned the dietitians would not have my previous notes in front of them (and I would have to repeat information I had already given them) or would be dismissive of my comments. I was asked the same questions that I had already answered at each appointment, and sometimes the questions wouldn’t align with anything I had ever spoken to them about.
Dietitians would advise me to eat things I was allergic to, or contradict each other in their advice. I had multiple food tests and was advised different amounts of time to not take antihistamines beforehand. The inconsistency was hard to swallow, when I was already operating on a diagnosis that lacks comprehensive scientific proof of existence.
Dr. Kushnir and her dietitians, while dedicated, are also defensive and hot-​headed. When I felt like when my allergies initially did not improve, I was outwardly upset. I was made to feel (and continue to feel) that the Dr. Kushnir and dietitians did not believe that I had followed their advice. Dr. Kushnir was initially understanding, but then offered me the option to «give up,» or «go see other doctors that would just give me lots of drugs» — instead of giving me a explanation of what was happening to my body.
At my most recent appointment, I asked the dietitian to lengthen the time between appointments. It was becoming a burden to take time off work and pay to come in every 2 weeks. At these appointments, I was told how to eat (more assumptions that I don’t know how to create a healthy, varied diet for myself) and asked about body image — which had no relevance whatsoever to my allergies. The dietitian was immediately defensive about my suggestion. I asked her to review my treatment protocol with Dr. Kushnir (who I hadn’t heard from in 3+ months) and call me with what they both recommended. This was 10 days ago. I guess they don’t want me back?

This woman needs to acquire better table side skills and her assistant needs to grow up. I will be filing a claim with the BBB.
I came to this clinic because it was on my insurance list. I had been having some funky allergy symptoms and decided it was time to get it checked out.
The appointment started well. I was uncomfortable and a little nervous about what the doctor would tell me, but hoped that she would quell my concerns and give me some options.
She made me feel worse. After the prick test, she and her assistant went over the results and proceeded to respond with shock at my back. Mind you, I couldn’t actually see what was going on, with my back turned and my shirt up. I felt worse. She started to recommend I overhaul my bedding and get covers and such. I said my wife bought all the necessary mattress covers and dust mite sprays, to which the doctor proceeded to tell me the covers may not do what they claim to do and said outright the sprays do not work. My wife’s allergist recommended them so basically she is saying her doc is a hack and she knows better than him. Then she she starting telling me unless I deal with what turned out to be a mite problem I could develop asthma. She said, I’m not kidding, «I should demand that my landlord tear out our carpets or otherwise I need to move out» and that she would write a letter claiming this was a widespread health issue. She then proceeded to show me HER allergen products that I need to buy. She looked visibly offended when I told her I already had allergen protecting products and I began telling her that this visit made me feel even worse when I came in. She didn’t like my honesty and continued to cut me off when I spoke. Her assistant then laid into me that I was upset at the doctor when she treats all her patients this way, so now I have both of them cornering me in that tiny exam room.
Totally preyed on my fears and now I’m 200 bucks poorer and pissed. She needs to check that attitude. Feel completely scammed.

I had been healthy all of my life until over a year ago when I began to have serious digestive problems. The list of crazy, disturbing symptoms quickly accumulated (GERD, chest pains, heart palpitations, bladder problems, sleep disturbance, hormonal disruptions, anxiety, depression, and more), and I saw 5+ specialists. Each specialist prescribed a different medicine that I would have to take, maybe for the rest of my life, because they would only relieve the symptoms and mask the real problem. Thank goodness I refused to take them. I found Dr. Kushnir on Unilocal and gave her a try. She diagnosed my with non-​gluten wheat sensitivity (and found I had a number of other food sensitivities too). Just a few weeks off gluten and other foods I’m sensitive to and ALL of my symptoms went away! It’s been 4 months since I first saw Dr. Kushnir. My digestive system still needs a little more healing to go, but I have more energy today than I’ve ever had in my entire life. I owe my good health to this doctor’s extraordinary knowledge in allergies, holistic and innovative/​progressive thinking, exceptional care and attention paid to me and my kids who also now see her! I cannot thank Dr. Kushnir enough. I really have never had a doctor like her before, and I’ve seen a LOT of doctors!

Two office visits w/​allergy shots ran a total of $ 1335. After my very, very good health insurance was applied, the bill was still $ 368! She was very adamant I keep making more appts. Unless your throat has closed up due to a reaction, avoid this scam!

Before coming to see Dr. Kushnir, I spent a lot of time between doctors, frankly miserable. Over the years, I’ve been prescribed a number of medications with a plethora of side effects for my allergies. So instead of feelings itchy and tired, I would find myself feelings exhausted, and sometimes even itchier than before.
During my first visit, Dr. Kushnir took the time to carefully detail my allergies after testing me for what she thought might be the root of the issue, explaining to me why my cat allergies might still be affecting me even when I avoided cats, and what exactly I could do about dust allergies — a task that to that point has been not only frustrating, but really, futile. That first day I left with new prescriptions, and samples to show me what they might be like, before I spent money on prescriptions that would as before have too many side effects to be worthwhile.
Overall, my experience with Dr. Kushnir’s office has been spectacular! A year and a half after initially coming to see her, a number of my allergies have significantly improved, and others have been well managed. I found myself being able to pet a cat a year later, showing that maybe cats weren’t the root of all evil in my life. Aside from being a great doctor, Dr. Kushnir’s office is also incredibly pleasant, with friendly, polite staff, and a comfortable atmosphere. Questions and concerns are addressed as they arise, and she has been a great listener for all of my concerns. I would recommend her services to any fellow allergy sufferers — there may finally be a solution!

This is my 2^nd round of allergy shots. Dr. Kushnir did a careful analysis of what I was allergic to adding something that hadn’t been checked by my previous doctor, then, put me on an increasing dose schedule so that I made it to maintainence, 1x/​month, dosing much faster than my really slow previous doctor. She was always willing to try to do things as ‘alternatively’ as possible and values that approach if I wanted to try it. Her staff is really nice and she and her office manager, Dimitri, were really sweet in helping to arrange a viable payment plan so that I could manage until I got another insurance policy. My situation was a little complicated and she wasn’t afraid to take it on. I appreciate that. While i was a patient there, they changed from carpeted to noncarpeted floors and made every attempt to reduce any chemical odors and allergens in the office. Recently, the 3^rd floor restroom had so much perfume/​air freshener in it it was intolerable for me to go into it. I asked if it could be reduced and, amazingly, it was!
Overall, I felt like they care so much and treated me like they would treat a family member. I have been a Registered Nurse for 36 years and I have not seen that approach in a long, long time. Well done, Dr. Kushnir and thank you for your great care! I hope in the future my insurance will allow me to reconnect my allergy care with you.

Perhaps she is a good doctor but I will never know… I called her office 3 times this week, left 2 messages, and have not heard back from anyone! I would think that if she were that wonderful, she would have someone return my call and at least say they were no longer taking new patients. Very unprofessional.

Pollen levels are at their highest and I am allergy free thanks to Dr. Nataliya Kushnir.
I followed Dr. Kushnir when she set up her own practice, ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY CLINIC, because I was so impressed with her level of personal care and commitment to taking care of me. I went through rapid desensitization shots and can now garden and pull weeds with no resulting allergy issues.
Dr. Kushnir is more than an allergist — she is a brilliant doctor and diagnostician. She talked to me about my home, eating habits — even make up and patiently figured out a plan of action for me to reduce allergens in my environment and food. I didn’t have to make big changes, but the results are amazing.
Dr. Kushnir has a background in nutrition and non-​western solutions. She spends the time with each patient to really understand their issues. For example, I have suffered from red eyes for most of my life. I even had surgery in one eye to remove a big red vein. When I told Dr. Kushnir that I was considering surgery for my other eye, she suggested home made eye drops (I’m allergic to the preservative in manufactured drops), and it worked! She also suggested daily saline nasal rinses and I am convinced this has stopped allergic sneezing.
I brought my mother to Dr. Kushnir and not only were digestion and food sensitivities addressed, but Dr. Kushnir made some suggestions that led to lower blood pressure! As I wrote before, she is a brilliant doctor and the most caring doctor.
The office staff are very comfortable and caring people. The office itself is painted and decorated simply with soothing colors and allergy free furniture and flooring.

I work outside and have pretty serious allergies. Dr. Kushnir was recommended to me by a co-​worker after a nasty allergy attack.
She is everything claimed: professional, smart, friendly, and most importantly… effective. After a year of treatments, my severe seasonal allergies are greatly improved. I can spend time outside without ending up miserable, even when pollen counts are extremely high (as they have been this spring), and I can hang out with my friends’ pets without any problems.
Dr. Kushnir is responsive and conscientious.
If you have any allergy problems, give her a shot. Even if you’ve seen someone else. Seriously, she can help you.

Is 5 stars really the maximum I can give?
Dr. Kushnir is an amazing doctor/​allergist that truly cares about her patients (not what type of insurance you have!). She is very good at explaining things in layman’s terms and does not get frustrated when you ask her a million questions. Dr. Kushnir is truly an expert in her field and has published many articles on the topic of allergies. I did my research…
I chose Dr. Kushnir because my dermatologist prescribed me a bunch of medicine that did not help my acne but instead dried my skin. When I went to Dr. Kushnir all I wanted was a prescription for an acne medication that I used in Orange County. What I got was an educational seminar about the cause of my acne and possible cures.
In addition to prescribing me the medicine that I wanted, Dr. Kushnir told me which vitamins I should take (Vitamin E for those who care) and which make up/​face products I should avoid.
What made me write this review? Dr. Kushner called me a few hours after my appointment to inform me that she found a promotion on some Canadian website for my medicine that would save me $ 100! Which other doctor cares how much you pay for your meds?

Truly gifted… My family all out voted me because they wanted cats… I’m allergic and wanted to test the rest of the family. We went through the tests… A bit of a pain (duh…) and got the tests back. Glad we went because I’m apparently allergic to everything and my daughter was pre-​asthmatic. We did an accelerated anti allergen program. I have had shots before but frankly, she is a master. Rarely does it hurt and when it does, its only worthy of a wince. She’s great with the kids and has strategies to help alleviate kids anxiety of those shots. We were able to reach the top dose in just a few months. We got our cats (not one… But two long haired cats) and we’re to the point where if I wanted to… I could put my face into these cats and breathe deeply with zero reaction.
She’s also very up to date on the Gluten and Dairy intolerance information which has been helpful for me.
Dr Kushnir has her act together… She’s a scientist as well as a doctor too. The benefit is that she’s usually the first to know about something… But she’s willing to look into the latest study without going off on a long monologue adhering to old and outdated models of doctoring. I highly recommend Dr Kushnir and her staff.
BYW… food allergies can’t be helped, only avoided.

I went to Dr. Kushnir for allergy shots and had a good experience. The last allergist I’d seen had said, «you’ll just have to live with it.» (yes, that’s a direct quote) Fortunately Dr. Kushnir could clearly see my problems and had a different approach. We tried a few different things, from altering my diet and environment to allergy shots.
Dr. Kushnir explained that the shots are expensive and that they might not work for me, given that I don’t have a typical case of allergies. I reviewed all the material on my own, talked to her staff about how much my insurance would cover, etc. and decided that I’d take the risk and experiment. Unfortunately I didn’t receive any benefit from the shots, but that was my decision to try them. I appreciated that she never tried to push me into getting shots, answered all my questions, and took all my concerns seriously. I felt like I had a doctor who would listen to me and treat me kindly – that’s a big deal when you’re suffering from a chronic condition. I was pretty surprised to read a previous review say that she suggested hypochondria. That was not my experience at all.
Her staff is great. A previous reviewer mentioned an unpleasant front desk person who was there when she shared her office with another physician (he worked for the other doctor). Hallelujah, that man is gone and only the friendly staff remains.
Ultimately my symptoms don’t appear to be allergy-​related, but if I ever do need allergy help, I’ll go back to Dr. Kushnir.

I’ve been coming to Dr. Kushnir for allergy shots for more than a year. She’s friendly and attentive, and she takes the time to explain the diagnoses and treatments. She seems well informed about new research in the field.
I appreciated that her lobby has free WiFi while I am waiting before/​after an injection. I also appreciated that she gave me a free «neti pot» on my first visit, along with instructions on how to mix a saline solution, which has reduced my allergy symptoms and need for medication considerably. Alongside her expertise, these small touches have made my experience as a patient a very positive one!
I know almost everyone with allergies has been having a craptastic Spring this year, but thanks to my treatment from Dr. Kushnir, I’m having a clear and easy season!

Spring is amazing, when you can breathe; Thanks to Dr. Kushnir, I finally can enjoy this time of year! I never thought I would be able to kick such terrible allergies.
For the last five years, I have been completely miserable from February-​June (or anytime around cats). No amount or combination of over-​the-​counter allergy medications (tried them all!) had any effect in controlling my symptoms– coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes… you name it. Have you ever had so much sinus pressure it gave you a constant headache, inability to breathe at any time, and non-​stop faucet of a runny nose? At the same time? For a solid 5 months out of every year? Yeah, not much fun.
Finally it occurred to me that I should see an allergist to find out what exactly was making me so miserable. Perhaps they could even prescribe some high-​powered antihistamines to control it a little?
Well, thank goodness I found Dr. Kushnir! She not only diagnosed what was causing my reaction during my first visit, she provided very thoughtful and thorough counseling on what my various treatment options were (she is incredibly knowledgeable and experienced!). Best of all: Fast-​forward 6 months into allergy shot treatments: NO MORE ALLERGIES!!!
Although there are different options, allergy shot treatments were the best choice for me. It took a bit of patience building up to the higher dose, but it was definitely worth it in the end! I started having improvement in my symptoms after about a month. By the time spring rolled around this year, I was still breathing strong and my symptoms were essentially gone. Such a beautiful time of year, now that I can enjoy it!
Dr. Kushnir runs a practice that is very conducive to fitting in weekly shots with a full-​time work schedule. She is incredibly flexible and will work with you as much as possible. One night, she stayed an hour late (even though it made her late for a lecture she was giving) because I got stuck in traffic on my way to receive a shot at a crucial point in my dosage schedule. Another time, I had a severe allergic reaction after hours. Not only was she on-​call, but she met me in her office 10 minutes later to administer treatment so I wouldn’t have to go to the ER. That’s above and beyond, if you ask me.
The shot treatment does require fairly regular and relatively lengthy office visits, at least for the first few months. Still, the office is casual and there is plenty of reading material. With the dramatic improvement in my allergy reactions, I really feel like the overall quality of my life has improved. I have recently reached my top dose and plan on continuing my once-​monthly treatments for a couple more years. Supposedly that should tide me over for about 10 – 30 years. I am so grateful to have found a successful treatment and such a knowledgeable and experienced allergist as Dr. Kushnir to get me there!
tl;dr Although allergy shots require time and follow-​through to work, Dr. Kushnir so far has provided me with excellent and incredibly effective treatment for my allergy symptoms! Totally worth it!

I was getting frequent colds/​flu that would knock me out for days. I saw several doctors, and after a couple of years was still seeing no progress. Went to Dr. Kushnir (actually I made an appointment with another doctor I had read good things about; he was overbooked on the day of my appointment and handed me off to Dr. Kushnir.) She actually made me well! She really tried to understand all my symptoms, and worked carefully to customize a treatment that had amazing results. When she left her previous practice, I followed her to her current one. I would do the same even if she moved far away.
One side story: About the time I first started seeing Dr. Kushnir, I thought of her only for obvious allergy trouble. One weekend, I came down with an ear infection in the middle of the night. Got up and drove to the emergency room. After many hours, saw a doctor who looked in my ears and kind of gasped, «Wow, your eardrums are REALLY red.» He prescribed an antibiotic, which I took. The infection got worse, not better. Saw my regular doctor. She said it could only have been either bacterial or viral, that the ER doc prescribed the right thing if it had been viral, and so it must be bacterial. She said I’d just have to wait it out («chew some gum and yawn a lot»). Several days later, I had a perforated eardrum. Made an emergency appointment with Dr. Kushnir. She immediately knew what to do, was shocked that the ER doctor prescribed what he did («it doesn’t work for ear infections on adults»), prescribed the RIGHT medication (it WAS viral), and had the infection cleared up in a couple of days. Since then, I pretty much try to see Dr. Kushnir for ANYTHING related to the ear, nose, or respiratory system. I really don’t trust my health to anyone else.

Dr. Kushnir literally gave me back the ability to breathe again. Anyone suffering from extreme allergies understands how distressing the inability to take a deep breath can be. I was very fortunate to come across a doctor with the true sensibilities to thoroughly diagnose and properly treat my symptoms. Dr. Kushnir expresses a genuine concern for her patients and I highly recommend her as a physician to anyone in need.

I am thrilled to see that Dr. Kushnir is on Unilocal ! She is an outstanding physician who has helped me with my medical challenges when every other professional from whom I sought treatment either did not understand my condition or told me I could not be helped.
Dr. Kushnir has recently opened a new practice, and I could not be happier to have found her. She literally has saved my life, and the gratitude I feel for Dr. Kushnir is unparalleled.
Dr. Kushnir has an old school style about her — she spends as much time with you as need be during your appointments (none of that 15 minutes per patient and shoo you out the door stuff). She listens to you, takes you seriously, and is an excellent communicator (no writing things down and flipping through your chart as you are trying to speak to your distracted doctor). She is involved with you in a uniquely professional and caring way. Dr. Kushnir’s «bedside manner» — along with her vast knowledge and experience — places her on a higher level than most other physicians. For those of you who had the fortune to be a patient of Dr. Carol Jessop back in the day, you will find Dr. Kushnir to be as warm, professional, caring and solution oriented as was Dr. Jessop.
Finding the right doctor can be very difficult and dealing with medical issues is a sensitive, sometimes scary thing to do. However — I unequivocally would recommend Dr. Kushnir to anyone who asked me for a referral to a doctor.
She is, simply, as good as it gets.