Carrie Oakley Dougherty, MD

Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health

Carrie Dougherty, MD, is an associate professor of Neurology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and the program director for MedStar Georgetown's Headache Medicine Fellowship Program. She is board certified in neurology and headache medicine and is a fellow of the American Headache Society.

At the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Headache Center, Dr. Dougherty uses a multi-disciplinary approaches to treat headache and related pain conditions including migraine, occipital neuralgia, post-traumatic headache, cluster headache and tension headache. Dr. Dougherty and her colleagues at the Headache Center collaborate with MedStar Georgetown's physical therapists, interventional pain management specialists, pain psychologists, and with other departments focused on evaluating and treating pain symptoms.

One important focus for the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Headache Center is that Dr. Dougherty actively supports is educating patients their families that migraine is not "just a bad headache." It is a neurologic disease.

Dr. Dougherty's Philosophy of Care
Migraine myths and stigmas are added burdens for people who suffer from migraines. For example, people with migraines may be perceived as making excuses for not working or for missing activities, or as lazy. Many people don't understand that migraine symptoms can be unrelenting and severely disabling.

At the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Headache Center I work hard with my colleagues to try and raise awareness about migraine as an inherited neurologic disease. I want my patients to feel empowered and learning about their condition helps them feel more in control. I educate them about migraine, treatment options and lifestyle factors that may contribute to migraines. I also help my patients understand that treatments aren't always limited to medication. We work as a team to explore all our options for migraine management. I am very open to my patients' interests and suggestions for managing migraine symptoms.

Dr. Dougherty's Publications/Presentations

• Neck Tongue Syndrome. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 2016.
• Emergency and inpatient treatment of migraine: An American Headache Society Survey. British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 2014.
• Occipital neuralgia. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 2014.
• Providing care for patients with chronic migraine: Diagnosis, treatment and management. Pain Practice, 2014.
• OnabotulinumtoxinA in the treatment of migraine headache. Techniques in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Management, 2012.