About me
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.
Clinical areas of focus
- Chronic Headache Treatment
- Headache
- Headache Prevention
- Migraine
- Migraine Prevention
- Nerve Block
Conditions and procedures
Procedures I perform
- Anesthetic Injection For Trigeminal Nerve
- Botox Injection For Migraines
- Chronic Headache Treatment
- Headache Prevention
- Migraine Prevention
- Nerve Block
- Seizure Diagnosis
- Tension Headache Prevention
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- IH-HMO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst EPO
- CIGNA PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CIGNA Indemnity
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Beech Street PPO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Optimum Choice
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Network OA
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna HMO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- IH-POS
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- HumanaChoice PPO
- IH-Open POS II
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- TRICARE for Life East
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst NASCO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- TRICARE East Select
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CIGNA EPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Employee Health Plan
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- POS OA
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- First Health PPO
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- IH-PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- UHC Passport
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- IH-Indemnity
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- OA Plus
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- United Student Resources
- Medicare Direct
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Navigate
- Choice Fund PPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Medicare FFS
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Sentara Health
- HighMark
Videos
Education
Board Certification: United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, Headache Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, Neurology
Fellowship: Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals (2013)
Residency: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (2012)
Internship: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University (2009)
Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine-Indianapolis (2008)
Awards
- Emerging Leaders Program, American Headache Society
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Dr. Dougherty's Publications/Presentations
- Primary Headache Disorders. Neurology for the Non-Neurologist 17th Edition. Lewis SL. Berkowitz AL. Wolters Kluwer, 2025
- More than a Headache: Addressing Migraine in Women’s Lives; Inaugural Women’s Health Summit, Washington DC, May 2025
- Perimenstrual Migraine, Scottsdale Headache Symposium, Scottsdale, AZ, November 2024
- Managing Migraine in Pregnancy, AHS Scottsdale Headache Symposium, Scottsdale, AZ, November 2023
- Headaches Not to Miss Regardless of the Patient Population: Thunderclap Headache in the Emergency Department. Practical Neurology, 2023