Learn More About Me
Specialties: Pain Medicine
Languages: English
202 877-8194
About me
Dr. Shelly Gulhar is dedicated to helping patients improve their quality of life by providing compassionate, comprehensive pain management. She understands that living with pain can affect every aspect of daily life and believes every patient deserves to be heard, understood, and treated with respect. Dr. Gulhar takes a personalized approach to care, working closely with each patient to identify the source of their pain and develop an individualized treatment plan that aligns with their goals. She emphasizes evidence-based, multidisciplinary care and offers advanced interventional procedures as part of a comprehensive approach to treating acute and chronic pain. Whether treating neck and back pain, joint pain, nerve pain, spine-related conditions, headaches, or other complex pain disorders, Dr. Gulhar is committed to helping her patients restore function, improve mobility, and return to the activities that matter most to them. She believes that effective pain management is built on trust, education, and shared decision-making. Her goal is not only to reduce pain but also to help patients regain independence, improve function, and enhance their overall well-being. Dr. Gulhar earned her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine before completing her residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Georgetown/National Rehabilitation Hospital. She went on to complete an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Pain Medicine at the University of Virginia, where she received advanced training in comprehensive pain management and image-guided interventional procedures. She is board certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine and is dedicated to providing the latest evidence-based treatments to help patients achieve lasting pain relief and improved quality of life.
Clinical areas of focus
- Celiac Plexus Block
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Cervical Facet Joint Injection
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome
- Epidural Lysis Of Adhesions
- Fibromyalgia
- Gasserian Ganglion Block
- Nerve Block
- Osteoarthritis
- Peripheral Nerve Destruction
- Sciatica
- Spinal Stenosis
- Trigger Point Injection
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acute Pelvic Pain
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome
- Coccydynia
- Disorders Of Autonomic Nervous System
- Dorsalgia
- Fibromyalgia
- Headache
- Hip Pain
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Knee Pain
- Lower Back Pain
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Spine Fracture
- Meniscal Tear Of The Knee
- Mononeuropathy Of Lower Limb
- Mononeuropathy Of Upper Limb
- Musculoskeletal System Complications
- Myofascial Pain
- Neck Pain
- Occipital Neuralgia
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis Pain
- Pudendal Neuralgia
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain
- Sciatica
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Pain
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
- Tendinous Disorders
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
Procedures I perform
- Arthrocentesis
- Back Pain Treatment
- Botox Injections For Pain
- Celiac Plexus Block
- Cervical Discography
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Cervical Facet Joint Denervation
- Cervical Facet Joint Injection
- Chronic Headache Treatment
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Discography
- Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation
- Epidural Lysis Of Adhesions
- Facet Joint Radiofrequency Ablation
- Ganglion Impar Block
- Gasserian Ganglion Block
- Kyphoplasty
- Lumbar Discography
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Microdiscectomy
- Muscle Injection
- Nerve Block
- Neuropathic Pain Treatment
- Occipital Nerve Stimulation
- Pain Rehabilitation
- Peripheral Nerve Destruction
- Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
- Peripheral Nerve Stimulator Implantation
- Radiofrequency Thermoablation
- Sacroiliac Joint Radiofrequency Neurotomy
- Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy
- Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks
- Sphenopalatine Ganglion Pulsed Radiofrequency
- Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Spinal Facet Radiofrequency Neurotomy
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Thoracic Discography
- Trigger Point Injection
- Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy
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
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Optimum Choice
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Basic
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Aetna HMO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Sentara Health
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- POS OA
- TRICARE for Life East
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- IH-Open POS Plus
- UHC Passport
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- IH-HMO
- IH-EPO Plus
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Network OA
- CIGNA PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-POS
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- IH-PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst Administrators
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Medicare Direct
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- First Health PPO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Navigate
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- TRICARE East Select
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst EPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- HighMark
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- OA Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Employee Health Plan
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Medicare FFS
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Choice POS
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst NASCO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-POS Plus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Residency: Georgetown University School of Medicine GME (2023)
Medical School: Howard University (2019)