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
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- TRICARE for Life East
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- IH-Open HMO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Network OA
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Choice POS II
- IH-Open HMO Option
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Choice POS
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Administrators
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- IH-POS Plus
- CIGNA PPO
- UHC Passport
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- POS OA
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Navigate
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- TRICARE East Select
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- IH-POS
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Sentara Health
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst NASCO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CIGNA EPO
- IH-HMO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna VA Exchange
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- IH-Indemnity
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst EPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- United Student Resources
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- HighMark
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- OA Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Medicare Direct
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CIGNA Indemnity
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- MultiPlan, Inc
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- First Health PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, Neurology
Board Certification: United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, Headache Medicine
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