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headaches holding you back?
let us help you manage your headaches.
then you can Get Back To Life!

How much of your day is spent seeking to overcome your headache? Many of Gretchen Michaelson's, Annette Eppler's, Tran Nguyen's and Andrea Murphy's patients indicate that this is how they used to get through their day, their week, their year - their life. It does not have to be that way.

As a headache specialist, we can help - without a referral. Each of Gretchen and Andrea are certified by the National Headache Foundation as headache specialists and all of the providers at The Headache Care Center have years of experience that focuses on treating your headaches, the way that you need, so that you can have the highest chance of meeting your goals. That is why our website is "myheadachecare.com," we want you to know that this is about your care, in a way that meets your needs.

At the Headache Care Center we are committed to working with you in alternative treatments (such as massage, physical therapy, acupuncture, essential oils) and medical treatment procedures (such as Botox(R), nerve blocks, and intravenous treatments). We do not require you to have a physician referral to visit the Headache Care Center, though your insurer may. We are in network for all major insurance carriers and we also provide services for cash and credit payments without insurance coverage.

We are open for patient appointments on the following days:
Monday: 7a-2p
Tuesday: 9a-5p
Wednesday: 9a-5p
Thursday: 10a-8p
Friday: Periodic Availability
Saturday: Periodic Availability
Sunday: Closed

As you wonder about your headaches, keep in mind the following important statistics:
Estimated Adults With Headache Disorder
Percentage of Headache Misdiagnoses
Headache Patients With Family History

What We Provide

The philosophy of our practice is not just to treat your medical condition. We focus on taking care of you. While this may not seem like a big distinction, it is. We seek to provide you the time that you need to be heard, and for us to understand how your headache affects your life, and what your goals are. That is what helps us treat you in a way that meets your life goals, not just treatment goals. In this regard we seek to be responsive to your needs by providing quality time, an approach centered in education, and a personalized treatment plan.
Quality Time
Do you sometimes just feel like "a number" with your provider? Maybe you have experienced "fast healthcare," where the providers seem to be incentivized to just "treat 'em and street 'em." That is not how we do things here.

We know that you may need to be "squeezed in" for an appointment where one doesn't seem to exist, in order to receive effective treatment interventions to treat your debilitating headache. We do that. We know that you want to be heard, to obtain an accurate diagnosis, and to receive an effective treatment plan. We spend at least an hour with you at your first appointment and 30 minutes thereafter to do that.
Education
What is the difference between a migraine and a headache? Could essential oils help me manage my headache, how? Are their lifestyle choices I can make to avoid or reduce the need for medications?

At the Headache Care Center patient care does not only include diagnosis and writing prescriptions. We are committed to helping you fully understand your diagnosis by thoroughly explaining your condition. We will send you home with important information, we will spend the time to educate you, and we will hold regular information sessions with other experts in their fields to help you improve your quality of life.
Treatment
We do headache care differently. Treating your headache does not start with an office visit and end with a prescription. Proper treatment requires a holistic approach between patient education and treatment options.

Part of our philosophy is to help you work with us in selecting treatment that works for you. That treatment may be in any combination of preventative medication, rescue medication, alternative medicines, Botox(R) injections, and I.V. treatments. As every patient is unique, every patient's treatment plan will be unique, and we are committed to helping you find the plan that is right for you. Many times, we can help you avoid visiting the emergency room for treatment.

Important Headache Information

More News
Welcome, Andrea!
Gretchen and the rest of the Headache Care Center team are so pleased to announce that Andrea D. Murphy, APRN, AQH is joining us at the Headache Care Center! After practicing for years at the Hartford Healthcare Headache Center we are pleased to have her join us. Andrea was recently certified as a headache specialist by the National Headache Foundation with her Added Qualification in Headache, joining Gretchen and Denise as a certified headache specialist and will be seeing patients part time at our offices in South Windsor. To learn more about Andrea and her experience, please click here.
Read more
Welcome, Tran!
Gretchen and the rest of the Headache Care Center team are so pleased to announce that Tran H. Nguyen, APRN is joining us at the Headache Care Center! After practicing for years at the Hartford Healthcare Headache Center we are pleased to have her join us. Tran will be seeing patients part time at our offices in South Windsor. To learn more about Tran and her experience, please click here.
Read more
Welcome, Denise!
Gretchen and the rest of the Headache Care Center team are so pleased to announce that Denise M. McGrath is joining us at the Headache Care Center! After practicing for years with Gretchen at the Hartford Headache Center, we are pleased to join forces again! Denise will be joining us part time while she continues her full time practice of Headache Medicine in New Hampshire, but we are so please to have her joining us here while she is not in New Hampshire or otherwise buying more fabric or sewing.
Read more

Treatment Providers

Gretchen T. Michaelson
Gretchen T. Michaelson

APRN, Founder and Director

I have been specializing in Headache Medicine since 2007, and have been awarded a Certificate of Added Qualification in Headache Medicine ("AQH") from the National Headache Foundation. You will find that I am passionate about improving the lives of those suffering with headache disorders through medical and alternative treatments and research, but with a particular emphasis on patient education. More...

Annette L. Eppler
Annette L. Eppler

APRN

I enjoy my role as a provider largely because of the special relationships formed with patients. I believe there is an art to listening to a patient's story, identifying key factors, understanding the diagnostic work up, interpreting the results, and then putting a plan in place that is based both on science and also your ability to follow through. I have worked as a Nurse Practitioner since 2009 and believe managing chronic disease, especially headache is my special calling. More...

Tran H. Nguyen
Tran H. Nguyen

APRN

I have worked as a Nurse Practitioner and a Headache Specialist since 2019 with Dr. Brian Grosberg at the Hartford Healthcare Medical Group Headache Center. My initial introduction to working with headache sufferers started during my graduate clinical rotation where I was exposed to the real life implications of chronic headache conditions, an invisible illness that often results in missed days of work and decreased quality of life. More...

Andrea D. Murphy
Andrea D. Murphy

APRN

I am a board-certified adult primary nurse practitioner with extensive experience in headache diagnosis, treatment and management. I have been a practicing nurse since 2009 and spent several years in general surgery as well as cardiology in heart failure and cardiac transplant. In 2015 I helped establish the first headache medicine program at Hartford HealthCare (HHC) under the leadership of my mentor, Dr. Brian Grosberg. What attracted me
More...

10 Seconds Between E.R. Visits for Migraine
Headache is the 3rd Most Prevalent Illness in the World
4,000,000 Adults Suffer From Chronic Daily Migraine

Insurance Information

We are currently in network with the following insurance companies. If your insurance carrier is not listed, please contact us and we can inquire about contracting with your insurance company as well.
TriCare Oxford
 Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Consumer Health Network
First Health / Coventry Aetna Harvard Pilgrim ConnectiCare
UnitedHealthcare / Oxford Cigna MediCare



Testimonials

Fantastic. very knowledgeable. Willing to sit and talk with you and answer any questions or concerns you may have. She is not just concerned with your treatment but your life and situations affecting your health. A+
Patient
I absolutely love Gretchen and I am thrilled that she opened her own business - Headache Care Center in South Windsor. 5 stars!
Patient
Gretchen is wonderful! I moved to a new area, so I had to change doctors. I will sure miss her! She's very knowledgeable (and keeps up on new knowledge of conditions), kind-hearted, and experienced.
Patient
The office is very comfortable and relaxing, the receptionist was very very nice and friendly and made us feel welcome. Gretchen Michaelson, the APRN, was very thorough with her exam and very educational and helpful.
Patient

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