Experience the care of one of only 600 board-certified headache specialists in the U.S.
Direct access, unhurried appointments, and a treatment plan built around you, serving patients throughout Orange County.
We are currently accepting founding patients for our June 2026 opening.
Nan Cheng MD
Double Board-Certified Headache Specialist
Dr. Cheng is a double board-certified neurologist and UCNS-certified headache specialist, a distinction held by fewer than 600 physicians nationwide. She completed her elite training at one of the country’s top headache fellowships, spanning Duke, UCLA, and the Mayo Clinic. Before establishing her private practice, she served the local community as an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of California, Irvine.
She founded Irvine Headache Care to provide a level of diagnostic depth and personalized attention that is often lost in traditional clinical settings. Her expertise encompasses the most advanced medical interventions available today, ranging from Botox®, targeted nerve blocks, trigger point injectionsto the latest CGRP prescription therapies.
Dr. Cheng takes an integrative approach, combining advanced medical interventions with evidence-based supplements and lifestyle strategies to treat the whole person. She is proud to offer her expertise fluently in both English and Mandarin, helping patients in Irvine, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and across Orange County move beyond their symptoms and return to full, thriving lives.
Not “just” a headache
Whether you're just starting to look for answers or have spent years searching for them, you're in the right place.
Conditions we treat include:
Primary Headache Disorders
Migraine with or without Aura
Chronic Migraine
Vestibular Migraine
Abdominal Migraine
Cluster Headache
Tension-Type Headache
New Daily Persistent Headache (NDPH)
Primary Stabbing Headache
Neuralgia & Facial Pain
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Occipital Neuralgia
Persistent Idiopathic Facial Pain (Atypical Facial Pain)
Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
Post-Herpetic Neuralgia
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction
Hemicrania Continua
SUNCT / SUNA
Complex & Secondary
Headache in Pregnancy & Postpartum
Headache in Perimenopause
Post-Traumatic Headache
Medication Overuse Headache
Cervicogenic Headache
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH)
Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Leaks
Post-COVID headache
What is a Direct Care Practice?
Most patients with headache disorders have spent years being shuffled through a system that wasn't designed for them, rushed appointments, generic prescriptions, and the frustrating feeling that no one has actually listened. That's not a reflection of your condition but a reflection of what the insurance model allows.
By stepping outside that system entirely, we've created something different. At Irvine Headache Care, you pay for visits directly, which means we answer to you, not to an insurance company. That's what makes a full hour with Dr. Cheng at your first appointment possible, with the time and freedom to actually solve your problem rather than hand you a prescription and move on.
The parts of insurance that work in your favor still do. We use it for medications and testing and handle all prior authorizations on your behalf, so your care stays as seamless as possible.
Why choose Direct Care?
Your doctor, your time
Your first appointment is a full hour with Dr. Cheng, dedicated to your history, your symptoms, and building a plan that fits your life. Follow-up visits are 30 minutes. You'll always see Dr. Cheng directly, never a trainee, nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
Transparent pricing
You'll know the exact cost before your visit. No surprise bills, no hidden facility fees.
Insurance still has a role
While we don't bill insurance for visits, it can still be used for medications and testing. We handle all prior authorizations, and provide a superbill after every visit for potential out-of-network reimbursement.
Priority scheduling
By maintaining a limited patient roster, we're able to offer appointments within a week. You won't wait months to be seen.
What People Are Saying
Irvine Headache Care operates as a direct-care practice, allowing us to prioritize clinical depth over insurance constraints. While we do not bill insurance companies directly, we provide a detailed itemized 'Superbill' for you to submit to your carrier for potential out-of-network reimbursement. We do not contract with any insurance carriers, Medicare or Medicaid.