A healthcare provider may recommend keeping a diary of headache frequency to help identify possible triggers. Each time you have a headache, write down the time, place, and what you were doing when it started. By documenting how often you get headaches, their severity, and the possible relationship to outside factors, your healthcare provider can better determine the best treatment option for you.
How to Keep a Headache Diary
For people with frequent
headaches or who have been diagnosed with
migraines, a healthcare provider many recommend keeping a
headache diary. This is one way to help understand possible
headache triggers. This tool allows you to clearly capture, in a standardized way, how often you get headaches; how severe they are; and the possible relationship to physical, emotional, or environmental factors.
Each time you have a headache, write down the time of day, the point in your menstrual cycle (for women), where you are at the time, and what you were doing when the headache started. Besides helping you understand possible triggers, a headache diary will help your healthcare provider better understand your headaches. This will also allow
headache treatment options to be tailored to your particular situation.
The following is a sample diary that you can use to track your headaches.
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Date
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During Menses? (Yes/No)
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Time Began
(a.m/p.m.)
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Severity
(Score)*
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Psychological and
Physical FactorsA
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Chemical Exposure B
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Describe Location/
Type of Pain
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Medication Taken, Dosage
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Time Ended
(a.m./p.m.)
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Relief
(Score)**
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Severity Scale *
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Relief Scale **
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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None
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Mild
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Can't work
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Worst, can't do anything
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Getting worse
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Same, unchanged
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Better
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Totally better
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A. Psychological and Physical Factors
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B. Chemical Exposure
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1 – Emotional upset (family or friends)
2 – Emotional upset (occupational)
3 – Business failure
4 – Business success
5 – Vacation days
6 – Weekend
7 – Strenuous exercise
8 – Strenuous labor
9 – High-altitude location (flight)
11 – Serious crisis
12 – Postcrisis period
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13 – New job/position
14 – Moved/housing change
15 – Menstrual days
16 – Physical illness
17 – Oversleeping
18 – Weather
19 – Fasting
20 – Missing a meal
21 – Lack of sleep
22 – Studying
23 – Television/VCR >2 hours
24 – Other:___________________
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A – Ripened cheeses (or pizza)
B – Herring
C – Chocolate
D – Red vinegar
E – Fermented foods (pickled or marinated, sour cream, yogurt)
F – Freshly baked yeast breads, cakes
G – Nuts, peanut butter
H – Monosodium glutamate (Asian food)
I – Pods or broad beans
J – Onions
K – Canned figs
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L – Citrus fruits
M – Bananas
N – Pork
O – Caffeinated beverages (including sodas)
P – Avocado
Q – Smoked or cured sausage, cured cold cuts
R – Chicken livers
S – Wine
T – Alcohol
U – Beer
V – Drugs (specify):_________________
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