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One of the most frustrating aspects of having migraines is not knowing what's causing them. And once you've started to narrow down to what triggers your headaches, it can seem like the cause changes completely. However, if you haven't tried this method to figuring out why you get migraines, now is the time to try it: A Migraine Diary.
What Is A Migraine Diary?
A migraine diary is like a journal to document when you get migraines, what may have caused it and other important details. Not only will having the information be useful for you to find out the trigger to your migraines, but it will also be useful to doctors for finding the best treatment plans for you.
One other reason that it's important to record how often you get migraines is that you will be much more likely to be approved to receive disability benefits for migraines if you have specific documentation of your migraines and how they've affected you.
Which Information Should You Include In Your Migraine Diary?
- Date & Duration of Your Migraine
- Pain Location & Intensity
- Which Drugs You Used To Treat The Migraine & Were They Effective?
- What Provided The Most Relief?
- Which Symptoms Did You Experience?
- Did You Experience Auras (sensory disturbances like flashes of light or other vision changes) before the migraine?
- Where Were You When the Migraine Started?
- Menstruation
- Foods You Ate Prior to The Migraine
- Other Potential Triggers
Use Migraine Apps To Track Your Headaches
You could write down all of your symptoms and what you ate and your pain levels or you could just quickly put the information into your phone. These apps make tracking your food, activities, and even the weather to make nailing down your triggers much easier.
- Migraine Buddy: Migraine Buddy offers a very in-depth and complete migraine logging functionality. It lets you track your migraines and map the location of the pain on your head, along with other information like when you got the migraine, the intensity of the pain, what drugs you took, and symptoms you're having. Another cool feature is that Migraine Buddy will track the weather in conjunction with your migraines to determine if atmospheric changes may be to blame.
- Migraine Coach: Migraine Coach has a built-in diary and other headache tracking and information tools. A cool feature about this app is that it collects information about your migraines and then uses that data to predict and forecast when you might have another migraine. For example, if it determines that you are likely to have a migraine in the next few days it will suggest steps for you to take to reduce the chances of actually getting one. It can also map out which common triggers are likely affecting you so that you can avoid those.
- Ouchie: Ouchie is more general than Migraine Buddy, as its designed for tracking chronic pain, not just migraines. Its features work well for migraine sufferers too. Ouchie lets you connect with other users who are also experiencing pain, which may actually help comfort you or your loved ones. Having a migraine can make you feel alone and like you're the only one suffering. Ouchie is designed to help make coping with pain from migraines more tolerable.
- Symple: Symple is another general health tracking app. It's made for tracking and managing different symptoms, including migraine headaches. It also imports data from Apple Health which can also provide a clear picture into activities or factors that may contribute to you getting migraines.
Example of A Migraine Diary
Reasons To Use a Migraine Diary
- Keeping a Headache Diary Can Show You What Is Triggering Your Migraines
- Medical Professionals Can Use Your Migraine Logs To Determine The Most Effective Treatment
- You Can Figure Out Which Remedies Work Best For You
- A Diary Can Help You Determine The Frequency of Your Headaches, and To Help Minimize Any Potential Migraines
Information about your migraines, their frequencies and their triggers will help you minimize the disruptions that headaches have in your schedule. A migraine diary is the best way to keep that information organized.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional consultation or advice related to your health or finances. No reference to an identifiable individual or company is intended as an endorsement thereof. Some or all of this article may have been generated using artificial intelligence, and it may contain certain inaccuracies or unreliable information. Readers should not rely on this article for information and should consult with professionals for personal advice.
