A headache diary
Think of headaches as weather conditions — sometimes just rain, sometimes a real storm. A headache diary will help you record and remember this “weather” accurately! Write down when the pain started, how strong it was, how long it lasted, and what happened shortly before. If you take any medications to relieve your headaches, specify which ones, in what dosage and how much, and also write down the effect of the medications you took.
Why is this useful?
- Helps you understand how common the “cloud” of pain is.
- Shows whether an event (e.g., sleep disturbances, special foods or drinks, as well as excessive stress or specific physical activities) is often associated with the pain.
- Allows your doctor to find a solution faster, because the headache diary indicates the connections.
What to write down?
- date and time,
- how strong (on a pain scale of 1-10, where 10 is indescribable, unimaginable pain),
- how long the pain lasted,
- whether there was also nausea, sensitivity to light or noise,
- whether medications were used and whether they helped,
- What happened before (shorter sleep duration, food, special stress)?
- whether there were any accompanying nervous system disorders (for example, visual or speech disorders, tingling in the hands, dizziness, etc.)
Tip: make notes immediately after the headache, or in the evening before going to bed – it is easier to remember.
Make notes as an experiment; after a few weeks, you can assess whether any regularities emerge. A headache diary can help you to understand yourself better, find a solution together with your doctor, and also to evaluate the effect of the treatment
