We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Migraine Diary?

By Alex Terris
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 3,272
Share

One of the biggest problems with treating migraines is that the triggers are often difficult to discover. Migraines can be caused by a wide range of different things from stress to a certain type of food. A migraine diary is a simple technique that a patient can use to keep track of his or her migraines. These diaries can be used to record when migraines occur, what could have caused them and how severe they are. Over time this can make pin-pointing the exact cause much easier for the patient and doctor.

Although an ideal migraine diary would keep track of everything the patient has eaten, how long he or she has slept and what activities he or she has undertaken on a daily basis this is rarely practical. For this reason a migraine diary usually involves the day of the week, date, level of pain and the location of the pain. Other symptoms should also be recorded including any discomfort.

Whenever the patient suffers from a migraine he or she should also write down some potential triggers that could be analyzed later. These may or may not be correct, but over time a pattern may begin to emerge. Triggers may also be indirectly discovered by analyzing the information about when and where the migraines occur. For example, if it is later discovered that the patient regularly suffers from migraines during summer months on weekends then this may be a sign that the migraines are being caused by excess exposure to the sun.

Along with the pain suffered by a migraine patient a migraine diary should also keep track of any treatments that he or she tried to soothe the symptoms. For example, this might include taking pain killers or getting a relaxing massage. If the patient can also include information about the effectiveness of the treatment then this can also help to narrow down the problem. Treatments should be included in the diary whether they are successful or not.

Other information that could be added to a migraine diary includes menstrual cycles, duration of the migraine and what the person was doing when the migraine started. The sleep patterns at the time of attack can also be useful in tracking down potential problems. It’s important for a migraine patient to strike a balance between a journal that is simple and quick to fill in but at the same time provides enough information to be useful when a doctor is trying to diagnose the problem.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-a-migraine-diary.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.