Record when the headache happened, how it affected you, and any medicine you actually took. Add more detail only when it serves a question you want to discuss.
Start with the smallest useful entry
A complicated diary can become another task to avoid when you feel unwell. Give yourself a short version: time, main symptom, and what you could not do. You can add context later, or leave it unknown. A blank field is more honest than a guessed answer.
The American Migraine Foundation recommends bringing headache information and treatment history to a specialist visit. Your record does not have to look like a clinical report to be useful.
Tuesday, around 2 pm: headache and light sensitivity. Stopped working. Took my usual prescribed medicine at 2:20 pm. End time uncertain.
Separate symptoms from possible explanations
Use one space for what happened and another for what you suspect may be connected. “Skipped lunch” is an observation. “Skipping lunch caused this attack” is an interpretation that a diary alone cannot establish.
Keep the wording consistent enough to compare entries. If you use mild, moderate, and severe, write a note explaining what those words mean for your daily activities. You do not need to track every food, weather change, and sensation.
Count days without losing the story
For an appointment, prepare a small cover note: the date range, how many days you logged, and which days involved headache. List medicine-use days separately. Avoid filling unlogged days with “no headache”; write “not recorded.”
Attach a few representative entries: a typical day, a particularly disruptive day, and anything new you want to ask about. A short question such as “What should I record about these episodes?” gives the discussion a clear starting point.
Choose the format you will actually use
Use the free browser log for quick notes and CSV export, or print a blank sheet if screens are uncomfortable. Migraine Tracker+ adds a dedicated diary and report features on your iPhone. Neither format identifies the cause of a headache.
Seek medical care for a sudden severe headache or new concerning symptoms; completing a diary should never delay getting help.
Sources & checks
- American Migraine Foundation: first headache-specialist visit ↗
A headache diary and treatment history can help prepare for a clinical visit.
- University Hospitals Sussex: when to seek medical help for headaches ↗
Sudden extremely painful headaches and concerning associated symptoms require urgent assessment.
- Current App Store listing: Migraine Tracker+ ↗
Checks the companion app’s stated features and its limitations; not independent evidence of health benefits.
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-20. The worked examples and record layouts are original illustrations. They are not real patient records or evidence of treatment effectiveness. This is educational content, not individual medical advice or a clinician-reviewed treatment plan.
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