Migraine is more than an ordinary headache. For many people, attacks are influenced by a combination of biological factors and day-to-day triggers. Keeping a simple record can help you and your neurologist identify patterns without assuming that every headache has the same cause.
Common migraine triggers to track
- Irregular or insufficient sleep
- Skipping meals or long gaps between meals
- Dehydration
- Emotional stress or a sudden change in stress levels
- Long periods of screen exposure
- Bright light, strong smells or loud noise
- Changes in caffeine intake
- Hormonal changes in some patients
A useful daily checklist
Write down when the headache started, where the pain was felt, how severe it became, how long it lasted and whether nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity or visual symptoms occurred. Also note sleep, meals, water intake and medicines taken that day.
When to see a neurologist
Consider assessment if headaches are frequent, worsening, interfering with work or sleep, or if you are relying on pain medicines often. A neurologist can help distinguish migraine from other headache disorders and build an appropriate treatment plan.
When headache needs urgent assessment
Seek urgent medical care for a sudden severe “worst-ever” headache, headache with new weakness or speech difficulty, loss of consciousness, fever with neck stiffness, or headache after significant head injury.
What treatment may involve
Management may include trigger identification, lifestyle measures, medicines taken during attacks and preventive treatment when appropriate. The right plan depends on headache frequency, medical history and individual symptoms.
Discuss your symptoms with a neurologist.
Bring your symptom timeline, current medicines and any previous reports to make your consultation more useful.