- Lifestyle
How to get started with a migraine diary
Starting a migraine diary can be an effective way to help you and your doctor diagnose and support treatment of migraine.
Key takeaways
What is a migraine diary?
In its simplest form, a migraine diary is a journal of the circumstances leading up to, during, and after a migraine attack.
Most migraine diary resources provide a template to document the timeline of your migraine attacks, severity and head pain locations, migraine triggers, and medication usage. Collecting this information can be helpful not only for your own records, but also to keep your doctor informed with up-to-date information about your migraine attacks.
By keeping a migraine diary, it’s possible for you and your doctor to identify patterns or trends of your migraine triggers and symptoms, which can be crucial for overall migraine management.
For example, tracking dietary or environmental factors that lead to a migraine attack can potentially give insights into what might be triggering your migraine attack. Furthermore, monitoring lifestyle habits could help you make necessary adjustments that could potentially help reduce the frequency and severity of your attacks.
By maintaining a detailed migraine diary, you and your doctor can also determine the impact of medications taken for migraine prevention and/or pain relief.
When filling out your migraine diary, it is important to know what can trigger a migraine attack. Everyone has different triggers, but common triggers typically fall into categories such as emotional stress, menstrual/hormone-induced, sleep disturbance, certain food and alcoholic beverages, and weather changes. This is not an exhaustive list of migraine triggers — read What can trigger a migraine attack? An overview of common triggers for a more in-depth look into migraine triggers.
Tips for filling out a migraine diary
Starting a migraine diary can be intimidating, but it can easily be broken down into five categories: date/timing of the migraine attack, severity of the attack, symptoms, triggers, and medication/relief.
To begin your migraine diary, document the time and date that the migraine attack started at the earliest symptom you feel. Next, document the time the migraine symptoms end. If the symptoms are still ongoing while you fill out the diary, you can update this section later.
After documenting the time, record the pain and discomfort you are feeling, including head pain, nausea, etc. For example, documenting the pain on a scale from one to ten, with ten being the worst pain and one being little to no pain (you can also use 0 if you are feeling symptoms but no pain).
Next, document any of the symptoms you are experiencing. Most migraine sufferers have different symptoms, but some of the most common symptoms include various types of head pain, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or sound, or exhaustion. If applicable, document where the pain is located, whether it be the head, eyes, teeth, or sinuses, and if the location of the pain changed at all.
After documenting symptoms, note any possible triggers that could have led to the migraine attack. Keep in mind that triggers could be stress, irregular sleep, food and alcoholic beverages, weather changes, and more.
Next, document any medication and its dosage taken for pain relief or prevention of your migraine attack, as well as medications taken for other ailments as they could potentially influence migraine attacks. Be sure to document the effectiveness of the medications you have taken for the migraine attack.
Repeat this process for each migraine attack for at least a month to start and provide this information to your doctor. Providing detailed information to your doctor or headache specialist may assist in better understanding your disease.
How technology can help track migraine
While there are many different online resources for migraine diaries, studies have found that many headache providers prefer the use of a smartphone for tracking migraine attacks.
There are many different migraine or headache diary options on most standard app stores. One option for a migraine diary is Migraine Buddy, a free app which contains a detailed clinical picture and includes features such as pain intensity and location, sleep tracking, as well as migraine triggers and allows users to download a report of their data.
If you prefer a printable option, you can download the National Headache Foundation migraine diary here.
Tracking migraine to stay ahead of attacks
As a reminder, maintaining a migraine diary can be a helpful tool to manage and understand your migraine attacks. By recording the timing, severity, potential triggers, and medication usage, you and your doctor can identify patterns and trends that may help to create more effective treatment strategies. When you are ready, talk to a doctor about migraine to learn what options may be right for you.
Remember, everyone's migraine triggers are unique, so it's helpful to document your experiences thoroughly and consistently. With time, your migraine diary could provide critical insights that lead to better management of your condition and an improved quality of life.
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References
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Digital diary App use for migraine in primary care: Prospective cohort study. Science Direct. May 2022. Accessed 2025. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0303846722001068
Migraine Triggers: What Can Cause an Attack to Start in the First Place? Association of Migraine Disorders. Accessed 2025.https://www.migrainedisorders.org/migraine-disorders/migraine-triggers/#:~:text=Although%20it%20remains%20uncertain%20whether,solely%20at%20your%20own%20risk.
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