Is It Really Worth Keeping a Migraine Headache Diary?

• What is a migraine diary?
• What to include in a migraine diary?
• What format should a headache diary take?
• Should I use an app-based migraine headache diary?
• What happens after I create my migraine diary?

Maybe your doctor suggested it. Maybe you saw people in an online migraine group talking about it. And you’ve started to wonder: Should I keep a migraine headache diary too?

We say yes! Journaling about your migraine attacks, symptoms and triggers can reveal things you never knew about your migraine patterns and triggers. Here’s a simple guide to get you started.

What is a migraine diary?

Simply put, it’s a record that tracks the frequency, duration and intensity of migraine attacks (or other headaches) over time. Keeping an accurate headache diary can help you and your healthcare provider understand which treatments work best for you and which may be losing their effectiveness. It can also help you identify your migraine triggers and avoid them in the future.

For some people, a migraine diary can even be a welcome daily reminder to keep healthy migraine habits, such as exercise (that you can tolerate) and keeping a regular sleep schedule.

Of course, it’s not for everyone. When your migraine pain is so bad that you can barely move, taking notes may be too much to ask. But you don’t have to keep a migraine journal forever! Usually, a few months is enough time to identify patterns and show your healthcare provider what’s working and what’s not.

What should a migraine headache diary include?

That’s really up to you. For some people, it’s as simple as marking every day they have a headache, along with the intensity. Others include headache factors such as:

• Symptoms
• Location of pain
• Preventive treatments
• Abortive treatments
• Response to treatments
• Length of migraine

And external/environmental factors, such as:

• Time of day
• Weather conditions
• Activities and foods/drinks consumed prior to the attack
• Menstrual cycle
• Sleep schedule
• Other possible migraine triggers

Don’t feel compelled to include everything on this list. If you already know that hot weather is a migraine trigger, or if a visual aura always precedes a migraine attack, there’s probably no need to record those details.

Instead, think like a scientist: What do you want to learn about your migraine patterns? What hypothesis are you testing? If you’re trying to gauge whether a new treatment or habit is having a positive effect, then keep the rest of your routine the same for a while. This can be especially helpful if you’re trying an elimination diet for migraine. As you add foods back to your diet one at a time, journaling can identify which ones cause problems.

For accuracy, it’s best to record your journal entries in real time. If you wait until the attack has passed, you may forget exact times and details.

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What format should a headache diary take?

These journals can be visually appealing, believe it or not! Many bullet-journal fans create lavishly illustrated versions — like this one that features the Pokémon Psyduck, a character that suffers from splitting headaches. This example uses a clever system of color-coding, numbers and cross-hatching to record an entire year of migraine attacks on one page.

If you’re not the type to create an elaborate journal, here’s a simple, printable version from the National Headache Foundation. You can jot down a few notes on each attack in a regular notebook, too — but later, you may have to compile all the data into one spreadsheet or document for your healthcare provider to review.

Should I use an app-based migraine headache diary?

Migraine tracking apps are a convenient resource for creating a migraine headache diary. Apps make tracking a migraine attack easy because your phone’s always with you, allowing you to record details about your attacks the moment they occur. You may be able to personalize the interface to record only the data that’s most relevant to you or auto-suggest your most common triggers and treatments. One study followed 62 people as they used an app to record their migraine attacks and concluded that “smartphone headache diary application is an effective tool to assess migraine trigger factors.”

When you’re looking for a digital migraine diary, consider the CeCe Migraine Management app. The CeCe app allows you to track migraine attacks, symptoms and triggers and view your migraine patterns. You can record important information about your migraine attacks in the CeCe app with three easy steps:

• Step 1: When you feel a migraine begin, start tracking your attack in the app. If you’ve paired CeCe with the CEFALY Connected, the app will automatically start a migraine log any time you use the CEFALY ACUTE treatment.
• Step 2: After you indicate the attack has ended, the app will ask a series of simple questions to help you record your symptoms and pinpoint your migraine triggers.
• Step 3: You can also use the app to enter any preventive treatment measures.

With this digital migraine headache diary, you can spot patterns in your migraine attacks. Use the CeCe app to generate a PDF report of your migraine history. These reports include:

• Number of migraine attacks per month
• Average intensity and duration of migraine attacks
• Common triggers and symptoms
• Average effectiveness of treatments

These records will help you determine if your attacks are increasing or decreasing or if any abortive medication you’re taking is working as expected. When paired with CEFALY Connected, the CeCe app also allows you to start, stop, and adjust treatments from your phone.

Download the CeCe App

What happens after I create my migraine diary?

After reviewing your diary, you’ll have a clearer picture of how your migraine attacks are reacting to your current treatment. You can use the information you’ve gathered as a guide when discussing your migraine symptoms and triggers with your healthcare provider and make decisions about any changes to preventive care or medication based on the new information you’ve collected.

If other remedies just aren’t providing relief, maybe it’s time to relieve your migraine symptoms with CEFALY. CEFALY is an FDA-cleared, non-invasive medical device that’s clinically proven to prevent migraine episodes and relieve migraine pain.

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