The Migraine Trust recommends keeping a diary simple. The American Migraine Foundation likewise notes that journaling should not feel overwhelming. A date, approximate timing, severity and one short note can be enough to preserve useful context.
What a headache diary is for
A diary can help you remember frequency, duration, severity, symptoms, medication use and functional impact. It can also give a healthcare professional a clearer history than memory alone. It does not prove that one event caused another, and it does not diagnose the type or cause of a headache.
How to keep a headache diary in five steps
- Choose one purpose.
For example: remember episode timing, prepare for an appointment or track how often headaches occurred. - Pick the smallest useful fields.
Date, approximate start and end, severity, medication taken and one symptom or impact note are a practical core. - Define what blanks mean.
A blank might mean “not recorded,” not “no headache.” If symptom-free days matter, mark them explicitly. - Record near the event when possible.
If you complete details later, distinguish recollection from information captured at the time. - Review with questions, not conclusions.
Notice what you want to discuss without declaring a trigger or diagnosis from a pattern.
A minimum entry for a difficult day
Date · time · severity · one note
Example structure: “Nov 5 · began around 14:00 · 7/10 · light sensitivity; medication recorded at 14:20.” This is an illustrative format, not medical guidance.
You can use our ten-entry headache log, the monthly printable diary, or an app. Choose whichever lets you capture the record with the least friction.
How to review the diary before an appointment
- Choose the date range your appointment concerns.
- Count recorded headache days separately from unrecorded days.
- Note changes in frequency, severity or duration you want to discuss.
- Bring a current medication list and the questions you do not want to forget.
- Keep the raw record available so a summary can be checked against it.
Built around the minimum entry
Record now. Complete later.
MigraLoom keeps a fast start separate from optional detail and turns only recorded history into a visit report.
View MigraLoom ↗Sources
- The Migraine Trust: Keeping a headache diary
- American Migraine Foundation: Headache journals
- NHS: Migraine
Medical notice: This educational guide does not provide diagnosis, treatment or emergency care. Seek qualified medical advice for health concerns.