Take the Guesswork Out of Migraine
When you live with migraine, tracking your symptoms might sound like one more exhausting task to add to your already full plate. But finding a simple, consistent way to track what’s going on with your body can help you spot patterns, make informed decisions, and feel more in control of your care.
You don’t need to become a data analyst to get results. You just need to capture the details that matter most, consistently enough to be useful, but not overwhelming.
Think of tracking like shining a flashlight into a dark room. You might know something's in there, but without light, you're guessing.
When you track consistently—even just the basics—you’re more likely to recognize your migraine patterns, catch triggers before they derail your day, understand what helps (and what doesn’t), and/or bring useful info to your doctor without relying on a sometimes fuzzy memory.
You can keep it simple. Here’s a good place to start:
Date and time symptoms began
Phase of the migraine (prodrome, aura, headache, postdrome)
Severity (1–10 scale or mild/moderate/severe)
Location/type of pain
Other symptoms (like nausea, dizziness, speech issues, sensitivity to light, sound, or smells)
Medications taken (and whether they helped)
Sleep, stress, and food intake (if those are possible triggers for you)
Start small and build as needed. If all you do at first is write down when an attack starts and ends, that’s still valuable.
You have options to track - some people love the simplicity of a migraine journal or a printable tracker. Keep it at your bedside or in your bag for easy access. Apps like Migraine Buddy, N1-Headache, or Migraine Insight make it easier to track symptoms, triggers, meds, and sleep - all in one place. Some even let you download reports to share with your doctor. Even a simple daily mental check-in can help: Did I have any symptoms today? What seemed to affect me? Use your phone’s notes app or voice memos if writing is hard during an attack.
There’s no one “right” way to track migraine. It just needs to work for you. Start with a few basics, be consistent, and use what you learn to advocate for better care - and more peace of mind.