When a headache keeps returning, a short record can help you describe each episode at a health care visit. Use a notebook, a phone note, or another format you can update easily. Write down what you notice while the details are fresh. A record can help you and your health care provider look for possible patterns, but it cannot prove that a particular food, activity, or other factor caused the headache.
What to record
For each headache, note the date and time it began, when it ended, and how long it lasted. Describe where the pain was and what it felt like, such as dull, sharp, or squeezing. Record how intense it felt. You can use words such as mild, moderate, or severe, or use the same number scale each time so you can compare entries.
Note other symptoms, including sensitivity to light, sound, or smells. Add what you were doing just before the headache began, how much you slept, and what you ate and drank during the previous day. If you noticed stress, strong emotions, weather, or a change in your routine around that time, include it. Record any medicines you took and what seemed to ease the pain, or when it stopped.
A consistent order can make entries easier to review: start and end time; pain location, character, and intensity; other symptoms; recent activities, sleep, food, and drink; and medicines taken. Fill in what you remember. Leave a field blank rather than guessing, and note when you are unsure about a detail.
How to use your notes at a visit
Bring the record on paper or on your phone and review it with your health care provider. Point out details that seem to recur, such as a similar time of day or symptoms that appear alongside the pain. Ask whether those observations affect what you should do next.
You can make an appointment without waiting to complete a record or track for a set period. A few notes about what you remember can help you explain what has been happening. If a detail is unclear, say so at the visit.
When to seek care
Arrange a visit soon if headaches happen often without a known cause, or if their usual pattern or intensity changes. Also contact your provider soon if headaches interrupt sleep or last more than a few days.
Some symptoms need immediate attention. Call 911 or go to an emergency department for sudden, explosive head pain or the worst headache you have experienced. A headache accompanied by new trouble speaking, vision changes, difficulty moving an arm or leg, loss of balance, confusion, or memory loss also needs emergency help. These symptoms matter even when the headache is not your worst-ever one.
Get medical help right away for a headache after a head injury. A headache that grows worse over 24 hours is another reason for immediate care. Separately, seek immediate care for a headache accompanied by fever, a stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting. You do not need to have all the warning signs listed in this section before seeking help. If your provider cannot see you right away, go to an emergency department or call 911. Do not delay care to finish your notes.