Are You Ready?
Being prepared for a visit to a primary care provider for evaluation of headaches is important for the effective treatment of migraine. Answer the questions below to see if you’re ready to get headaches under control!
Question 1 of 7
I have made an appointment with a primary care provider specifically to talk about headaches.
Be sure to set up an appointment specifically to talk about headaches. Research shows that this will lead to better evaluation and treatment, compared to just mentioning headaches during another visit.
I can explain how headaches affect my life.
Telling your healthcare provider how much headaches interfere with your life (e.g., school, work, sleep, play) makes it more likely that you will get the proper treatment.
I know how many headaches I’ve had over the past month.
Consider using a headache calendar to help keep track of the frequency of headaches before the doctor visit.
I can describe how my headaches feel.
Being able to describe how your headaches feel (e.g., sharp, throbbing, dull, pounding) will help the primary care provider determine the type of headache you likely have.
I can remember the medications that I have already tried for my headaches.
It is important for the healthcare provider to know what medications already have been tried and whether you think they have helped or not.
My doctor should prescribe strong narcotic/opioid medications for my headaches.
Medications that contain opioids can actually make headaches much worse and should not be prescribed by your healthcare provider.
My doctor should recommend daily medications if my headaches occur more than weekly and are affecting my life.
Your healthcare provider should prescribe a daily medicine to help prevent headaches if you are having frequent headaches that are interfering with school, work, and/or other activities.
You are well prepared for your visit to your primary care provider. Remember these key points to make your visit a fruitful one:
- Make an appointment specifically to talk about your headaches
- Be able to explain how headaches affect your life
- Keep track of how frequent your headaches happen
- Be able to describe how your headaches feel (e.g., sharp, throbbing, dull, pounding)
- Know what medications you’ve already tried and whether you think they have helped
If you are having frequent headaches that are interfering with school, work, and/or other activities, your healthcare provider can prescribe a daily medicine to help prevent headaches. Strong narcotic/opioid medications should never be prescribed for your headaches; medications that contain opioids can actually make headaches much worse.
CLICK HERE to print out an information sheet to take to your doctor about using the Headache Relief Guide website
Headache Diary
Using a headache diary can be a helpful way to keep track of how often headaches are happening and how severe they are. This information can be helpful to your doctor to know what treatment to choose. Headache diaries also can help you be a detective with your headaches – for example, you may be able to find out that headaches always seem to occur at about the same time or on more stressful days.
Click on “Customize Your Headache Diary” to create a headache diary that you can print out and use.
customize your headache diaryRemember these key points to make your visit a fruitful one:
- Make an appointment specifically to talk about your headaches
- Be able to explain how headaches affect your life
- Keep track of how frequent your headaches happen
- Be able to describe how your headaches feel (e.g., sharp, throbbing, dull, pounding)
- Know what medications you’ve already tried and whether you think they have helped
If you are having frequent headaches that are interfering with school, work, and/or other activities, your healthcare provider can prescribe a daily medicine to help prevent headaches. Strong narcotic/opioid medications should never be prescribed for your headaches; medications that contain opioids can actually make headaches much worse.