migraine symptoms checklist Topical Map Library Entry

A practical checklist should record timing (onset, duration, frequency), pain quality and location, associated symptoms (nausea, photophobia, phonophobia, aura features), triggers, functional impact, medication taken and response, and any red flags (sudden severe pain, fever, focal neurological deficits). Capture both attack-level details and longitudinal patterns (days per month, change in baseline) to distinguish episodic vs chronic migraine.

Migraines are typically moderate-to-severe, unilateral, throbbing/pulsing, aggravated by routine activity and accompanied by nausea, photophobia, or phonophobia; tension-type headaches are usually bilateral, pressing/tightening, milder, and lack prominent nausea or sensory sensitivity. Use a checklist that scores intensity, associated symptoms, and activity limitation—three or more migraine features strongly point to migraine.

Seek immediate care for sudden 'worst-ever' or thunderclap headache, new focal neurological signs (weakness, slurred speech, vision loss beyond typical aura), fever with severe headache, progressive worsening over days, or headache after head trauma. A checklist should flag these and instruct patients to call emergency services or go to the ER when any are present.

Aura is a transient neurological disturbance, most often visual (flashes, zig-zag lines, blind spots), that typically develops over 5–60 minutes and precedes or accompanies the headache. A checklist should note aura type (visual, sensory, speech, motor), timing, duration, progression, and whether aura occurs without headache (acephalgic migraine).

Track attack-level details in real time or within 24 hours; maintain a daily/attack diary for at least 3 months to capture frequency patterns, trigger relationships, and medication response. Short structured monthly summaries (days with headache, migraine days, acute meds used) make it easy for clinicians to assess episodic versus chronic migraine and medication overuse.

Yes—many people report brain fog, slowed thinking, word-finding difficulty, and concentration problems during and after attacks; these cognitive symptoms should be included in both attack checklists and interictal assessments. Track severity, duration, and impact on daily functioning to guide treatment and rule out other causes.

Include fields for type of acute medication, doses per week, and duration of frequent use; MOH is likely when simple analgesics are used on 15+ days/month or triptans/opioids/combination analgesics on 10+ days/month for 3+ months. A checklist automates the threshold alert so patients and clinicians can consider detox strategies and preventive treatment.

Screen for depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, hypertension, obesity, temporomandibular disorders, cervical spine problems, and vestibular complaints because they alter treatment choice and prognosis. Include brief validated screening items (PHQ-2/2, GAD-2, sleep quality) or referral prompts to capture comorbidity risk.

Yes—an effective clinic checklist combines a 5-item attack screen (onset, location, quality, associated symptoms, functional impairment) with a 3-item red-flag triage and a medication-use audit; this fits a brief visit while capturing key diagnostic and safety information. Embedding drop-down options and auto-calculated monthly headache day counts speeds documentation and referral decisions.

Include pregnancy status, gestational age, current prenatal medications, and specific red flags (e.g., preeclampsia signs like visual disturbance or high blood pressure); avoid recommending non‑compatible medications and trigger early obstetric/neurology collaboration. A pregnancy-specific checklist should emphasize non-pharmacologic measures and safe acute/preventive options.