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Your headache history
The most important part of the headache evaluation is the headache history, the part of the evaluation in which you describe your headache symptoms and characteristics as completely as possible. For headaches in children, the doctor will want to hear from both patient and parents.
Headaches can be better diagnosed if you can tell your doctor:
How old you were when the headaches started
How long you have been experiencing them
If you experience a single type of headache or multiple types of headaches
How often the headaches occur
What causes the headaches, if known (for example, do certain situations, foods, or medicines usually trigger the headaches?)
If physical activity aggravates the headache pain
What events are associated with the headache
Who else in your family has headaches
What symptoms, if any, occur between headaches
If your school or work performance has been affected by the headaches
Your doctor will also ask additional questions about family background and if you have any history of drug abuse. How do you feel with the headache? More specifically, for example, you will be asked to describe:
Where the pain is located
What it feels like
How severe the headache pain is, using a scale from 1 (mild) to 10 (severe)
How long the headaches last
If the headaches appear suddenly without warning or with accompanying symptoms
What time of day the headaches usually occur
If there is an aura (changes in vision, blind spots, or bright lights) before the headache
What other warning signs occur with a headache (such as weakness, nausea, sensitivity to light or noise, appetite changes, changes in attitude or behavior)
A history of previous headache treatments is also an important part of the evaluation. Tell your doctor what medicines you have taken in the past and what medicines you are currently taking. You may want to write down a list, bring the bottles, or ask your pharmacist for a printout.
Studies performed by other doctors, including X-rays and scans, are very important. Bring these to your appointment as well, since it might save time and the need to repeat the tests.
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