Headache diary helps diagnosis

Patients who suffer from headache should record their symptoms in a headache diary to help diagnosis, according to clinical guidelines.

The diagnosis and management of headache in adults, published by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, emphasises that limited consultation time and poor patient recall often make the diagnosis of headache
very difficult.

According to SIGN, recording symptoms in a diary over a few weeks could help improve diagnosis and lead to better management.

The guidelines cover medication overuse headache, therapies for the acute and prophylactic management of migraine and headaches associated with pregnancy, contraception, menstruation and the menopause.

Click here to download the guidelines.