Migraine Log Example: What to Record in One Entry

A fictional migraine log entry

The example below is invented to demonstrate the format. It is not a real patient history, a diagnostic example, or a suggestion about which medicine to take. Your experience may look completely different.

The important feature is the distinction between an observation and an interpretation. “Lunch later than usual” preserves the event. It does not say that lunch timing caused the attack. “Around 2 p.m.” preserves an estimate without turning it into a precise timestamp.

Make timing clear, even when it is approximate

Use separate start and end fields when you know them. If you woke up with symptoms, write that instead of guessing when they began. If the attack is still happening, leave the end open and return to it later.

You may notice different times for different symptoms. A short note can make that clear: “Head pain eased before the nausea did.” The purpose is to preserve your sequence, not force every part of the experience into the same start and end.

For a missed entry, record what you remember and label it as retrospective. A partial record is easier to interpret than a detailed one assembled from guesses. The NIH’s headache-journal guidance includes timing, duration, intensity, symptoms, and medicines among the details that can support a clinical discussion.

Describe symptoms in your own words

Write where the pain was, how it felt, and what else you noticed. You do not need to use a medical term you are unsure about. “Light bothered me” is a useful description. A phrase copied from a symptom list may be less clear if it does not match your experience.

If you use a number for intensity, note the scale and keep it consistent. The number captures one part of the day. A sentence about what you could or could not do can add context that a number alone misses.

For example, “could read for a few minutes, then stopped” is more specific than “bad day.” You are describing what happened, rather than judging whether you handled it well enough.

Keep medicine details factual

Record the medicine name, the dose you actually took, and the time, using your prescription or package information to avoid relying on memory. Include relevant nonprescription products in the record you bring to your clinician. Describe what you noticed afterward and when you noticed it.

Do not use someone else’s completed diary as a treatment plan. A log records an action you took under your own care instructions; it does not tell you what to take next. If a medicine detail is uncertain, mark it uncertain and check it rather than filling the gap with a likely answer.

Questions about side effects, repeat doses, or changes in treatment belong with a qualified healthcare professional. You can write the question in the entry so it does not disappear before the appointment.

Leave room for a shorter entry

On a difficult day, you may only manage a date and a few words. The National Headache Foundation suggests starting small and adding details as tracking becomes manageable. A diary should fit around your life, not require perfect completion before it counts.

The free migraine diary template includes a separate fictional example page if you want a printable layout. For a phone record, Calmira’s migraine diary keeps attack timing, symptoms, possible factors, and medicine notes together. Our getting-started guide covers the broader habit; this example gives you a way to begin one entry today.