For example, doctors often ask, 'How severe was the pain?' to patients with migraine. That way, you're both on the same page and it lessens the likelihood of misunderstanding. Ask, then tell: When your doctor asks you a question that you didn't expect, ask what they are trying to understand before you begin your explanation. But these types of symptoms can help providers nail down exactly what is happening with you, which can inform treatment.ĭo You Plan For Your Travel Migraine Triggers?Ĥ. For example, if you're in pain, you may not necessarily think that the tinnitus (ringing in your ears), dizziness, or runny nose that you get at the same time are all that problematic. Pay attention to other things happening beyond just your most bothersome symptom.

Note the quality of the symptoms and their intensity. Try to understand when the symptoms are happening, and if there are any patterns you can see. If you have symptoms and you're not sure what is going on, keep very close track for a month. The same is true for pain logs, and logs for other conditions. Note that most of the logs available online are made for migraine, so if you don't have migraine, it may not be asking all the relevant questions. Keep a record: For headache disorders, it is common for people to use 'headache diaries' or 'logs' to record their headache symptoms prior to their first visit.