Help Your Doctor to Diagnose Your Headache

There are all different types of headaches. They can affect you in many different ways and in many different areas of your head and neck. When it is time to get a headache diagnosed you can help your doctor by doing a few things and by being honest with him. Tell him all you can about your headache and any other symptoms you may be having.

Character of the Headache
There are different types of pain that are associated with a headache. You could be suffering with dull and achy pain or maybe sharp and stabbing pain. Sometimes the pain is a burning sensation or like pins and needles. You are going to want to explain to your doctor which pain you are experiencing. You also need to tell the doctor how bad the pain is. Doctors usually judge a headache on a scale with 1 being mild pain and 10 being the worst pain ever experienced. You must be honest with your doctor and tell him how bad the pain really is. It is important that the doctor knows if you are experiencing severe pain or if you are having mild pain. There are neurological problems out there that can cause extremely severe headaches.

When Did the Headache Start?
Your doctor is going to want to know when the headache started and what you were doing when it started. It is important to report your activities to your doctor so he can assess the headache properly. You may have been eating something in particular that could have caused the onset of the headache. Migraines are often caused by certain foods. Knowing what you ate before the headache started can help your doctor know whether you are suffering from a migraine or not.

Where the Headache is Located
Where on your head is the pain? It could even be in the back of your neck. Migraines are often located on one side of your head, while tension headaches could be like a band surrounding your head. Cluster headaches are often located behind the eye.

How Long the Headache Lasts
Headaches can last a few minutes or over a day. Migraines in particular can last a very long time. Some people have experienced the pain of a migraine that lasts several days. Your headache might come and go throughout the day. These are all important symptoms to tell your doctor. If your headache lasts more than a day it is very important that you report this to your doctor immediately.

What Makes the Headache Better?
You may notice that there are some things that make a headache worse or better. This is especially true with migraines. Bright lights and loud noise may make a headache much worse while lying down in a dark room may help the pain of a migraine. Tell your doctor if there are things that make the headache better or worse.

Other Symptoms
You may suffer from nausea or even diarrhea along with the pain. It is very common to have vomiting and nausea with a migraine. Sometimes you may have blind spots in your vision or an aura that affects your sight. These are all common symptoms of a migraine that need to be reported to your doctor.

If you are experiencing severe pain accompanied with other symptoms you need to see a doctor immediately. It could be a migraine or something more serious. It is better to be safe by seeing your doctor.