Headaches

Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Headaches:

How should I quantify my pain to help you understand its intensity?
What type of headache am I getting? (tension, sinus, migraine, cluster)
What leads you to this conclusion?
How confident are you in your diagnosis?
What causes this type of headache?
How does this type of headache work?
Could my headaches be a symptom of a more serious condition or could they lead to one?
- Why or why not?
- What symptoms might indicate a more serious underlying condition?
- Should I have tests to exclude an underlying condition?
Are there preventive measures I can take? (lifestyle changes; relaxation techniques; vitamin, mineral or herbal supplements; preventive medications)
Are there headache triggers that I should be aware of?
- Things that I eat or drink?
- Things that I do?
- Stress or depression?
- Things that might be in my environment?
If a test is recommended:
- What is the goal of this test?
- How conclusive will the results of this test be?
- What will you recommend if the results are not conclusive?
If medication is prescribed:
- What type of drug is this and how does it work?
- What can I expect from this medication versus others you might prescribe?
- Are there over-the-counter medications that would help?
- For the headache or for secondary symptoms like nausea?
- Can they be taken in tandem with the prescription medication?
- How frequently can this drug be taken?
- How soon after I take the medication should I get relief?
- What is this drug's potential to cause rebound headache?
- What about other therapies, like massage, acupuncture, acupressure, use of moist heat or cold packs, visualization techniques?
- More questions about drug treatment
Are there other things I can do to decrease my discomfort after I get a headache?
If headaches are persistent despite treatment:
- Do you have alternatives I should try?
- Will you refer me to a specialist?
Will these headaches ever stop altogether?
Should I consider going to a neurologist or headache specialist?