How to Track Headache: A Complete Guide

Headaches are among the most common reasons people visit a doctor, but they are also among the most poorly described during appointments. Was it this week or last week? How bad was it really? A headache diary removes the guesswork and gives your doctor the data needed for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

What to Track

For each headache, record the location (front, temples, back of head, one side), pain type (throbbing, pressure, stabbing, band-like), severity from 1 to 10, start time and duration, and any warning signs before onset. Track potential triggers including what you ate, sleep quality, stress level, weather changes, screen time, hormonal cycle day, and caffeine intake. Note any medications taken and whether they helped.

Common Triggers to Watch For

Headache triggers vary widely between individuals, which is why tracking matters. Common triggers include stress, poor sleep, dehydration, skipped meals, alcohol (especially red wine), strong scents, bright or flickering lights, weather changes, caffeine withdrawal, and hormonal fluctuations. For some people, certain foods like aged cheese, chocolate, or processed meats trigger episodes. Your personal trigger profile will emerge from consistent tracking.

When to See a Doctor

See a doctor if you have headaches more than 15 days per month, if headaches are progressively worsening, if they wake you from sleep, or if over-the-counter medications no longer help. Seek emergency care for thunderclap headaches (worst headache of your life), headaches with fever and stiff neck, headaches after head trauma, or headaches with neurological symptoms like vision changes, weakness, or confusion.

How Trace Health Helps You Track

Trace Health is built for exactly this kind of tracking. One tap to log a headache, then rate its severity. Over weeks, the trend chart shows your headache frequency and severity visually. When it is time for a doctor visit, generate a PDF report that shows your complete headache history with dates, severity scores, and frequency. This is the data neurologists need to distinguish between tension headaches, migraines, and other headache types.

Frequently Asked Questions

What details should I log when I have a headache?

Track the location of pain (front, sides, back), type (throbbing, pressure, sharp), severity, duration, and any triggers you notice like stress, screen time, skipped meals, or weather changes. Note any medications taken and whether they helped.

How does a headache diary help with diagnosis?

A headache diary reveals patterns your doctor needs to distinguish between tension headaches, migraines, and cluster headaches. Frequency data helps determine if you qualify for preventive treatment, and trigger identification can reduce episodes significantly.

When should I seek medical help for headaches?

Seek immediate care for sudden severe headaches, headaches with fever and stiff neck, or headaches after a head injury. See your doctor if headaches occur more than 15 days per month, wake you from sleep, or are getting progressively worse.

Your health data stays on your iPhone.

No account. Private. No personal information is ever requested. Your health data stays on your iPhone by default. A backup option to your private iCloud is available. Trace Health never collects or sells your health data.

What people say

Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 62+ ratings on the App Store.

“I’ve only used this app for a few minutes, but I already know it’s going to be amazing. I’d been looking for a long time for something practical to monitor the symptoms of my chronic illness. The basic need is already met, and if the analysis feature works as planned on top of that, it’ll be just extraordinary.” (Maud'moiselle, France)
“I’m really happy with Trace. It makes it easy and quick to record symptoms, pain and how they change over time, without it becoming a hassle or hard to keep up with. The app is intuitive and clear, and I especially like being able to get a better overview of how my symptoms are developing. An app I actually end up using day to day. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️” (LilandAndreas, Denmark)