How to get the best out of your migraine specialist appointment.3134685

For those who have suffered regularly with migraines the condition can be debilitating – and causes stress, depression and unhappiness – not to mention getting in the way of simple day to day activities, driving, working and studying. In order to best assess your condition and plan a course of migrain treatment it helps to see a migraine specialist, who is trained specifically to diagnose and treat these chronic headaches and associated symptoms – for, as anyone who has experienced migraine can attest, the pain itself is often secondary to the other symptoms that come along with an attack.

When you’re planning to visit a migraine specialist there are some steps that you can take that will ensure the appointment goes well, and your treatment and plan of action can be put into place quickly to ensure that you recover rapidly and suffer less. 1. Arm yourself with details. Though the pain is an obvious symptom, not everyone experiences migraines in the same way. For each patient the treatment can be tailored to suit the specific symptoms and problems experienced – but in order to tailor your treatment and begin right away it would help if you could describe the specific symptoms from which you suffer. There are some that come before the pain starts and indicate there’s an attack coming, then the symptoms associated with the attack itself, and then the aftermath. The more information you can give your migraine specialist, the better he or she can help you. 2. Keep a diary. A diary with detailed information on your condition – including how often your migraines strike, the first symptoms and signs that an attack is imminent, whether you took any medications (either over the counter or prescription) and how the attack developed. Include in your diary details on your food and drink, on lifestyle factors like stress and/or depression, on what point in your menstrual cycle you are, on how much time you’ve spent in front of electronic screens, and on the weather at the time of your attack. Also make note of changes in your pattern of sleep. This diary will help you to spot patterns and triggers and mean that you’re already a step ahead in your migrain treatment plan. It can help to rule out lifestyle and dietary triggers and help to identify underlying conditions sooner. 3. Ask the right questions. Prepare questions for your migraine specialist. Ask what triggers are likely, what tests need to be done, and what course of action might help you. Be sure to ask for any printed materials that you can take away to better understand your condition and the necessary treatments, as this information is hard to take in during a short appointment.