Looking to take control of your migraine management? Learn how the Canadian Migraine Tracker, a migraine diary app, can support your journey with migraine in this post.
Using a Migraine Diary
A migraine diary allows you to do many things that could improve your migraine, such as:
- Tracking the frequency and severity of attacks
- Observing the effects of treatments
- Identifying triggers and linking them with your menstrual cycle
- Monitoring medication overuse
- Following healthy lifestyle approaches for migraine management
This essential tool will help you monitor your attacks and the results of treatments, making your communication with your healthcare provider more effective.
Many options are already available in paper and app forms to help you monitor your migraine. Every person is different and might prefer one option over another.
The Canadian Migraine Tracker
The Canadian Migraine Tracker app offers the following features:
- Available for free on Apple and Android
- A 0-1-2-3 approach to severity grading
- Three ways to send results to your healthcare provider (print, email, fax)
- A calendar view and a graphic summary view to track migraine statistics over many months
- The app allows you to track triggers, symptoms, and medications if the user chooses to do so
The Canadian Migraine Tracker was designed by Canadian headache experts and patients. The team hopes this tool will help people with migraine and looks forward to continuing to gather user feedback to improve the app.
The Canadian Migraine Tracker: Questions and Answers
Since launching the app, many users have shared questions and feedback. Here are five frequently asked questions:
- Why can’t I enter two attacks/events on the same day?
The same migraine attack will often fluctuate throughout the day. It can also be treated and come back (this is referred to as recurrence).In the tracker app, enter the worst degree reached in a 24-hour period according to the 0-1-2-3 technique. Define the day according to your routine, whether it starts at midnight, 6 AM, or another time.
The tracker is designed to be easy to summarize and provide an overview, which means some details cannot be analyzed. That’s the fine balance between precision and synthesis!
- Why does the tracker use a 0-1-2-3 scale instead of a 0-10 pain scale?
Migraine involves more than just pain; people experience a wide range of symptoms that can’t easily be captured in an app. The 0-1-2-3 scale assesses overall function, reflecting the impact of all your combined symptoms on your day.
Interestingly, the 0-10 pain scale is losing popularity even in the pain research world, as pain is very subjective. Researchers are increasingly using scales that measure functional ability more objectively.
Additionally, the 0-1-2-3 method makes it easier to summarize the situation. Creating statistics to summarize 0-10 pain scales recorded several times a day would be incredibly complex.
- Can I edit an entry (e.g., remove an attack entered by mistake or add an attack to a day initially marked as headache-free)?
Many users reported issues with this in the pilot version, but it should be resolved now. Please inform us of any remaining bugs with this feature.
- Where can I find a detailed report of triggers, symptoms, and other information that isn’t included in the summary report?
Currently, the tracker doesn’t offer a report of this information in a summary form. If there’s interest in this feature, we could seek funding to develop it. This app is a work in progress! We acknowledge the importance of accessing a comprehensive summary of your recorded data. Initially, we focused on basic information typically used to guide treatment adjustments, but we’re open to expanding the app’s capabilities.
Where can I send feedback?
Please write to [email protected].
In conclusion, there is no “best app.” Different people have different preferences and needs. The Canadian Migraine Tracker is owned and managed by Migraine Canada, and we hope it will serve you well.
