Learn More: Headache Center
Assessing and Diagnosing Headaches
The recognized authority for headache diagnosis is the International Headache Society (IHS) classification, which focuses on the clinical features of headaches. A clinical interview by a physician provides the information for classifying headache symptoms according to IHS criteria. Physical or neurological examination is rarely necessary or beneficial, and brain scans are rarely taken.
Questions included in a well-constructed clinical interview focus on the four major characteristics of headaches:
- quality (tightening or pulsating)
- intensity (mild, moderate, severe, or very severe)
- location (one or both sides of head)
- response to routine physical activities (worsened or unchanged)
The physician may gather additional information from the patient concerning the following:
- headache accompaniments, which include nausea and/or vomiting; unusual sensitivity to light, sound, or odors; and aura before the onset of headache pain
- use of nonprescription or prescription medications
- treatment of headache pain with self-care approaches and the subjective rating of the pain relief achieved with these approaches
