Migraine Pattern Screener
Compare your headache pattern with ICHD-3 migraine criteria and a short migraine screening signal
How this screener works
This tool combines a short migraine screening signal with an ICHD-3 criteria mapping. It can help you prepare for a clinical discussion, but it cannot diagnose migraine by itself.
Answer based on your usual recurring pattern
Use Not sure when you genuinely do not know. The result will stay cautious instead of forcing a false yes or no answer.
Do your headaches ever make you stop normal activities, lie down, or avoid plans for at least part of a day?
This acts as the disability item in a short migraine screener. It is not an ICHD-3 criterion on its own, but it helps identify migraine-like burden.
Have you had at least 5 headache attacks that felt similar to each other?
Migraine without aura requires at least 5 attacks with a similar pattern.
When untreated or unsuccessfully treated, do these attacks usually last 4 to 72 hours?
This is one of the duration gates in the formal migraine criteria.
Is the headache often on one side of the head?
Unilateral pain is one of the four classic migraine pain features.
Does the pain feel throbbing or pulsating?
Pulsating quality is a common migraine pain feature, but it is not required in every attack.
Is the pain usually moderate to severe rather than mild?
Migraine attacks are typically moderate or severe in intensity.
Does routine activity like walking or climbing stairs make the headache worse, or make you avoid activity?
Aggravation by routine activity is one of the core migraine pain criteria.
Do you get nausea or vomiting with these headaches?
Nausea or vomiting is one of the two official associated-symptom pathways in ICHD-3.
Are you sensitive to light during these headaches?
Light sensitivity is both an ID-style screening item and part of the ICHD-3 associated-symptom pathway.
Are you sensitive to sound during these headaches?
For ICHD-3, photophobia and phonophobia together can satisfy the associated-symptom criterion when nausea is absent.
Before some attacks, do you get visual, sensory, or speech symptoms such as flashing lights, zigzag lines, tingling, or trouble finding words?
This can suggest migraine with aura, but aura should be reviewed with a clinician because other conditions can overlap.
Do close relatives such as a parent or sibling also have migraine?
Family history increases migraine likelihood, but it is not part of the ICHD-3 diagnostic criteria.
Do any of these apply: sudden worst headache of your life, fever or stiff neck, new weakness or confusion, a very different new pattern, first major headache after age 50, or headache after head injury?
These warning signs need medical review regardless of whether the overall pattern sounds migrainous.
Recent saved migraine screener results
Saved screener results are synced to your account and also appear in your dashboard.
What This Screener Can Tell You
This route now combines two layers: a short migraine screening signal and a stricter ICHD-3 criteria mapping. That gives you a more honest answer than a simple weighted percentage, because migraine diagnosis depends on a pattern of recurrence, duration, pain features, and associated symptoms rather than one blended score.
A strong result means your answers support the formal migraine pattern. A probable migraine result means the pattern still looks migraine-like, but one required feature is missing or uncertain.
Important Disclaimer
This screener is educational only and does not diagnose migraine. Only a qualified healthcare provider can diagnose migraine or rule out other headache disorders.
What It Cannot Diagnose
The screener cannot confirm migraine by itself, and it cannot rule out tension-type headache, cluster headache, cervicogenic headache, medication-overuse headache, or secondary causes of headache. That is why the result language stays conservative and why red-flag symptoms override the pattern result.
If you answer not sure to several questions, that uncertainty is preserved in the result instead of being treated as a hidden yes or no.
Migraine vs. Tension Headache vs. Cluster Headache
| Feature | Migraine | Tension | Cluster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | One-sided | Both sides | Around one eye |
| Quality | Throbbing/pulsating | Pressing/tightening | Sharp/burning |
| Severity | Moderate to severe | Mild to moderate | Very severe |
| Duration | 4-72 hours | 30 min - 7 days | 15-180 min |
| Nausea | Common | Rare | Less common |
When to See a Doctor About Your Headaches
If this quiz suggests your headaches may be migraines, consult a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- The worst headache of your life (sudden onset)
- Headache with fever, stiff neck, rash, or confusion
- Headache after head injury
- New headache pattern after age 50
- Headache with vision loss, weakness, or difficulty speaking
Related Migraine Tools
Measure your migraine disability with the validated MIDAS questionnaire.
Build a practical migraine trigger profile and choose what to track next.
Measures the impact of headaches on daily functioning over 4 weeks.
Log episodes and track patterns to share with your healthcare provider.
Track sleep patterns alongside migraine episodes to identify sleep-related triggers.
Track cycle phases to identify hormonal migraine patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this screener diagnose migraine?
No. It compares your pattern with migraine criteria and a short screening signal, but only a clinician can diagnose migraine.
What does probable migraine mean?
Probable migraine means the overall pattern looks migraine-like, but one required diagnostic feature is missing or uncertain. It is often a cue to track the next attacks more carefully and review the pattern with a clinician.
I have aura without headache. Can that still matter?
Yes. Aura symptoms without headache can occur, but they should be reviewed carefully because other neurologic conditions can also overlap with visual or sensory symptoms.
When should I see a doctor for headaches?
See a doctor if headaches are severe or sudden ("thunderclap"), accompany fever/stiff neck, follow head injury, are different from usual patterns, occur after age 50 for the first time, or significantly impact your quality of life.
Medical Disclaimer: This screener is educational and is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis. It uses ICHD-3 migraine criteria plus a short screening signal to organize symptoms for discussion with a healthcare professional.
Learn More from Our Blog
Migraine vs Headache: How to Tell the Difference
Detailed comparison of migraine, tension headache, and cluster headache symptoms.
What Causes Migraines?
Understand the neuroscience behind migraines and why they happen.
When to See a Neurologist
Learn when your headache symptoms warrant a specialist referral.
References
- Headache Classification Committee of the IHS (2018). The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. Cephalalgia. 38(1):1-211.Link
- Lipton RB, Dodick D, Sadovsky R, et al. (2003). A self-administered screener for migraine in primary care: The ID Migraine validation study. Neurology. 61(3):375-382.Link
- Steiner TJ, Birbeck GL, Jensen RH, et al. (2015). Headache disorders are third cause of disability worldwide. Journal of Headache and Pain. 16:58.Link