MigraineMe is, as the name says, designed for migraine. But many people who use it also get other kinds of headache, such as tension headaches or cluster headaches, and they find the app useful for those too. You are welcome to use it that way. This article explains how.
Are these the same as migraine?
Not quite, although they can feel similar. Briefly:
- Tension headaches usually feel like a tight band around the head. They are often linked to stress, poor posture, or tiredness.
- Cluster headaches are very intense, often around one eye, and come in groups (or clusters) over weeks or months.
- Migraine tends to be one-sided, throbbing, often with nausea or sensitivity to light, and can last hours to days.
You can have more than one type. Many people do.
How to use the app for these
The app does not currently have a separate Tension or Cluster button. Here is how to make the most of what is there.
Logging a tension or cluster headache
The Quick Log Migraine button saves a one-tap entry with severity 5. It is quick, but minimal. For tension or cluster headaches you usually want to add a note saying what type it was, so use the full wizard instead.
- Open MigraineMe.
- Tap the Log tab at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the big purple Log Migraine card.
- Move through the wizard. Set the start time and severity on the Timing and Pain steps.
- When you reach the Notes step, write the type, for example Tension or Cluster.
- Tap Save Log on the Review step.
By writing the type in the notes, you can scroll back through your history and tell which kind each entry was.
Why this still helps
Even though the risk score is tuned for migraine, the things it looks at (sleep, stress, weather, food, hormones) overlap a great deal with the triggers for tension and cluster headaches too. The patterns you spot will often be useful for all of them.
For example:
- Tension headaches often follow poor sleep or long days at a screen. The app will help you see this.
- Cluster headaches often come at the same time each year. The history view makes this obvious.
- Some people find alcohol or certain foods trigger more than one kind of headache. The trigger list will pick that up.
Telling them apart in your history
To tell at a glance which entries were which, write the type clearly in the notes when you log. Then in the Journal tab, scroll through and look at the small note text on each card. You can also tap any card to open it and read the full note.
In summary
You can absolutely use MigraineMe for non-migraine headaches. Use the Migraine button to log them, and write the type in the notes. You will still gain real insight into your patterns.
This is general information only.
