If you suffer from migraines, you’ve probably heard the recommendation to keep a migraine journal. But what should you write down in your journal? And who keeps a journal anymore? Before you give up on tracking your migraines, we’d like to share with you this list of 7 apps that can help you to do things like track your triggers, share information with healthcare providers, and predict when migraines will occur. The best part is, all of these apps are free to download (although some of them have premium pay versions). They are also all available for both Android and iOS.

After we consider these 7 apps and how you may use them, we’re also going to look at a natural way to relieve migraines. Don’t forget to share your app information when you see the doctor!

#1 Migraine Buddy

One really nice thing about Migraine Buddy is that you can track your prodrome symptoms (the symptoms that occur in the 24 hours leading up to a migraine). You can also keep track of how often your migraines occur, how long they last, and the exact location of the pain. A great feature is the ability to track treatments. This can help you to see what works for you.

#2 Migraine Coach

This app has two big advantages that are not paired together in many other apps. First, you get predictive warnings and preventive suggestions. The app helps you to identify triggers and provides recommendations for reducing migraine frequency. It also predicts when your next migraine may occur based on factors that led up to previous migraines. Second, the app is designed to easily share reports with your doctor. This can help with diagnosis and treatment.

#3 iMigraine

This is one of the apps that has a free and paid version. On the plus side, this app is one of the most intuitive and easy to use of the bunch. On the downside, some of the tracking capabilities are limited unless you are willing to cough up the $4.99 for the pro version. At least you get to try it out for free.

#4 Migraine eDiary

This is a great migraine diary app that captures all the right information. You can record the frequency, duration, and triggers for each migraine. You can even keep track of some of your other symptoms. The primary downside is that this app really is just an electronic diary. It doesn’t do much else and some people find the small font tough to read.

#5 iHeadache

If you suffer from frequent headaches, you will appreciate the calendar feature on this app which can really help you to grasp how much of an effect headaches are having on your life. The downside is that this is really just a headache tracker and doesn’t record a lot of the additional information that is important to migraineurs who suffer from far more symptoms than head pain.

#6 Medzam Headache Migraine Symptom Checker

This app just about does it all. You get to track the scope of your condition, but you also have the benefits of predictive capabilities. Unfortunately, it does leave out the ability to track some of the symptoms that other migraine trackers offer. On the plus side, it’s not only completely free but also doesn’t contain any ads.

#7 Relax Melodies

Okay so this one isn’t actually a migraine tracker, but it’s a nice bonus app for migraineurs. First of all, it is completely free. Second, while there isn’t a lot of research to corroborate sound therapy for migraines and stress, a lot of people swear by this app’s benefits. It’s a worth a shot considering the fact that it is free. If it helps you to relax and sleep, you may get migraine benefits since stress and a lack of sleep are both common migraine triggers.

A Natural Way to Relieve Migraines

While sound therapy may help combat a couple of migraine triggers, you’re going to want something that goes deeper and gets right to the source of many migraines. This is where upper cervical chiropractic care comes into play. How does upper cervical alignment play a role in migraines?

• Blood flow – The cervical spine facilitates blood flow to the brain. A misalignment can slow down this flow resulting in the conditions that can cause migraines.
• Brainstem function – Researchers have also linked migraines with brainstem function. A misaligned atlas (C1) can affect brainstem function because it houses the area where the brainstem meets the spinal cord.
• Intracranial pressure – A misaligned atlas can affect cerebrospinal fluid drainage. If this vital fluid can’t drain properly, it may cause pressure to build up that can lead to migraines and other neurological issues.

It is also important to note that as many as 75% of migraineurs report neck pain as a symptom of either migraines or the migraine prodrome. This makes sense considering how often migraines spring from misalignments in the top bones of the neck. It is particularly common when migraines begin after a head or neck injury, even a seemingly minor one.

If you have a history of head or neck trauma, or if you occasionally experience neck pain in connection with your migraines, we encourage you to seek out an upper cervical chiropractor in your area. You may find that just one or two precise and gentle adjustments provide significant improvement. In fact, you may decide you can delete your migraine tracking app to clear up some space on your smartphone.

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