Pain scales are widely used as pain indicators by the medical profession. In order to help those around you understand your pain, it's a good idea to adopt this method shown below, it starts at 0 and finishes at 10.

You can adopt this method, or make one of your own, so that you can communicate to your partner, parents, family and even your friends, how you are feeling in terms of headache at that time. In time when they and you, are familiar with the pain method, when you say you've a number 10 headache, they'll understand how bad it is, always keep the communication open when it comes to your IIH, it not only helps your nearest and dearest to understand, but it relieves you of the stress of constantly repeating things, and feeling like you have to justify your IIH.

It will also help you when you see your Neurosurgeon who will immediately understand what you mean when you say " I have a scale 9 headache", and will be able to identify with what you're trying to convey.

This is how it works

No Pain = 0
Mild Pain = 2>3
Moderate Pain = 5
Severe Pain = 7>9
Unbearable Pain = 10


The more you use this, the more naturally everyone around you will come to recognise the grade of your headaches.


Download this handy Pain-tracking Diary from asktheneurologist.com

This is the way it works

0 = No pain
1 = Slight Pain
2 = Moderate Pain
3 = Severe & Unbearable Pain