The authors have found it difficult to be confronted by a new headache patient who comes bearing a large stack of unselected and largely irrelevant past medical records, CT and MRI scans and X-rays. Combined with a rambling tangential history, the forty-five minutes typically allotted for a new patient are rendered pathetically inadequate. To maximize the benefit to be obtained from your visit, come to your visit armed with the following:

1. A completed headache questionnaire and list of previous headache therapies (Appendixes 3 and 5).

2. A headache diary that pertains to the last thirty days (Appendix 4); from this you should be able to calculate your headache frequency/severity profile (ie total headache days per month/functionally incapacitating headache days per month).

3. Copies of the reports of any brain or neck imaging studies you have had (MRI scans, CT scans, cervical spine X-rays); ideally you should bring the brain scans themselves as well, either the originals that can be loaned to you or copies of those originals.

4. Copies of hospital discharge summaries from any headache-related hospitalizations.

5. If you have seen a physician in the past specifically for the complaint of headache, it may be helpful to bring a copy of that physician's initial report; if your headache questionnaire is complete and accurate, however, it rarely will help to bring additional records (e.g. copies of notes from your follow-up visits).