Loading Calculator...
Please wait a moment
Please wait a moment
The Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) measures how headaches affect your ability to function in daily life over the past 4 weeks.
Please answer the following 6 questions about how headaches have affected you over the past 4 weeks.
| Score Range | Impact Level | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ≤49 | Little to no impact | Headaches have minimal effect on life |
| 50-55 | Some impact | Moderate effect on daily functioning |
| 56-59 | Substantial impact | Significant disability from headaches |
| ≥60 | Severe impact | Very severe disability from headaches |
The Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) is a validated, 6-item questionnaire designed to measure the impact headaches have on your ability to function at work, school, home, and in social situations. It assesses the past 4 weeks and provides a snapshot of current headache burden. The HIT-6 is widely used in clinical practice and research to evaluate treatment effectiveness.
Each of the 6 questions is answered using one of 5 response options:
The scores are summed to produce a total between 36 and 78. Higher scores indicate greater impact on daily life.
HIT-6 is often used alongside other headache assessment tools:
Complete HIT-6 monthly or when starting new treatments to track changes over time. The 4-week timeframe makes it ideal for regular monitoring. Some patients complete it before each healthcare visit to provide current information about headache impact. More frequent assessment may be helpful when adjusting treatments.
A score of 56 or higher (substantial to severe impact) suggests you should consult a healthcare provider about your headaches. Even with lower scores, if your headaches are worsening, increasing in frequency, or changing in character, you should seek medical evaluation. Any new severe headache warrants immediate medical attention.
HIT-6 was validated for adults and adolescents aged 12 and older. For younger children, parental reporting may be necessary, but the questions should be adapted to age-appropriate activities. Alternative pediatric-specific headache assessment tools may be more appropriate for children under 12 years old.
A change of 5 points or more is considered clinically meaningful. An increase of 5+ points suggests worsening impact and may indicate need for treatment adjustment. A decrease of 5+ points suggests improvement and that current treatment is effective. Smaller changes may reflect normal variation and may not require action.
HIT-6 measures current headache impact over 4 weeks using a quality-of-life approach, while MIDAS measures lost productivity over 3 months. HIT-6 is more sensitive to short-term changes and emotional/cognitive impacts, while MIDAS focuses on disability and lost time. Both provide valuable but different perspectives on headache burden.
If you haven't had any headaches in the past 4 weeks, answer based on how headaches affect you when they do occur. If you typically have headaches but had none during this 4-week period due to successful treatment, this represents meaningful improvement. Note this on your assessment when discussing with your healthcare provider.
Include all headaches that are part of your primary headache condition (e.g., all migraines if you have migraine disorder). If you have multiple distinct headache types, you may want to complete separate HIT-6 assessments for each type and discuss this with your healthcare provider. However, for most people, including all headaches provides the most accurate picture of overall impact.
Effective acute medications, preventive therapies (medications, Botox, CGRP antibodies), lifestyle modifications, trigger avoidance, stress management, regular exercise, good sleep hygiene, and behavioral therapies can all improve HIT-6 scores. The most effective approach usually combines multiple strategies tailored to your specific situation and headache pattern.
Assess migraine-related disability
Track migraine frequency and patterns
Evaluate stress impact on health
Screen for depression severity
Assess anxiety disorder severity
Calculate body mass index