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The Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire measures headache-related disability over the past 3 months to guide treatment decisions.
Please answer the following questions about the last 3 months (90 days). Enter the number of days for each question.
Additional Questions (not included in MIDAS score):
| Score | Grade | Disability Level | Treatment Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-5 | Grade I | Little or none | Acute treatment as needed |
| 6-10 | Grade II | Mild | Optimize acute treatment |
| 11-20 | Grade III | Moderate | Consider preventive therapy |
| ≥21 | Grade IV | Severe | Preventive therapy recommended |
The Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) is a validated questionnaire developed to quantify headache-related disability. It was created to help healthcare providers assess the impact of headaches on a patient's life and to guide treatment decisions. The questionnaire focuses on three major areas of functioning: work/school, household work, and social/leisure activities.
The MIDAS score represents the total number of days of lost or reduced productivity over a 3-month period:
Questions A and B are not included in the MIDAS score but provide valuable clinical information:
Complete MIDAS every 3 months or when starting a new treatment to track your progress. Regular assessment helps you and your healthcare provider evaluate treatment effectiveness and make necessary adjustments. If starting preventive therapy, MIDAS should be completed before treatment and again after 3-6 months to measure response.
A MIDAS score of 11 or higher (Grade III or IV) suggests moderate to severe disability and indicates that preventive therapy should be considered. However, the decision to start preventive treatment should be made with your healthcare provider, considering factors like headache frequency, medication overuse risk, and quality of life impact.
MIDAS was specifically developed and validated for migraine, but it can be used to assess disability from other headache types including tension-type headaches and cluster headaches. The questionnaire measures functional impact regardless of headache type, making it a useful tool for any chronic headache condition.
If you don't work or attend school, enter "0" for questions 1 and 2. The MIDAS questionnaire still assesses disability through household work and social activities in questions 3-5. These questions provide valuable information about headache impact even if you're not in the workforce or enrolled in school.
MIDAS measures lost days of productivity (disability) over 3 months, while HIT-6 measures the impact of headaches on daily life over the past 4 weeks. MIDAS is more useful for determining need for preventive therapy, while HIT-6 provides a snapshot of current headache burden. Both are valuable tools that can be used together for comprehensive assessment.
For questions about missed days (1, 3, 5), count only full days missed. For questions about reduced productivity (2, 4), count days where your productivity was reduced by at least 50%. If you had several partial days that together equal a full day, you can count that as one day. Be as accurate as possible while keeping the assessment practical.
Bring your MIDAS score, responses to all questions including A and B, and any headache diary or tracking information you have. Also note which treatments you've tried, their effectiveness, and any side effects. This comprehensive information helps your provider make informed treatment recommendations tailored to your specific situation.
Yes, effective treatment should reduce your MIDAS score by decreasing headache frequency, severity, or both. Studies show that successful preventive therapies can significantly lower MIDAS scores, often moving patients from Grade IV to Grade II or I. Repeat MIDAS assessments every 3 months help document treatment success and guide ongoing management.
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