A Simple Guide to Measure your MIDAS & MSQ Scores at Home

Migraines are intense, recurring headaches that can disrupt daily life, sometimes for days at a stretch. Some people experience migraine with aura, where they get warning signs like flashing lights, blind spots, or tingling before the headache begins. Others have migraine without aura, where the migraine comes on suddenly, often with throbbing pain, nausea, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.

Someone suffering from migraines would know how unpredictable and draining migraines can be. It can cause us to miss work, skip social events, or simply feel unlike ourselves. Yet, most people live through them without actually tracking how much they’re affecting their day-to-day life.

That’s where two simple self-assessment tools come in: 

• MIDAS (Migraine Disability Assessment)

• MSQ (Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire)

These tools are commonly used by doctors and researchers, but they’re just as helpful for anyone trying to understand and manage their migraines better. The best part? There’s no need for a clinic or a doctor’s appointment, as both can be measured right at home, in just a few minutes.

MIDAS helps measure how many days in the past 3 months were negatively affected by one’s migraines. It is like a way to quantify the “disruption” migraines have caused in one’s life, whether it be at work, at home, or in social life.

To calculate the MIDAS score, all that needs to be done is to answer five simple questions about how many days migraines stopped or reduced one’s ability to function in different areas of life.

Here’s how to do it:

Step 1

Step 2

This scoring system helps understand the degree to which migraines are affecting someone’s life, not just how often they occur. Even if someone gets migraines a few times a month, a high MIDAS score indicates that those few days are seriously affecting their ability to function.

While MIDAS tells how often migraines can impact a day, the MSQ focuses on how deeply they interfere with the daily functioning and emotional well-being of a person. MSQ looks at the last 4 weeks and evaluates three broad areas: 

• Role function-restrictive (daily activity limitations)

• Role function-preventive (how often migraines prevent activity altogether)

• Emotional function

The MSQ questionnaire includes 14 questions designed to assess how migraines impact various aspects of a person’s daily life. Each question is rated on a scale that reflects how frequently the individual felt affected, ranging from “none of the time” to “all of the time.” The questions are straightforward and cover common, relatable experiences.  

• How often did migraines stop you from doing your usual activities?

• How often did you avoid social activities because of migraine?

• How often did you feel frustrated or helpless due to migraines?

Each response is given a score from 1 to 6:

• 1 = None of the time

• 2 = A little of the time

• 3 = Some of the time

• 4 = A good bit of the time

• 5 = Most of the time

• 6 = All of the time

Add the scores across all 14 questions. A higher total means a greater negative impact on one’s quality of life. While there’s no official cut-off for “severe,” noticing a lot of 5s and 6s should prompt consideration of better migraine care strategies.

The MSQ is not just limited to physical pain, but it also shows how migraines are affecting energy levels, mood swings, social interactions, and the ability to keep up with everyday life.

The key to getting value from the MIDAS and MSQ is consistency. It doesn’t require daily evaluation, but just has to be part of one’s daily routine. Here’s how it can be tracked easily:

• For MIDAS, assess the score every 3 months (once per quarter).

• For MSQ, you can score yourself once a month.

The scores have to be recorded in a notebook or migraine diary. Everythings need to be recorded on time to see the trends over time. 

One might notice, for instance, that after improving sleep habits or starting a new routine, their MSQ scores drop or MIDAS numbers shrink. That’s powerful feedback, indicating that something in the new approach is working.

Measuring MIDAS and MSQ scores isn’t just about documentation — it offers a window into how migraines are genuinely impacting an individual’s daily life. This insight empowers more informed decisions, whether it involves exploring treatment options, making dietary or lifestyle adjustments, or collaborating with a healthcare provider for improved outcomes. 

Many have reported positive results after incorporating medical cannabis formulations along with breathing exercises and other natural remedies. Moreover, for those already following therapies such as yoga, mindfulness and herbal treatments, regularly tracking these scores can help identify what’s truly making a difference.

Migraines are deeply personal, with their impact varying significantly from one individual to another. Fortunately, there's no need to rely on guesswork to assess their severity. Tools such as MIDAS (Migraine Disability Assessment) and MSQ (Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire) offer a structured and reliable way to understand and manage migraine patterns more effectively.

Starting is simple. Set aside just 10 minutes to calculate these scores, and repeat the process monthly or quarterly. Even small, consistent steps like these can lead to meaningful improvements in overall quality of life.