| The current headache was present during childhood |
Secondary headaches are uncommon in childhood and common secondary causes in childhood (viral, post-trauma) do not usually persist. |
| The headache is temporally related to the menstrual cycle |
Menstrually related migraine is common, and the probability of a migraine during the first three days of the menstrual cycle is elevated. |
| The patient has headache-free days |
Most primary headache disorders are intermittent, whereas secondary causes (excepting brain tumours) are less commonly so, and secondary causes are less commonly associated with an identifiable trigger. |
| Close family members have the same headache type |
Migraine and cluster headache can be inherited, and so the presence of a family history is supportive of the diagnosis. |
