MIDAS calculator: migraine disability score

MIDAS (Migraine Disability Assessment) counts the days headaches took from your work, home and social life over the last 3 months. Neurologists use the score to judge how much migraine affects you and whether preventive treatment is worth discussing.

1. On how many days in the last 3 months did you miss work or school because of your headaches?

2. How many days in the last 3 months was your productivity at work or school reduced by half or more because of your headaches? Do not count days from question 1.

3. On how many days in the last 3 months did you not do household work because of your headaches?

4. How many days in the last 3 months was your productivity in household work reduced by half or more because of your headaches? Do not count days from question 3.

5. On how many days in the last 3 months did you miss family, social or leisure activities because of your headaches?

A. On how many days in the last 3 months did you have a headache? (not scored)

B. On a scale of 0–10, on average how painful were these headaches? (not scored)

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What the grades mean

Grade	Score	Meaning
I	0–5	Little or no disability
II	6–10	Mild disability
III	11–20	Moderate disability
IV	21+	Severe disability

How to answer well

Count days, not attacks: one long attack over two workdays is two days.
Use your diary or calendar if you have one; guesses from memory tend to undercount.
Questions A and B are not part of the score, but your doctor will want them too.

Also count your painkiller days

Taking acute headache medicine on too many days can keep headaches going. Medication days counter →

Source

Stewart WF et al. Development and testing of the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) Questionnaire. Neurology 2001;56(6 Suppl 1):S20–8.

This calculator helps you prepare for an appointment. It is not a diagnosis. Your clinician may use a validated version of the questionnaire.