How the MIDAS score is graded
Only questions 1 to 5 are added up. Questions A and B are not scored: they tell your doctor how often your headaches happen and how strong they are, which helps put the score in context.1
How to get an accurate score
MIDAS asks you to remember three months, and memory is the weak spot: bad days blur together and good days are forgotten. Answers are most accurate when they come from a diary. Count days from your records rather than from how the last few weeks felt.
That is what MigNo was built for. You log an attack in about 20 seconds, even in the middle of it, and MigNo fills in questions A and B from your diary, so you only answer the five questions about missed days. The score goes into a one page report for your doctor, next to your attack calendar and medication history.
What to do with your result
Bring the score to your next appointment, ideally with a record of your attacks and the medications you took. A higher grade is a signal that headaches are taking a real toll on your life, and that is worth a dedicated conversation about treatment, including prevention. Taking MIDAS again in 3 months shows whether anything changed.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal MIDAS score?
There is no normal score. A score of 0 to 5 (Grade I) means minimal or infrequent disability. Grades III and IV (11 or more) mean headaches are taking a significant toll and are worth a dedicated conversation with your doctor.
Do questions A and B count toward the score?
No. Only questions 1 to 5 are added up. Questions A (days with headache) and B (average pain from 0 to 10) give your doctor context about frequency and severity.
How often should I take the MIDAS questionnaire?
It covers the last 3 months, so taking it before each appointment, or every 3 months, lets you and your doctor see whether a treatment is changing the impact of your headaches.
Is a MIDAS score a diagnosis?
No. MIDAS measures how much headaches affect your daily life. It does not diagnose migraine or any other condition. Use it to start a conversation with your doctor.
This calculator helps you prepare for a conversation with your doctor and is not medical advice. Your answers are calculated in your browser and are not stored or sent anywhere. If you have a sudden severe headache, a headache with fever, stiff neck, confusion, weakness or vision loss, seek emergency care.
Sources
- MIDAS Questionnaire © Innovative Medical Research 1997. Stewart WF, Lipton RB, Dowson AJ, Sawyer J. Development and testing of the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) Questionnaire to assess headache related disability. Neurology. 2001;56(6 Suppl 1):S20–S28.