Should your doctor give you tests?

Quite often, when I get into a conversation about my migraine symptoms with someone, the conversation comes around to tests.  What tests has the doctor given you?  Have you ever had a CAT scan?  Blood tests?  Have you ever been tested for this or that disorder or disease?

Of course, if you know the nature of migraine diagnosis, you’ll know that most often it’s a matter of simply being honest with your doctor.  And, of course, it’s a matter of your doctor being properly informed about migraine disease.  She’ll ask you a series of questions, partly to rule out other causes and partly to see if you fit in a typical migraine profile.  Tools such as ID Migraine use a series of questions to help diagnose migraine.

So this raises another question – are tests ever really required for migraine?  When?  Why?  Well, to read a quick overview of how why and when you may be tested, check out the section entitled Are any tests needed? [link no longer available] at Headache Network Canada.  Click the links on the left hand side for answers to various questions.