Many people in the St. Louis metro spend long stretches at a desk, in a car, or in front of a monitor after a knock to the head or a car crash. A headache that comes and goes through the workday can be hard to describe later. This note offers a plain way to record your sitting time so you have something concrete to bring to your visit.
Sitting does not cause a diagnosis by itself, and this log cannot tell you what is wrong. It only gives an examiner a record of what you did and how you felt while you did it.
What to write down
Each time you sit down for a block of work, write the start time, the end time, and where you were. Note whether your chair had back support, whether the screen sat at eye level, and whether you spent much of the block turning your head to look at a second monitor, a phone, or paper on the desk. Keep each entry short. One line per block is enough.
Then note what happened during the block. Did the headache start, grow, ease, or stay the same? Did your neck feel tight, stiff, or fine? Did you notice any change in your balance, your vision, or your ability to focus on the work? Write what you noticed in your own words, and leave out any word you are unsure of.
Breaks and what they did
Breaks belong in the record too. Write down when you stood up, walked, or changed position, and how long you stayed up. Then note the next time you checked how your head felt. If a break seemed to help, write that. If it did nothing, write that as well. Both answers are useful, and a log that shows only the good moments is not an honest one.
Some people find it helpful to set a phone timer for breaks during the first week and then note whether they actually took them. A timer is only a reminder. Missed breaks are part of the record, and they can explain why a long day felt worse than the one before.
Keeping the log readable
Use a notebook, a note app, or a sheet of paper taped to the desk. Date each day at the top. Use the same few words each time so patterns are easier to spot at a glance. For example, you might use 'start,' 'stop,' 'eased,' 'worse,' or 'same.' Write in plain sentences rather than clinical language. The goal is to be understood, not to sound like a chart.
At the end of each workday, spend two minutes reading the entries. Circle anything that surprised you. Do not rewrite earlier notes. If you remember something later, add it as a new entry with the time you wrote it. A record that shows its own edits is easier for an examiner to trust.
If your schedule changes, make a note of it on the day it changes. Office days, home days, days with a lot of driving, and days with heavy lifting can all look different on the page. A week with a new deadline or a longer commute belongs in the log just as much as a sore afternoon does.
What to bring to your visit
Bring the log, even if it looks messy. Examiners often want to know the rough hours you spent sitting, how long a block lasted, and whether breaks changed how you felt. You can say which days were office days and which were home days, and whether your job involves driving or lifting. If your workplace changed your desk, your chair, or your hours after the event, write down the date of the change.
Keep the log private unless you choose to share it. Make a copy of the dated entries and store it with your other notes about the event, so the record stays together in one place. Bring the original too, so you can point to specific days when you are asked.
When to get checked
A desk log cannot replace an examination. If your headache worsens over several days, or if you notice new weakness, confusion, trouble speaking, changes in vision, or anything that worries you, contact a medical professional promptly. For sudden or severe symptoms, seek emergency care right away. This page is educational only. It does not diagnose or treat any condition, and it is not a substitute for care from a licensed provider.