Egilius L.H. Spierings, MD, PhD
Misdiagnosis, unnecessary procedures, and missed answers: why headache and face pain are often treated incorrectly
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, April 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Headache and face pain are among the most commonly misunderstood conditions in medicine, often leading to incorrect diagnoses, unnecessary procedures, and prolonged suffering. According to neurologist and pharmacologist Dr. Egilius L.H. Spierings, the true cause is frequently overlooked.
“Headache and face pain are not always what they appear to be,” says Spierings. “Patients are often treated for sinus issues, nerve conditions, or dental problems when the true cause lies elsewhere. That misunderstanding can lead to ineffective treatment and, in some cases, serious consequences.”
Headache disorders affect nearly 40% of the global population, according to the World Health Organization, making them one of the most common neurological conditions worldwide. In the United States alone, migraine impact an estimated 39 million people, reinforcing the widespread nature of the issue.
Frequently attributed to sinus infections, dental problems, or nerve damage, face pain can stem from overlooked factors, leading many patients down the wrong path of treatment. This disconnect delays relief, often resulting in unnecessary procedures and prolonged suffering.
“Many people don’t understand the root cause of headache or face pain, and neither do most doctors,” Spierings explains. “There can be a wide range of underlying causes. That is why I specialize in a whole-body approach to diagnosis and treatment.”
In his book, Headaches: Why You Have Them, What You Can Do About Them, Spierings challenges conventional thinking about headache management and explores the underlying mechanisms of headache and face pain. The book takes a holistic approach, examining how lifestyle and overall health patterns contribute to persistent pain in the head or face.
“My book addresses headache from a broad perspective because the source is often not what people think,” Spierings says. “Teeth clenching and grinding can play a major role in face pain, yet patients are frequently misdiagnosed and may even undergo unnecessary procedures like tooth extractions.”
He adds that some of the most effective remedies are frequently ignored.
“Often, the best remedy for a person is sleep,” Spierings says. “Many people feel that they are too stressed when, in fact, they are suffering from fatigue and simply need more rest. I address the importance of sleep in my book. Blood work can also detect underlying issues affecting the body as a whole that may contribute to headache in general .”
One of the most common yet overlooked causes of face pain, according to Spierings, is temporomandibular disorder (TMD), a condition linked to jaw muscle tension, clenching, and grinding. Temporomandibular disorders affect an estimated 5% to 12% of the population, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, yet the condition is frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed, leaving patients without effective treatment.
“I’ve seen patients end up getting teeth pulled when that is not the answer,” Spierings says. “They get one tooth pulled and then another, and the source is still not found. In some cases, treatments such as Botox in the jaw muscles can provide relief. When we look beyond surface symptoms and consider the full picture, we can arrive at more accurate diagnoses and better outcomes.”
Readers have praised Spierings’ book, with one noting, “Living with migraines has meant years of missed events, rescheduled plans, and apologies. What I needed was someone to help me understand what was happening so I could manage it better, and that’s exactly what this book delivers.” — Jelani
About Egilius L.H. Spierings, MD, PhD
Egilius L.H. Spierings, MD, PhD, is a neurologist specializing in headache and face pain and a pharmacologist with extensive experience developing migraine medications. He has held academic positions at Harvard Medical School and Tufts University Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine and currently serves as medical director of the Greater Boston Headache Center and MedVadis Research at Boston Advanced Medicine in Waltham, Massachusetts.
To learn more, visit: https://www.help4headache.com/
Egilius L.H. Spierings is available for interviews.
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