
Migraine specialist says patients are being overlooked as researchers focus too heavily on brain imaging and biomarkers.
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, May 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As new brain imaging research seeks to redefine migraine subtypes using MRI scans and neurological biomarkers, headache-and-face-pain expert Egilius L.H. Spierings, MD, PhD, says modern medicine may be placing too much emphasis on imaging technology, while overlooking one of the most important diagnostic tools available: the patient.
A recent study published by Stanford Medicine and reported by Medical Xpress suggested that functional MRI scans may help identify biological subtypes of migraine and improve treatment decisions. While the findings have generated attention within the medical community, Dr. Spierings says the conversation raises broader concerns about how migraine patients are evaluated and treated.
“Migraine affects about 15% of the world population, roughly one in seven people,” says Dr. Spierings. “Many disorders in medicine are diagnosed and treated based on the patient’s description of symptoms, and there is nothing wrong with that, as long as we truly listen to what patients are telling us.”
