Beyond The Pain

What if changing the way your nervous system responds to stress and pain could help you experience less suffering?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with chronic pain survivor, author and certified biofeedback practitioner Cindy Perlin about her remarkable journey from debilitating back pain to discovering the power of biofeedback and the mind-body connection.

Cindy shares how her life changed when she began to understand that fear, worry and emotional stress could influence her experience of pain. After years of unsuccessful treatments, she discovered biofeedback and learned how relaxation, self-awareness and changes in her physiological responses could support her recovery.

We explore why pain isn't always a reliable indicator of tissue damage, how the nervous system can amplify pain signals, and why understanding the relationship between thoughts, emotions and physical sensations can be an important part of overcoming persistent pain.

Cindy also discusses a separate fourteen-year struggle with foot pain, highlighting why chronic pain is complex and why psychological and physical factors both deserve consideration.

If you're living with persistent pain and feel frustrated by treatments that haven't worked, this conversation offers a different perspective on understanding pain and becoming an active participant in your recovery.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Cindy's personal journey through years of debilitating chronic back pain.

• How Norman Cousins' book changed her perspective on healing.

• What biofeedback is and how it can help people regulate physiological responses.

• The relationship between fear, stress, the nervous system and pain.

• Why pain is not always a direct measure of physical damage.

• How relaxation and self-awareness can influence pain perception.

• The importance of recognising potential physical contributors to persistent pain.

• Why a whole-person approach may offer more options for recovery.

Connect with Cindy Perlin

Alternative Pain Treatment Directory:
https://www.paintreatmentdirectory.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thetruthaboutchronicpaintreatments/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@PainTreatmentDirectory

Connect with Leigh Brandon

Beyond The Pain book:
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Book a consultation:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/beyondthepainpod/

🎁 ART NOVEMBER SPECIAL OFFER

If you're based near Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, you can book an Active Release Techniques (ART) session at my previous treatment rate until 30th November 2026.

Discount code: ARTNov

Book here:
https://bodychekschedule.as.me/ART1Hour

If you found this conversation valuable, please follow Beyond The Pain, share the episode with someone who may benefit, and leave a review to help more people discover a different approach to understanding persistent pain.

What if being diagnosed with a lifelong chronic illness didn't mean giving up hope of feeling healthy again?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with functional medicine health coach Jen Germain about her remarkable journey from being diagnosed with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis to transforming her health through nutrition, lifestyle changes and a more personalised approach to wellbeing.

In 2020, Jen was experiencing debilitating digestive symptoms, extreme fatigue, brain fog and joint pain. After being told she would likely need medication for the rest of her life, she began exploring functional medicine and working with a health coach to address the lifestyle factors that might be contributing to her symptoms.

By changing her diet, adopting an autoimmune protocol and focusing on her overall wellbeing, Jen experienced significant improvements in her energy, digestion and quality of life. She shares how she subsequently came off medication and has remained free from flare-ups according to her own account.

Together, Leigh and Jen explore the relationship between gut health, inflammation and persistent pain, the importance of personalised nutrition, and why taking an active role in your health can make such a difference.

Jen also explains how her experience inspired her to become a certified health coach, helping others navigate their own health challenges.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How Jen's Crohn's disease diagnosis changed her life.

• The connection between gut health, inflammation, fatigue and joint pain.

• Why Jen decided to explore functional medicine.

• How dietary and lifestyle changes affected her symptoms.

• The value of personalised health coaching and ongoing support.

• Why sustainable health improvements involve more than managing symptoms.

If you're living with persistent pain, digestive problems or chronic illness, this conversation offers a personal perspective on recovery, self-responsibility and the potential benefits of making meaningful lifestyle changes.

Connect with Jen Germain

Website: https://www.compasshealthcoachingllc.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifergermain/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compasshealthcoachingllc/

Connect with Leigh Brandon

Book — Beyond The Pain: https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Consult with Leigh: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthepainpod/

Disclaimer: This episode shares an individual's experience and is intended for educational purposes. Crohn's disease requires appropriate medical monitoring, and changes to prescribed medication should always be discussed with the treating healthcare team.

How the Hypothalamus Affects Chronic Pain, Hormones & Stress | Deborah Maragopoulos

Could a tiny part of your brain be playing a much bigger role in your chronic pain than you realise?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon is joined by Deborah Maragopoulos, an integrative family nurse practitioner and neuroendocrinology specialist known as the "Hormone Queen", to explore the fascinating relationship between the hypothalamus, hormones, stress and persistent pain.

Deborah shares her remarkable personal journey, beginning with the birth of her premature child and the challenges that inspired her to investigate the complexities of the hormonal system.

Together, Leigh and Deborah explore how the hypothalamus helps regulate the body's stress response, hormonal balance, metabolism and pain processing — and what might happen when these systems become disrupted.

They also discuss the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the relationship between chronic stress and pain sensitivity, and why understanding the connections between the brain, body and emotions may be important for people struggling with persistent pain.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• What the hypothalamus is and why it matters for pain.

• How the hypothalamus influences hormones and the body's stress response.

• Why pain is more complex than simply a response to tissue damage.

• The relationship between chronic stress, the HPA axis and persistent pain.

• How hypothalamic dysfunction may relate to conditions such as fibromyalgia.

• Why emotional health and lifestyle factors matter in understanding pain.

• The importance of a whole-person approach to pain recovery.

If you've been struggling with persistent pain and feel that there's more to your condition than you've been told, this conversation offers another perspective on the complex systems influencing your experience.

CONNECT WITH DEBORAH MARAGOPOULOS

Website: https://genesisgold.com/

Hypothalamus Handbook - https://genesisgold.com/books/hypothalamus-handbook/beyond

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deborahmaragopoulosfnp/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehormonequeen/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-maragopoulos-mn-fnp-422b8014

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTwDjUWkxsANSmh2wF5ltSg

CONNECT WITH LEIGH BRANDON

Book – Beyond The Pain (Paperback, Kindle & Audiobook):
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Consult with Leigh:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Podcast Website:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/podcast

ABOUT BEYOND THE PAIN

Beyond The Pain explores the deeper influences behind persistent pain, bringing together insights from science, clinical practice and personal experience to help people better understand their bodies and take an active role in recovery.

This episode is for educational purposes and does not replace individual medical advice.

What if persistent pain, fatigue and other unexplained symptoms aren’t simply signs that your body is damaged — but signs that your nervous system has become increasingly protective?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with Miguel Bautista, founder of CFS Recovery, about his extraordinary journey from being a highly driven 19-year-old personal trainer to becoming so unwell that he was bedridden, unable to feed himself and eventually admitted to hospital.

After years of appointments, investigations and treatments failed to provide answers, Miguel met a doctor who introduced him to the idea of a hypersensitive nervous system and neuroplasticity. That encounter completely changed the way he understood his symptoms — and became the starting point for his recovery.

Miguel and Leigh explore how fear, symptom monitoring, excessive Googling and constantly searching for the next diagnosis or treatment can sometimes reinforce a cycle of stress and symptoms. They also discuss why both pushing through symptoms and excessive rest can become problematic, and how gradually rebuilding activity may help people regain confidence in their bodies.

Miguel explains his concepts of “adjustment periods” and “progress cycles”, why a flare-up doesn’t necessarily mean someone has gone back to square one, and how education can help reduce the fear surrounding pain, increased heart rate, fatigue and other physical sensations.

They also discuss symptom rotation, Dr John Sarno’s “symptom imperative”, the importance of supportive communities, and why rebuilding trust in the body often begins with very small, manageable wins.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Miguel’s journey from personal trainer to becoming completely bedridden

• Why being told that his nervous system was hypersensitive gave him hope

• How fear can amplify pain and other physical symptoms

• The cycle between symptoms, fear, stress and further symptoms

• Why continually Googling symptoms can sometimes make recovery harder

• How to avoid the boom-and-bust cycle of doing too much and then completely resting

• Miguel’s “adjustment period” and “progress cycle” approach

• How gradually rebuilding activity can help restore trust in the body

Please note: Miguel’s approach is discussed in the context of people who have already undergone appropriate medical investigation to identify or rule out other causes for their symptoms.

Contact Miguel Bautista / CFS Recovery -

Website:
https://www.cfsrecovery.com

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/cfsrecovery

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguel-bautista-85a188a9/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@cfsrecovery

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@cfs.recovery

Contact Leigh Brandon -

Beyond The Pain book:
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme:
https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Consult with Leigh:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/beyondthepainpod/

What role does the vagus nerve play in chronic pain, nervous system regulation and our ability to recover?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with biomedical engineer and StarSplit founder Jon Hacker about the emerging world of vagus nerve stimulation and neuromodulation.

Jon shares how his own struggles with OCD and feeling unable to control his nervous system led him into the development of technology designed to influence nervous system function. He explains why his team moved from exploring direct brain stimulation towards the vagus nerve, and how they began investigating ultrasound as a non-invasive approach to neuromodulation.

The conversation also explores some of the bigger challenges surrounding medical research. Jon discusses why study design matters, why published research should not automatically be accepted at face value, and how funding structures, commercial interests and academic incentives can influence which treatments are investigated and how evidence is produced.

This episode offers a fascinating look at the intersection of chronic pain, nervous system regulation, neuroscience and emerging medical technology.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How the vagus nerve may influence chronic pain
• The relationship between nervous system dysregulation and persistent symptoms
• Why Jon became interested in neuromodulation
• Vagus nerve stimulation versus direct brain stimulation
• The emerging use of ultrasound in neuromodulation
• Problems with the quality and design of some medical research
• How research funding can influence scientific progress
• The future of neurotechnology for chronic pain and nervous system regulation

If you live with persistent pain, this conversation may help you better understand why pain involves far more than simply the area of the body where symptoms are felt.

Connect with Jon Hacker:

Website: https://zenbud.health/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zenbudhealth
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenbudhealth
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zenbudhealth
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-hacker/

Connect with Leigh Brandon:

Beyond The Pain — Book & Audiobook:
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Consult with Leigh:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/beyondthepainpod/

What if your pain is completely real, but the explanation you’ve been given for it is incomplete?

For decades, persistent musculoskeletal pain was largely viewed through a structural lens: if your back hurt, there must be something wrong with your back; if your neck hurt, the problem must be in your neck.

But modern pain neuroscience paints a much more complex picture.

In this solo episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon explores why pain cannot always be explained by tissue damage, scans or biomechanics alone. He looks at how the nervous system, stress, sleep, emotions, beliefs and our wider environment can all influence the pain experience.

You’ll also discover why two people with very similar findings on an MRI can experience dramatically different levels of pain, why symptoms can fluctuate depending on what is happening in your life, and why persistent pain does not necessarily mean that your body is continuing to suffer damage.

Importantly, adopting a broader mind-body understanding of pain does not mean ignoring pathology, dismissing symptoms or suggesting that pain is imaginary.

It means recognising that pain is a protective experience influenced by multiple systems within the body and brain.

Leigh also explores the enormous impact persistent pain can have on work, relationships, exercise, social connection and even a person’s sense of identity — and why understanding pain differently may open up new possibilities for recovery.

If you've been living with persistent pain and feel as though you've tried everything, this episode may help you start looking at your symptoms through a very different lens.

Beyond The Pain explores the physical, biochemical, neurological and emotional influences that can contribute to persistent pain — and what you can do to participate more actively in your recovery.

What if persistent pain is not merely something to eliminate, but also something we can learn to understand?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with movement analyst, choreographer and somatic educator Alexandra Beller about the relationship between chronic pain, physical sensations, emotions and identity.

Alexandra shares her journey from professional dancer to somatic educator and explains how movement became a way for her to better understand herself. Having lived with pain from multiple injuries, she also offers a deeply personal perspective on how persistent pain can influence the way we see our bodies, ourselves and the world around us.

Alexandra describes somatic work as a form of “couples therapy for the mind and body.” By slowing down and paying attention to physical sensations, we may begin to access information and feelings that the conscious mind has overlooked or struggled to process.

Leigh and Alexandra explore how pain can gradually become a filter through which we experience life—and why fighting, ignoring or resenting the painful part of ourselves may deepen the conflict within us.

Alexandra compares this part to a distressed toddler who needs patience, safety and understanding rather than criticism or rejection. This compassionate approach can help us rebuild trust with the body and develop a different relationship with persistent pain.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• What somatic work is and how it connects the body and mind

• How physical sensations can communicate emotional information

• Why persistent pain can become entwined with identity

• How fear, frustration and mistrust can affect our relationship with the body

• Why slowing down may help us recognise what our pain needs

• How movement can support self-awareness and emotional processing

• Why compassion can be more helpful than fighting against the body

• How rebuilding trust in your body may support the healing process

This conversation does not suggest that pain is imaginary or “all in your head.” Instead, it explores how physical, neurological and emotional experiences continually influence one another—and how listening to the body may provide another valuable path towards recovery.

CONNECT WITH ALEXANDRA BELLER

Website:
https://www.alexandrabellerdances.org

Online courses:
https://alexandrabellerdances.thinkific.com/collections

Anatomy of Art:
https://www.anatomy-of-art.com/

CONNECT WITH LEIGH

Beyond The Pain book:
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme:
https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Consult with Leigh:
https://bodychek.co.uk/consultation/

Can changing the way you breathe help you release stored emotions, regulate your nervous system and experience less pain?

Breathing is something we do automatically, yet intentional breathwork may influence our physical, mental and emotional state in powerful ways.

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh speaks with breathwork instructor Jon Paul Crimi about his unexpected introduction to breathwork, the profound experience that changed the direction of his life and why he now describes the practice as an “emotional gym”.

Jon Paul explains that breathwork is an umbrella term covering many different techniques—from calming practices such as box breathing to more intense forms of conscious connected breathing. He also discusses how different techniques affect the nervous system and may help people access emotions and past experiences that have remained beneath their conscious awareness.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How Jon Paul went from sceptic to breathwork instructor
• What happened during his first transformative session
• The differences between common breathwork techniques
• How breathing can influence the nervous system
• Why unresolved emotions may contribute to physical tension and pain
• How breathwork may help people safely access and process stored emotions
• Why Jon Paul describes breathwork as an emotional gym
• How regular practice may build emotional resilience
• Simple ways to begin exploring conscious breathing

This conversation does not suggest that all chronic pain is emotional. Pain is influenced by many interconnected physical, biochemical, neurological and emotional factors. However, for some people, breathwork may provide another valuable way to calm the nervous system, explore unresolved emotions and create a greater sense of safety within the body.

If you are living with chronic or persistent pain—or feel that stress, anxiety or unresolved emotions may be affecting your health—this episode offers a fascinating introduction to the potential of conscious breathing.

Find out more about Jon Paul:

Website: https://breathewithjp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonpaulcrimi/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breathewithjp/

Connect with Leigh:

Beyond The Pain book: https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme: https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Consult with Leigh: https://bodychek.co.uk/consultation

If you found this conversation helpful, please follow Beyond The Pain and share the episode with someone who may benefit.

Could nerve compression be an overlooked cause of persistent pain, neuropathy, numbness or tingling?

Many people experiencing nerve pain are told that their symptoms are simply caused by ageing, diabetes or irreversible nerve damage. In this episode of Beyond The Pain, peripheral nerve surgeon Dr Rick Jacoby offers a different perspective.

Dr Jacoby explains his Global Compression Theory: the idea that a combination of excess sugar, biochemical changes and physical trauma can contribute to peripheral nerve compression and dysfunction.

He discusses how nerves travel alongside blood vessels and the lymphatic system through narrow anatomical tunnels—and how glycation, nerve swelling and changes to the tissues surrounding a nerve may reduce the space available. This can potentially contribute to symptoms such as burning pain, numbness, tingling and altered sensation.

We explore:

• Why peripheral nerve compression may be overlooked in people with chronic pain and neuropathy
• The relationship between sugar, glycation and nerve health
• How the Maillard reaction may affect the tissues surrounding nerves
• How the polyol pathway can contribute to nerve swelling
• Why diabetes may increase the risk of nerve compression
• Carpal tunnel syndrome as an example of nerve compression
• The interaction between biochemical stress and physical trauma
• Why treating symptoms alone may fail to address the underlying problem
• The role of peripheral nerve surgery and regenerative medicine
• How diet and lifestyle may influence nerve health

Dr Jacoby’s work challenges the assumption that nerve pain must simply be accepted as an inevitable consequence of diabetes or ageing. Instead, he encourages us to examine the mechanical and biochemical factors that may be contributing to nerve irritation and compression.

This conversation is intended for education and does not replace personalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

CONNECT WITH DR RICK JACOBY

Website:
https://qstemcells.com

Special audience giveaway – Dr. Richard Jacoby:
https://rickjacoby.co

CONNECT WITH LEIGH

Beyond The Pain book:
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Beyond The Pain ebook:
https://amzn.to/4y0lH78

Beyond The Pain audiobook:
https://amzn.to/4wR7YOo

Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme:
https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Consult with Leigh:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Why do so many chronic pain treatments provide temporary relief, only for the pain to return?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with Dr. Sean Altman about why persistent pain often requires a much broader approach than simply treating the area that hurts.

After experiencing multiple injuries as a competitive ice hockey player—including concussions, migraines, vertigo and brain fog—Dr. Altman discovered the limitations of treating symptoms in isolation. His search for more complete answers led him to develop an approach he calls orthopedic functional medicine, combining traditional orthopedic care with functional medicine principles.

Sean explains why the painful area is not necessarily where the problem began, how weaknesses or imbalances elsewhere in the body can contribute to injury, and why the nervous system may continue generating or amplifying pain after the original tissues have healed.

You’ll discover:

• Why chronic pain treatments sometimes deliver only temporary relief
• What orthopedic functional medicine means
• Why the location of pain may not reveal its underlying cause
• How different systems within the body influence one another
• How chronic pain can change the nervous system
• The role of neuromodulation, biofeedback and frequency-specific microcurrent
• How manual therapy, laser therapy and shockwave therapy may support recovery
• Why treatment must be personalised to create more durable results
• What practitioners and patients can do to reduce the likelihood of pain returning

If you have tried multiple treatments without achieving lasting relief, this conversation may help you understand why—and show you a different way of approaching recovery.

Listen now to discover why lasting change may require treating the whole person, not simply the painful body part.

Please follow Beyond The Pain and share this episode with someone who may benefit from hearing it.

Find Sean at:

https://www.drseanaltman.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sean-altman/
https://www.facebook.com/sean.altman.9
https://www.instagram.com/dr.sean.altman/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576449047639

Find Leigh at:

Beyond the Pain - https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg
Beyond The Pain ebook - https://amzn.to/4y0lH78
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme - https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Pain-Free Plate Free Guide - ⁠https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/⁠

Consult with Leigh - ⁠https://www.bodychek.co.uk/⁠consultation