Beyond The Pain

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 

Can neck dysfunction cause migraines and chronic headaches—even when you don’t feel significant neck pain?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with Dr Jono Taves, a physical therapist, headache specialist and founder of the Novera Headache Center, about the frequently overlooked connection between the neck, migraines and persistent headaches.

When pain appears behind the eye, across the temple or inside the head, it is understandable to assume that the problem originates there. But when scans and neurological investigations fail to reveal a clear cause, could the pain actually be referred from the neck?

Jono explains how dysfunction within the upper cervical spine can contribute to headache and migraine symptoms, why the brain may misinterpret where pain is coming from and how neck problems can remain undetected during conventional headache assessments.

Leigh and Jono discuss:

• Why pain felt in the head may originate in the neck
• The relationship between neck dysfunction, migraines and chronic headaches
• Why MRI and CT scans may not reveal the source of someone’s symptoms
• How previous injuries, trauma and accumulated physical stress can affect the neck
• Why some migraine sufferers have neck dysfunction without obvious neck pain
• The limitations of continually managing symptoms without investigating their cause
• How specialist physical therapy may help reduce headache frequency and severity
• The influence of posture, prolonged sitting and screen use
• How psychological stress can increase muscular tension and aggravate symptoms
• Practical ways to improve neck health and support headache recovery

This conversation will be especially valuable if you experience recurring migraines, persistent headaches, neck or shoulder pain, or symptoms that have continued despite medication and conventional treatment. It may also help those whose headaches began following a sports injury, concussion, whiplash or other physical trauma.

This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Persistent, severe, sudden or changing headaches should always be assessed by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

JONO’S DETAILS

Novera Headache Center:
https://www.noveraheadachecenter.com

The Headache Doctor Podcast on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@theheadachedoctor

The Headache Doctor Podcast on Buzzsprout:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1343245

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

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@theheadachedoctor

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

LEIGH’S DETAILS

Beyond The Pain book:
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/

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

Why does pain sometimes persist—even after an injury has healed?

In this episode, Leigh speaks with physicist, educator and pain specialist Dr Zoa Conner about the complex nature of persistent pain. They explore why pain is more than a purely physical experience and how muscular imbalances, nutrition, stress, emotions and the nervous system may all influence how pain is experienced.

Zoa explains her systems optimisation approach: instead of viewing pain as an isolated symptom, she looks at the interconnected factors that may be keeping the body in a protective state.

In this conversation, you’ll discover:

• Why pain should be understood as a protective message
• How persistent pain can have multiple contributing factors
• The potential roles of posture, muscular imbalance and weakness
• How stress and emotional tension may affect physical symptoms
• Why nutrition matters for healing and nervous-system health
• How mindful awareness can change your relationship with pain
• Ways to reintroduce gentle movement without forcing through symptoms
• Why exploring root causes may be more effective than focusing only on pain relief

If you’re living with persistent pain and feel confused, frustrated or let down by symptom-focused approaches, this conversation offers a broader and more hopeful way to understand what may be happening.

CONNECT WITH ZOA

Take Zoa’s quiz:
https://intentional-vitality.com/quiz/

Next retreat—Montreal, October 2026:
https://intentional-vitality.com/montreal-oct-2026/

Zen and Vitality online and in-person wellness studio:
https://www.zenandvitality.com/

CONNECT WITH LEIGH

Beyond the Pain—paperback:
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/

Download the free Pain-Free Plate guide:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/

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

Please follow or subscribe to the show and share this episode with someone who needs a new perspective on persistent pain.

Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult an appropriately qualified healthcare professional about symptoms or changes to your health.

Allie Chandler went from being fit, active and adventurous to experiencing severe widespread pain and spending almost two years largely confined to bed.

Her symptoms began suddenly following a backpacking trip in the Swiss Alps. After years of searching for answers, Allie was diagnosed with Lyme disease and co-infections. However, receiving a diagnosis was only the beginning of a long and often unpredictable recovery journey.

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Allie shares the physical, emotional and social impact of living with debilitating persistent pain. She discusses her experience with functional medicine, environmental triggers—including exposure to black mould—and the different approaches she explored while trying to restore her health.

We also explore the turning point in Allie’s recovery: recognising the role of her nervous system, mindset and identification with illness. Through limbic-system retraining, emotional work and daily practices designed to change her brain’s response to perceived threats, Allie gradually began reclaiming her health and her life.

Today, Allie considers herself 98% recovered. Her story offers hope, encouragement and practical insights for anyone who feels trapped by pain, illness or repeated setbacks.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Allie went from competitive sport and boxing to being largely bed-bound
• The long search for an explanation for her widespread symptoms
• Her Lyme disease and co-infection diagnoses
• Functional medicine, detoxification and organ support
• How black-mould exposure contributed to a significant setback
• The relationship between stress, the nervous system and persistent symptoms
• Limbic-system retraining and neuroplasticity
• Moving beyond a victim mentality and an illness-based identity
• The daily habits that helped Allie rebuild her health
• Why setbacks do not necessarily mean recovery is impossible

Allie’s experience is personal and should not be taken as medical advice. Anyone experiencing persistent or unexplained symptoms should seek appropriately qualified medical support.

Contact Allie

Meet Your Healer App: www.meetyourhealer.com
Brain Retraining Programme: www.upsellhealth.com/brain

Contact Leigh

Beyond The Pain paperback: 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

Could the way you relate to yourself be affecting your experience of persistent pain?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with Lindsay Little about the complex relationship between physical pain, emotional pain and self-love. Drawing on her own experience of serious illness, autoimmune disease and feeling disconnected from her body, Lindsay explains how her health crisis led her to explore massage, somatic practices and the deeper messages held within the body.

Together, Leigh and Lindsay discuss why physical and emotional pain cannot always be separated, how a lack of self-love may influence the way we care for ourselves, and why healing may require more than treating symptoms alone.

They also explore how chronic stress, unresolved emotions, personal boundaries and our need to feel loved can affect our physical and emotional well-being. Lindsay shares practical ways to begin cultivating self-love, including identifying how you prefer to receive love, becoming more mindful of your needs, establishing healthier boundaries and making space for meaningful self-care.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How Lindsay’s experience with autoimmune disease changed her relationship with her body
• Why physical and emotional pain are often deeply interconnected
• How unresolved emotional experiences may contribute to persistent symptoms
• Why self-love is about more than positive thinking or pampering yourself
• How your personal “love languages” can be applied to self-care
• Why healthy boundaries are an essential expression of self-respect
• How mindfulness and somatic awareness can help you reconnect with your body
• Practical first steps towards developing a more supportive relationship with yourself

If you have persistent pain and feel that something important has been overlooked, this conversation offers a compassionate invitation to listen to your body, explore your emotional needs and consider healing from a whole-person perspective.

Connect with Lindsay Little

SomaLingua:
https://somalingua.com/

Connect with Leigh Brandon

Beyond The Pain paperback:
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/

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

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