How the Brain Creates Pain: Brandon Day on Applied Neurology, Flow States & Peak Performance

What if pain is not simply a problem in the tissues, but an output from the brain?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon is joined by Brandon Day, flow state expert and applied neurology coach, to explore how the brain influences pain, injury, performance, recovery, and resilience.

Brandon shares his remarkable journey from a childhood shaped by sport, anger, trauma, and repeated injuries, to discovering that pain is often far more complex than structural damage alone. Together, they unpack why so many people remain in pain even when scans and medical tests reveal very little, while others show significant degeneration with no pain at all.

This conversation explores the hidden neurological mechanisms behind chronic pain and peak performance, including how the brain interprets threat, how past experiences and emotions shape physical symptoms, and why changing sensory input can change the pain output.

If you have ever been told, “It’s all in your head,” this episode will help you understand why that may actually be the most empowering thing you could hear.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why chronic pain can persist even when scans and tests come back clear
• Why pain is often an output from the brain rather than a direct measure of tissue damage
• How flow states can support healing, recovery, and peak performance
• The role of applied neurology in reducing pain and improving function
• How sensory retraining can help change protective pain patterns
• Why thoughts, emotions, and unresolved trauma can influence physical health
• What neurological loops and “threat buckets” are, and how they keep people stuck
• Practical ways to begin changing the brain’s pain and protection signals

This is a powerful episode for anyone dealing with persistent pain, unexplained symptoms, recurring injuries, or a desire to better understand the brain-body connection.

You can find Beyond The Pain on all major podcast platforms in video & audio versions including Apple, Spotify and  YouTube.