there are many people with mild pn who do work and may have very few symptoms and as little as one area of the body affected. once you get to the moderate level, there are many more people not working and severe, it would be very difficult to hold down the most sedentary job. what is the cause of your PN, do you know? Depending on the cause and the treatment, PN may not progress, may progress slowly or may progress rapidly. there is no way of knowing. however after having it now 14 years, the success stories are few and far between. rest may lessen you pain but it wont cure you. the types of PN that may stay the same or improve include vitamin deficiencies, from chemo therapy, diabetes (sometimes), or nerve impingement. if you have had it more than two years the chances of you getting better are very very slim.